Max Brenner - QV — Restaurant in Melbourne

Worst customer service in Melbourne. Staff were far too busy talking about how to make different coffees to show any ounce of service to customers! At 8.30pm the place was not packed, 3 staff on and the only one actually working was the barista. The other two could not be bothered at all, to the point the male server effectively threw my drink on the table before half-heartedly announcing ‘hawt chocolaaatee’ before throwing his hands up for effect. When I discovered my cup was dirty with chocolate around the edges and lipstick on the edge, I took it to the counter and interrupted their conversation by saying ‘excuse me, could I have another drink please? This cup is dirty and has lipstick around the edges’. To which ALL 3 servers turned their backs to me and basically ignored me! I had to repeat myself and ask ‘excuse me, did anyone hear me? To which the barista slightly turned her head in my direction before stating ‘yes I’ll bring you another! When it came out it was ‘dumped’ on the table by the male server, before he brought out our fondue and proudly announced ‘fondue’ before retrieving our cutlery and dumping it down on the table in a pile. Fondue was ok, but you can’t really muck up melted chocolate and fruit, drink (HC) was ok. Sad to see Max Brenner be so bad, as we were avid patrons in the Gold Coast where it is a lot more upmarket and so much more welcoming. They really need to do some training of staff here, in basic service requirements! Will not be recommending this place or giving a good review here or...

Not What It Used to Be

I remember visiting Max Brenner years ago when it was still fairly new — it felt like a special experience, a true destination for chocolate lovers. Sadly, after visiting again this past weekend, it’s clear that the atmosphere and standards have declined.

It now feels more like a fast food stop than the luxe dessert café it once was. While the hot chocolate was still quite good, the iced chocolate wasn’t as impressive. What really stood out was the lack of cleanliness — tables left dirty, receipts and rubbish on the floor — and the staff didn’t seem particularly warm or attentive.

The upselling also felt a bit sneaky. My friend ordered an iced chocolate and the staff member asked, “With whipped cream?” Naturally, he said yes, only to be told after the fact, “That will be $1 extra.” It’s a small thing, but when you’re already paying close to $9 per drink, you’d expect basic things like whipped cream to be included — or at the very least, clearly communicated. A better approach would be: “Would you like whipped cream for $1 extra?” Transparency matters, especially in a place that once prided itself on creating a premium experience.

While I still enjoy their classic hot chocolates, the overall value and experience just aren't what they used to be. Simple improvements — cleanliness, clearer communication, and a touch more hospitality — would go a long way in encouraging people to return. As it stands, I won’t be...

We went there last Saturday afternoon. When making the order, the guy said there'd be a 10-15 minute wait, as it was quite busy. This was fine as we were in no hurry. However they messed up by losing our docket/receipt, and forgot about us. Meanwhile people who had ordered after me were being served. I thought maybe ours needed more time to be prepared, so I played patient. Anyway after about 40 minutes, I spoke to a waiter and asked him to look into what was going on. He casually said they'd lost the docket, or something like that and a "sorry" and then said he'd get it for us. He served us and once again said "sorry", but didn't offer anything tangible in an effort to make up for their error. Just stating "sorry" is not really a serious attempt to rectify a mistake that they were responsible for. Imho it doesn't "cut it". Just because they are immensely popular, doesn't mean they should treat customers like this. Don't think I'll...