I have been a regular customer of this establishment for quite some time. My family and I order…read morehere at least once every two weeks, and normally both the food and service are good. Unfortunately, my experience today was bad enough that I'm seriously questioning whether I will return.
My order number was **#57**, and I spent approximately **$50 on two entrées**.
Today, I was picking up food for my family and some elderly neighbors. I called ahead to place a takeout order because my elderly neighbors like to hear me place their order and get the total so they know exactly how much cash to send with me.
I was left waiting on the phone for **22 minutes without anyone answering**.
Eventually, I decided to drive to the restaurant while keeping the call connected just to see how long it would take for someone to answer. When I arrived, I saw only two occupied tables and one takeout order waiting. I also counted roughly **10 employees behind the counter**.
When I walked in, I was initially told to wait. Then, as **Shyanne** finally went to pick up the ringing phone, I told her, "That's me."
I asked why I had been left waiting for 22 minutes just trying to place a takeout order. Rather than apologizing or even acknowledging the inconvenience, Shyanne responded extremely rudely: **"Don't you see we are busy? I haven't had time to pick up the phone."**
That response was completely unnecessary and unprofessional.
I wasn't looking for an argument. I was a regular customer asking a legitimate question after sitting on hold for 22 minutes. Instead of receiving basic customer service, I was met with attitude, excuses, and disrespect.
What makes the situation even worse is that **I am writing this review while I am still standing here waiting for my food**. Since my interaction with Shyanne, I have repeatedly heard her complaining about having to answer phone calls and other responsibilities.
At some point, this stops being about how busy the restaurant is and becomes an issue of attitude and customer service. Employees are being paid to perform a job, and answering customers--whether they are standing at the counter or calling to place an order--is part of that job. If the workload is genuinely too much for one person, then management should provide additional help. But customers should not be made to feel like an inconvenience simply because they expect someone to answer the phone or provide basic service.
If the stress of the position is causing someone to openly complain about having to serve customers and then speak disrespectfully to those customers, something needs to change--whether that means additional staffing, better training, or reconsidering whether this is the right position for that employee.
When I asked whether a manager was available, Shyanne simply told me I would **"need to call back tomorrow."** There was no attempt to apologize, de-escalate the situation, or find someone who could address my concern.
Even as I continue standing here, the phone keeps ringing, and whether it gets answered appears to be completely hit or miss.
What makes this especially disappointing is that **we are regular customers**. We spend money here frequently, and I have generally had positive experiences in the past. I understand restaurants get busy. I understand employees get stressed. But neither of those things gives an employee the right to be rude or disrespectful to a customer.
**Being busy is understandable. Being stressed is understandable. Treating customers like they are a burden for expecting you to do your job is not.**
Shyanne's attitude has turned what should have been a routine $50 takeout order into an experience that makes me seriously question whether my family will continue patronizing this establishment.
Management needs to address both how takeout calls are being handled and, more importantly, how customers are being spoken to. We have supported this restaurant regularly, but after today's experience, something would need to change before I would feel comfortable coming back.
