I don't like to be unkind, so I'm giving this place 2 stars. Staff leave a lot to be desired,…read morethough I know our expectations in English-speaking countries tend to be higher than what Italians expect from restaurants, pubs, cafes bars and in general anywhere that customer-service is part of the equation.
I used to live close to the pub, and visited often. Decour and layout is superb, the pub would be up there with any of the best in Ireland, Britain or the US. A bit different from the pubs in terms of how it is used, but this has nothing to do with the management - if people don't drink but expect food from their pub, then food is what you will do. So it is more than a restaurant than a proper pub, but still you can go there for a few pints if that is what you want. No problem with that.
I never had a cause to complain about the place before - the food is ok, fast food, not very healthy of course but you know that before you go in. This evening, while passing through my old town, I decided to drop in and enjoy a bite again, for old times' sake.
My wife found a piece of copper wire in her panino. Actually, in her mouth, as she did not see it before taking a bite. I was disgusted and brought it to the attention of the girl at the till. Very politely, ready to pay for my meal but just wanted to bring this to her attention. She acted horrified, of course, and asked to take the piece of offending metal to the kitchen to report it to the staff there. I reluctantly handed it over, saying "ok, but I want this back". The manager comes out, vaguely apologised while trying to blame the meat suppliers (which is not true - my wife recognised the metal as being part of the spatula used to fry the meat), and charged me for the rest of the meal apart from the panino. I don't look for free meals, but was expecting to be told I didn't need to pay, along with an apology. I would have insisted on paying, at least for my own meal, which was not spoiled - all I really wanted was a genuine apology, genuine surprise and shock that this happened in their kitchen, and an assurance that they would investigate it and ensure it did not happen again. Instead, I felt they thought I was just looking for a free meal.
After paying, I asked for the piece of metal back, as I had told the girl before she took it. "Oh, we threw it in the bin". "Well, I want that back please". "Ok, I will go and look for it". About 15 seconds later, he reappears, "sorry, we threw it away, can't find it". Wow, really wanted to find that for me, didn't you! "I told the girl I wanted it back before I gave it to her". She turns around to join in the conversation, "Yes, you did but I threw it away". Not even an adjective such as 'accidentally' or 'absent-mindedly' or 'I forgot and threw it away' - just a statement of fact that she heard me ask for it back, but she threw it away instead. So I say, "to try to avoid guilt, I understand", to which they reply "you understand, good".
Italian manners and attitude towards customer service has always managed to surprise me, but I have rarely been treated so badly. It is not as if I am a rude, irate customer when I make complaints, I hate to do it but feel it is important, if not for me then for future customers. I politely bring the matter to the attention of the staff, and all I am looking for is an apology. Italians have a different attitude to mistakes - if you admit to one then you are in trouble as it encourages the patron to take further action - but they really need to learn that with foreigners, who have a more sophisticated and civilised attitude towards problems and complaints, the refusal to say sorry and mean it only encourages them to take further action.
Instead of walking away satisfied that they were truly sorry and would be more careful in future, which I would have had they only apologised properly to me, I am now in fact considering taking further action. I have photographs of the offending piece of metal which I took before reporting the incident.
