Laurent — Restaurant in Melbourne

This place was much better the last time we came, before it expanded. We attended on Easter Sunday around 1pm which understandably may have been a tough day however some things need to be shared.

There were 6 or 7 staff on, yet it seemed like no one knew what their role was. The floors were in desperate need of sweeping, particularly under the tables that also needed clearing. At one point no staff were on the floor, yet everyone was behind the counter folding boxes.

One of the staff seemed to think that wearing gloves qualified as hand hygiene as they proceeded to touch everything ranging from food, door handles, utensils, boxes and screens with the same gloved hands. I observed the same staff member squeezing multiple pastries with the dirty gloves I assume trying to work out which one was filled with chocolate. The gloves were not changed the whole time we were there.

Pulling out the dust buster in the middle of lunch to clean the shelf in the window is not a good look or sound in an already noisy echoing room. This could have waited or a wipe with a clean cloth would have sufficed.

Serving soggy croissants that have been sitting waiting with tomato in them and then toasted for 20 seconds is not very nice. But then garnishing with half a plate of decaying mixed salad with a squirt of mayonnaise takes it to a whole next level.

I also paid for one chocolate eclair and the staff member defaulted to give me a table number whilst there was no one else ordering at the time. I had to prompt that they could just put it on a plate and I'd be happy to take it with me.

I suggest the manager and leadership staff go to a competitors store to see how other successful businesses operate. It is possible. Would be disappointing to see this business run into the ground. Please train up the staff to look around the environment and work...

Really hot inside. I was sweating. Disorganised staff.

10 minutes later it got worse. They hadn't made my takeaway coffee & I had somewhere to be. So, I asked for a refund. I had yo wait for the manager to come out. Then she tried to give me a cash refund with coins. I'd paid with my card & I wanted the refund onto my card. She said, "Well, that will take a little while longer."

I said to just make me a coffee then, cause I need to leave.

They made me a coffee. I left. I burnt my mouth on the coffee.

Following on from Laurent Bakery's response to my review, which included, "keep in mind that during peak times our staff do their best to satisfy and attend to every customer. Furthermore, we all have somewhere to be, the majority of people walking in our stores are busy working professionals."

From a customer service perspective, I find their response out of context, rude & overly defensive for a cafe business.

To those reading my review, please note that my experience was not during a peak time. There was one other person waiting for pastries in no apparent rush. There were some people enjoying their time at this cafe sitting inside up the back. There were 3 people serving at the counter when I was served. I waited patiently for my takeaway coffee. I have experienced actually busy cafes & I don't think I've ever waited for 10 minutes to find out my coffee was never coming.

If you don't want reviews from customers then don't advertise on Google.

If you're genuinely interested in reviews from customers, then take what people are telling you on board, don't bother trying to lecture them about how you think things actually were in a place were not in, & use the feedback you're receiving for the better.

If I already hadn't decided to not return to this cafe before, I'm certainly not...

G'day. Sensational coffee and Authentic French patisserie. BUT !!!!....... a $10 limit on payWave? Really? Mistake or intent? I have to say, in 2017 I know of only two businesses that still impose a minimum $10 on pay wave (and I eat out EVERY day). One is a Japanese Sushi bar, who honestly speak minimal English (I get it). The second is you. Upon enquiring with the staff "why does the proprietor impose that, just out of interest, it is extremely odd" The pained expression could only offer up the response "I don't know". Well, I'll tell you quietly, your customers pained impressions can't work it out either. One customer next to me just said. "Oh the owner is probably just greedy". Well, I'd doubt that actually. And PS. I asked quietly and politely.

If the bank is actually stinging you, go poke them again. The entire idea to the invention of PayWay, is to be able to "Wave away" a $2 chocolate bar, and also train the public for a careless society.

Next year, you'll see consumers CCards begin to disappear, in place of phones. I won't even carry a wallet, only my Id in my phone case and a smart phone.

I'd quietly recommend you revisit your bank, and revisit your $10 minimum, bc next time I can't pay for my coffee here. "But it's good"

Amazing food. Excellent coffee!!! Just shift out of the 90s with your CCard Limit, mistakenly moved onto your payWave limit. That is two different things. I do concede, it is the banks who are greedy, holding the mer grant slug, but don't worry, in 2019 I'll be paying my PayPal, for coffee. The banks are slowly getting disintermediated.

With Kind regards, Scotty...