Jace C.
Yelp
I'm reviewing on behalf of my girlfriend and we are torn about leaving a poor review. Normally, we're extra forgiving on independent businesses, but sometimes a sincerely negative critique feels compulsory. We believe in feedback and the opportunity it provides to make improvements and inform others.
My girlfriend got the "hotdog and slice of apple pie" special, plus a second/different pie slice as an extra. The beef hotdog was very skinny and tiny (compared to what you'd find in grocery stores). While she said the flavor was not bad, it had an unpleasant scent (I agreed), and the yellowish tint on the outside was off-putting. It looked like it had been sitting on a warmer for a long time, which is supported by the quick turnaround on the order.
The apple pie slice was sickeningly sweet and was more corn starch & sugar-type of filling than apple chunks and juices. She said it's the worst crust she's ever had, and I agreed: it was soft and flavorless. The berry pie would've been better by way of the filling being more to her liking (I personally felt it had all the same problems), but the crust was equally terrible with that pie, so she ended up leaving it to "the dog" (that's me; I'm the dog).
We've seen other people's reviews where they love the pies, so there's obviously disagreement about these pies; taste is subjective. If this helps you understand the impression we got: I felt like the pies were the same as the cheap, prepackaged, shelf-stable pies from various brands in grocery stores or fast food places; it was not remotely "homemade", in my opinion.
The tables of pies on display looked like they'd been wrapped in plastic and set out for many days, so I assume being super sugar-heavy, and therefore shelf-stable (sugar is a preservative), is an explicit goal here. My GF & I prefer fresh foods. Perishable foods just taste better to us.
The other stuff in the store was somewhat of interest (the pickled veggies, salsas, and preserves, for example), but far too expensive to bother with, which was a shame. It seemed most everything else was third-party product, and this business is probably putting quite a high markup on those items.
Also of concern: the fresh fruit was spoiling in the baskets, next to the tables of cookie packages. I noticed the same with the baskets of vegetables in the displays outside the building.
The service experience my girlfriend had was fine. The guy who took the order was friendly, smiled, and made sure my GF didn't leave without one of the pie slices she'd bought (she almost walked out without it).
Also, the interior wasn't loud, and we didn't feel rushed or pushed to buy stuff by anyone.
So service was no problem. We have no complaint about that. It's partially why this review is conflicting: we don't want to punish a small business with negativity after being treated fine, but the above criticisms are sincerely held responses to the food that have resulted in us not wanting to return, and I think a business should be given the benefit of the doubt and the option to learn this, and that other potential customers can learn of our experience to help inform their decisions.
Sorry folks! I hope you can take these critiques in the constructive spirit in which they're offered and maybe improve things in the near future (if there's any consensus that these are issues causing you problems; maybe they aren't, and all is fine for you - if so, great).