If I could rate this restaurant zero stars, I would. This will be a long rant but purely facts and hopefully can either help the owners to make positive changes or to warn potential customers and save them a very frustrating experience.
Firstly, this was not my first time eating at Panjo's and I HATE leaving bad reviews for local restaurants because it can hurt business. But... here we are.
I arrived to restaurant at 6pm and placed an online order by 6:15pm that was planned to eat at the restaurant. Ordered a small thin crust pizza and meatball sandwich. Estimated wait time is 40-50 min (which is already a long wait time) but it's a local business and usually worth the wait. I was also with a group of maybe 8 that all placed their own orders either online or in person. Good conversation and company makes the long wait time easier to manage.
After 1hr wait I head to counter and get in line, behind other visibly upset customers. Reach register at approx 7:30pm and told another 15-20 min for order to be ready. With a smile, I ask them to please call my name when ready since I am seated in restaurant. During this next wait period, my friend received a text alert that her online order was cancelled after waiting over an hr already.
Back up to register at 7:50pm and told another 15-20 min but that my food is going into oven right at the moment. Frustrated but still remaining calm.
Back to the register 8:05pm (1hr, 50min after placing order) checking on status of order. Staff cannot find my order ticket or food, searched for 5-10 min. Asked to produce a receipt to which I explain my order was online, provided order name again. Finally told that my small pizza is ready but sandwich not cooked yet so will be another 10 min. Getting harder to remain friendly but promised that my sandwich was going into oven now.
Return back to counter 10 min later and see my cooked sandwich sitting on prep table. Blonde guy at register (who has been running between drink dispensers, walkin cooler, telephones, registers, drink coolers, credit cards, etc) walks over and places bare hands on my sandwich to fold in plain sight. I immediately tell him that I'm not eating that sandwich to which he then realizes his mistake. Mean while, a guy working the ovens (Luigi hat) tries to tell me that blonde guys hands are clean and not an issue. I explained that hands are dirty due to not washing hands before touching my food and Luigi guy tries to argue with me for 5 min saying "You're not going to get sick from that"... which is a WHOLE OTHER ISSUE. Luigi guy stated they are busy to which I acknowledged but explained I have been patient long enough and now have to wait even longer.
Also, to add, cashiers have been taking new orders over the phone this entire time. I stated maybe they should stop taking new orders while they catch up and was told "company policy is that we don't stop taking orders till doors close".
I asked for a refund for sandwich and I will just take the pizza to which blonde guy states no refunds but disappears to call the "big boss" to see if I can get a gift card for credit. He returns and states he can place value of sandwich on gift card or remake. I had to ask that the sandwich be placed in the oven now because it was just going to be added to the queue.
I stood to side of counter to watch as they remade and packed my sandwich because they had such a "no effs" attitude that I didn't trust they weren't going to try to repackage the original sandwich. Finally at 8:54pm, I received my cold pizza that was ready at 8:05pm plus my sandwich to which I took home and the food was nothing to praise. Total wait time of 2hr, 38min and now I have lost all respect for the business.
I swear, training must involve memorizing the tag line 10-15 min more and zero food handling. I would love to think that maybe my order just fell through the cracks but that's not the case, every other person I was with had similar experience. Also witnessed SEVERAL others frustrated with similar experiences and asking for refunds. Hence their no refund policy because they would be bleeding money. Also very confusing why orders were taking so long since there were lots of workers there.
Very saddening that this restaurant has gone downhill. Please do better. So many positive reviews because of the nostalgia but customers beware. read more