Jocelyn's Provisions — Restaurant in Brisbane City

Decent pastries, but a consistently negative customer experience. This review is based on my last three visits to Jocelyns. The first time, was over Easter, when my girlfriend and myself were excited to try the cream filled hot cross buns. You couldn’t order these, and it was first come, first served (really???).

We rolled around at 0945 on a Friday, and the server scoffed at us for not getting there earlier. “Sold out at 0730” he said as if how dare we try and come at a mere 0945 for his limited edition product. Desperately trying to apologise for having the gall of asking for the buns all over JPs instagram, I profusely apologised, and said I would try and come earlier next time.

We went and had coffee around the corner at Bellissimo (my favourite spot) and then went home, after which we were shocked to see the supplier had dropped off another batch of buns at 1015 (thanks for the heads up mate). For people who ordered and bought three six packs of hot cross buns for family and friends, I felt very poorly valued as a customer.

The most recent time was yesterday. We went to buy a cupcake as a treat for a friend, and for Covid, there is a 2 person limit for visiting the store. There was a person who looked like a staff member (black apron) and a customer. My girlfriend went in to survey the goods. The customer left so I was excited to also survey the goods myself. Milliseconds in to my entry across the threshold into the store, a very rude server said THERE ARE ONLY TWO PEOPLE ALLOWED IN STORE AT ONCE!! (Strange how they didn’t say anything to my girlfriend, which confirmed my suspicions that the other person worked there). I apologised and I said I thought the other person in store was staff (you know, the matching black apron she was wearing). No friendly platitude from the staff to be head, my head down, I removed myself from the imminent danger of COVID that I had unwittingly put us all in.

Finally, doppelgänger JP employee left the store, and I dutifully ran in to pay for the treats that my girlfriend had selected. I again apologised for the mixup, to which I received a glare and no words of affirmation (number three in my love languages).

Again, I’ll probably buy stuff from time to time, but some customer service is desperately needed - this is reflected in the number of negative reviews I have read. Please try and be nice and friendly with your...

⭐☆☆☆☆ This place is all branding with no substance. The pastry I had was dry, bland, and tasted like it had been sitting out for hours. Look very old every product developed with no skills required…. Nothing about it felt fresh or handmade. The coffee was weak and flat. I’ve had better from a petrol station.

Staff were completely disengaged. No greeting, no interest, just going through the motions.

For a place that presents itself as premium, it felt very CHEAP and careless in every way.

There are so many better bakeries and cafés in Brisbane that actually care about their product. This isn’t one of them.!!!

Don’t waste your time or money. I walked away disappointed and confused why people still going for this.??

Wow, I expected a response, but not a defensive monologue cloaked in passive aggression.

Instead of addressing any of the issues I raised with maturity or humility, you chose to launch a personal attack and hide behind your “30 years” of experience, as if that alone is proof of quality. Longevity doesn’t guarantee relevance, freshness, or skill. In fact, your response proves just how complacent and out of touch your business has become.

Let’s be clear: The pastry was dry and bland. The coffee was weak and flat. The service was indifferent and dismissive.

If that conflicts with your internal narrative, perhaps it’s time to reassess your standards, not lash out at honest feedback. Claiming everything is simply incorrect doesn’t make it so, it just shows your unwillingness to listen.

As for my review history, I didn’t realize providing an honest account of an experience made me a target for your self-appointed moral policing. It’s unprofessional and frankly laughable that you’d try to discredit a customer for having standards.

Threatening legal action over a review that doesn’t praise you is not just petty, it’s embarrassing. If your food and service matched the arrogance of your reply, I might have actually enjoyed my visit.

To others reading this: there are countless cafés and bakeries in Brisbane that care about quality, warmth, and customer experience. You deserve better than a place that reacts to criticism with hostility, ego, and...

Organised a cake from Sydney for my sister's 40th, it was beautiful to look at by stale and dry inside. Upon mentioning this to them, they put the blame on my and said I was told this wasn't ideal, which is completely untrue. I had asked their professional advice and they said what I wanted was doable. Rather than trying to fix the situation, with a simple apology and sending out a complimentary small cake/or tasting plate as an apology, I have heard nothing back from them. These people have no idea how to do business. If they had done this simple thing, they would have had my repeat business for years to come. Disgusting outcome and whilst the cakes are beautiful. There are a serious amount of Instagram bakers in Brisbane that will do beautiful and delicious cakes and ensure that it is done right. Unfortunately, on this occasion, I organised too late and 8 of them were booked out. Better planning next time, and I will never use these people again.

I finally heard back from Jocelyn's with an apology and offer to fix the situation after my review. They have apologized for the poor manner in which this was dealt with. I think basically picking up the phone immediately after my complaint, no matter how busy you are, would have shown a sincere attempt at showing interest in their customers.

Having looked at some of the other reviews below, I don't think I'm the only person to have experienced this, but at least they have now attempted to rectify...