Derek T.
Yelp
Based on at least 8 visits as it's my breakfast stop on way to Bay Area and back home. I loved this place BUT last Wednesday's customer service proved to me, that I'm not welcomed.
On my final visit, I walked in and stood in line. I waited a few minutes for two women my age order. A employee my age saw the delay and asked if she could take my order from register to my left against the wall. I said ok, but hold on. I turned to my right and asked a customer in her late 70's if she wanted to order. She said no thank you and her two friends were ordering for her.
I gave my order and had a minute or two conversation with that employee.
As I waited for about fifteen minutes, standing in the lobby of entrance, I saw two different occasions of transients (one with blanket over head and body) enter, get hot tea and leave. I also saw another sitting in the corner. This is common on all of my prior visits but you'll soon read how I was treated quite different than transients.
I had waited for about fifteen minutes, saw the cook place two sandwiches in the warmer unit which is about 3-4' behind register. There is an open area between that register and the larger main counter area. I saw a name next to one of the sandwiches so I stepped over to read the name. I did this because the two employees were busy taking an order from a customer.
I stepped and looked into the glass reading the name and it wasn't mine. I suddenly hear someone shouting, "What are you doing, you can't be there, why are you there." I turn and explain I was looking to see if that was my name. The employee in front of the other raises her voice more and says, "That is off limits it's only for employees, you need to step back." She never listened to my short few words. The woman employee behind her looked absolutely scared. I was ordered to step back. I became concerned on how they felt so I took three steps to where I ordered my sandwich. The employee continued repeating I couldn't go over to that spot. Both glared at me. Made me feel uncomfortable. I tried to explain why I went to look but was interrupted. I stood there as they stared at me. I stepped outside.
As I stood outside...I thought wow, I guess my being a clean cut 60 year old man, dressed nice with a Veteran cap on was intimidating. I waited a minute and re entered the lobby. I stood and waited about 2-3 minutes. I wasn't in a hurry as I'm retired from a different career but still work.
The two employees just stared at me. Didn't ask to help me at all. Same ones who treated me like garbage.
The cook came up and said sandwich. I walked up and was asked for a tag with my name. I said I wasn't provided one. She felt comfortable enough to give me my sandwich. I exited. I could feel the stare down.
I went to my car and called to ask to speak to a manager. The young girl said she was a manager. I paused, and I said your not a manager are you. She said, no and HUNG up. Yup...lol.
I called back and asked to speak to manager,...that employee said she was a lead. I requested to speak with a manager...she repeated I could speak with her, she was in charge. I said, I'll see you in a few minutes.
I ate my sandwich in the car because it took twenty minutes mostly from their drama and I was hungry.
I entered the cafe and an employee in her 50's looked very upset and shouted at me as soon as I entered. A tall young male employee was standing behind her, the woman employee who had yelled at me earlier was standing next to the register I had ordered from. Two other women employees were standing behind the main register. It looked like they all wanted to say a few things to me.
The employee who said she was a lead asked what my complaint was. I began to explain, only by third word I was interrupted and asked, "Did you step behind this area." I said yes, then was shouted at, " You cannot go there, did you understand, what don't you understand." I began to speak, was interrupted again, she steps to the open area, spreads her arms away from body and shouts, " You can't go there, what don't you understand, repeats again. She slides side to side.
I asked can I speak without being interrupted. She says yes, go ahead, I began speaking and was yelled at, "You can't go there, it's employees only."
I quit trying to speak...there is a pause. I look at the employee who had yelled at me..she's now staring at the lead employee. I then say, this was my regular place and last time I was here, an employee said I could check on my sandwich because they were busy. The lead paused, looked up from her blank sheet of paper she was going to write on and shouted that I violated their policy.
I stood there, looked at everyone and said I'll never be back as I exited. The lead employee yelled have a nice day.
