I'm super disappointed with the service I received on Saturday, August 22…read more
I discovered Pollo Campero last month and have ordered from here three times since. I've been hyping it up to literally everyone I know, including my boyfriend. After basically begging him to try it, he finally agreed yesterday. I promised him he wouldn't regret it and would love the food as much as I did.
Boy, was I wrong.
We arrived around 8:45 p.m. and placed our order at 8:50 p.m. --receipt timestamped, order #655.
When we walked in, there were two people waiting for food (received food shortly after we arrived) and two gentlemen in front of us together placing an order.
My boyfriend ordered a spicy chicken sandwich with fries and also wanted a two-piece chicken, but was told they only had dark meat, which he doesn't eat. I ordered a three-piece fried chicken meal with plantains, rice and a horchata.
I was a little put off that they only had dark meat, but whatever. I had hyped this place up so much that I was determined for him to try it. We decided to eat inside because we're a decent drive away and I wanted him to have the food fresh and hot.
Then we walked over to the drink station.
Disgusting--drink stains all over the counter, everything looked sticky and unclean, and there was even a nice little bug sitting on the counter to greet us :-) Photos attached.
Again, a turnoff, but I'm STILL telling this man, "Just wait until you try the food. It's so good."
We sit down at a table--THAT WE HAD TO WIPE DOWN OURSELVES, mind you--and start noticing how unkempt the restaurant is.
There were four tables with used plates and trash sitting there. Food was visibly spilled on the floor. The napkin dispenser was empty. We told the cashier, and instead of refilling it, he grabbed us a handful of napkins and went on about his business.
My boyfriend is now looking at me like, "And THIS is the place you've been begging me to try?"
I'm still defending it.
25 minutes go by.
My boyfriend gets up to ask about our food because the restaurant is pretty much empty. The only other people waiting were the two gentlemen who ordered before us. There was no line inside, and the drive-thru wasn't exactly popping either.
The cashier tells him it'll be another 4-5 minutes--Okay.
We wait ANOTHER 15 minutes.
We have now been sitting there for 40 MINUTES waiting for "fast food."
At that point, between the filthy restaurant, the wait, and the fact that we were starving, we were over it. We asked for a refund.
They told us our food would be ready "soon."
No. We've already been waiting 40 minutes. We no longer want the food.
Then somehow it takes them SEVEN MORE MINUTES to return the cash my boyfriend paid with. I can only assume they were stalling to see if our food would magically appear.
Spoiler alert: it did not.
The customer service made it worse.
The young gentleman working the register was talking, joking, and playing around with his coworker while trying to take our order. Anytime we asked what was happening with our food, all we got was:
Him telling the kitchen "They're waiting on orders."
Or:
"Sorry, it's just busy."
I'M SORRY, because "busy" was not in the room with us.
There was basically no one there!
And if you're working the front counter during a slow period, why is the drink station dirty? Why are tables covered in old plates? Why is there food on the floor? Why are the napkins and straws not stocked?
If the kitchen is backed up, COMMUNICATE THAT. Tell customers upfront there's a 30-40+ minute wait. Check on delayed orders. Apologize. Do something besides repeatedly saying "they're waiting on orders" like that helps anything.
Unfortunately, this isn't even my first ridiculous wait here.
The last time I came through the drive-thru, I asked for a large side of beans. The employee didn't understand what I wanted, even after I explained it multiple times, and gave me a regular size anyway.
I sent my sister inside afterward to purchase the large beans I originally wanted.
She waited 20 minutes. FOR BEANS. BEANS.
It's insanity.
This location seriously struggles to get orders out within a reasonable amount of time, and after this experience, I'm done taking chances.
So yeah...my Pollo Campero obsession was very much short-lived. I went from hyping this place up to everybody I know to being embarrassed that I dragged my boyfriend here and spent 40+ minutes telling him, "I swear the food is good!" while we sat in a dirty restaurant and never actually received any food.
I won't be recommending this location anymore, and I definitely won't be returning.
You lost a repeat customer and a potential new one in the same night. Impressive.