Nick Z
Google
Reply to the response from the restaurant
I appreciate your response, but I’d like to clarify a few points.
Firstly, our plates were not empty—the chilli chicken wasn’t finished, the rice and vindaloo were barely touched, and there was still fish pakora left. It’s quite common for diners to be polite when asked about their meal, but that doesn’t mean the food was enjoyable.
Secondly, regarding the service charge, I did not cause a scene. I simply questioned the charge, which—despite what you claim—is not legally compulsory in the UK. You did not state at any point it was compulsory. The other diners in the restaurant (just one other couple) agreed that customers have the right to refuse a service charge. In fact, I personally apologised to them for the situation.
You also failed to address my other key complaint—the temperature of the restaurant. It was so cold that my wife kept her coat on throughout the meal, and despite being told the heating would be adjusted, nothing changed.
Lastly, if you look at my Google review history, you’ll see that I rarely complain. In fact, this was the first time in years that I refused to pay a service charge. I am usually a very generous tipper, but service needs to be earned.
Rather than dismissing feedback with inaccuracies, I’d encourage you to reflect on the points raised. Acknowledging genuine issues would go a lot further than a defensive response.
Disappointing Experience at Rangrez
After the theatre, we decided to try Rangrez, as the reviews seemed promising. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to expectations.
I’ve dined at many restaurants and enjoyed plenty of wine, but I’ve never been told that they only serve 125ml glasses at £7.49, which isn’t cheap. When I questioned this, pointing out that 175ml and 250ml are more common measures, the server insisted that 125ml is the standard everywhere. Rather than paying over the odds for small pours, I opted to buy the bottle for £28.
Another frustrating aspect was the digital-only menu, which required scanning a QR code. It was difficult to navigate and made ordering unnecessarily complicated.
Now, onto the food—the fish pakora was dry and of poor quality, and the vindaloo lacked depth and flavour, tasting disappointingly familiar. Overall, it was underwhelming.
Adding to the discomfort, the restaurant was freezing. My wife kept her coat on the entire meal. The staff mentioned they would adjust the heating, but nothing changed. Perhaps if there had been more than four customers (including us), it might have felt a bit warmer.
When it came time to pay, I questioned the service charge, as there had been little to no service. The first staff member insisted it was compulsory, but thankfully, another (who seemed to be in charge) allowed us to remove it.
Would we return? Mmm… no. But at least it made for a memorable evening!