I've been coming to Knockout Burger in Carlsbad for many years, and I have to say this is the all-time worst experience I've ever had here.
Was on our way home, my girlfriend and I, so we called in an order to go, expecting the food to be ready in about 10 - 15 mins as it usually is, even when its been busy. After repeating our order over the phone multiple times because the woman on the other end was either multi-tasking or not listening, was told our food would be ready "in about 30 mins". Parked out back in the parking lot and waited for about 20 mins before we went in to pay and pick up our food. Soon as we entered, the guy at the cash register fiddled around with whatever was in front of him for a few minutes before noticing my girlfriend and I and saying hi. We told him we were there to pick up a phone-in order and that our order was to-go, and he looked at us as if we were speaking a foreign language that he didn't understand, before running around looking for our order but looking more like he was chasing invisible fireflies. When he finally found the order on the prep table underneath some packaging or something, he looked like he was reading hieroglyphics, even though we know he's worked there for a while now, and told us he would ring us up after. So my girlfriend and I took a seat and waited patiently. We watched kids run into the kitchen and watched staff replenish baskets of fries for a table of what appeared to be family / friends before our food was even being taken care of, while we waited another 15 mins or so. At this point, we were the only other order waiting to be prepared. Another guy showed up and walked into the kitchen, who I figured worked there as well, and began to open up a beer for himself and his coworker before he ACTUALLY got to work. Once he had his "liquid courage", he kind of stumbled around in the kitchen for another 5-10 minutes before he walked over and asked me what my order was and if it was dine-in or take out. We clearly stated our order when we called it in and that the order was to go and repeated that when we showed up to pick up our food. When we finally got our food, there was no apology or compensation or ANYTHING at the register for the lack of communication among staff regarding our order, or making us wait extra long so they could joke and chit chat while they "prepared our food".
From the VERY POOR sanitation (no washing hands after picking up the phone or wiping down surfaces and then going back to cooking and prepping orders), to drinking on the job in front of customers, to the absurd amount of poor communication among each other and waiting customers, the service here was DISGUSTING!!! They claim they have an "A" health rating and 3 1/2 stars??? I would investigate further and get this placed re-checked and get a new rating. Definitely not an "A" health rating and DEFINITELY NOT 3 1/2 stars anymore. More like 2, 2 1/2 at most.
I'm so upset that a great local burger place I've been coming to for many years has gone so far down hill. If this place is to succeed again and become the awesome local burger joint it used to be, they got A LOT of work to do. I'm very disappointed in Knockout Burger and what it has become. read more