Sad C.
Google
Awful experience. I went in to pick up an order for my kid (an entrée and dessert for $25) and I presented a $25 gift certificate, which was signed by the owner. Santiago (at the front) said he would not take the gift certificate because it was from years ago and they changed them. I politely asked why their decision to change their gift certificates affected my ability to utilize my gift certificate. I asked to speak to the manager, and he said he was the manager. Then I asked to speak to the owner, which he denied.
Santiago said they were no longer honoring the gift certificates because they were old. I told him that Florida law prohibits this type of behavior, because gift certificates do not expire in Florida. I offered to show him the law (Florida Statute 501.95) on my phone, and he said he knew about it, but did not care.
The food was already in the bag waiting to be picked up. There were other customers around listening. It was very embarrassing and sad for my kid and I to walk away so late at night, without food. I drove all the way over there, and waited the 30 minutes that they said it would take to prepare. And even though my daughter was hungry and looking forward to the experience, it felt wrong to be forced to give another $25, when they had already received $25 for the gift certificate. It is very clear that the food we ordered, which was packaged in the bag on the counter, could not be sold to anybody else. So it was essentially going to be eaten or taken home by Santiago, or another staff member, or maybe even thrown out. Very sad to think they could have done the right thing, and honored their gift card, especially considering the food was already made, but instead chose to waste the meal that was specifically prepared for my daughter, unless we were forced to give them another $25. Sad to be treated this way. :(