Cali Waterloo — Restaurant in Waterloo

From One Business Owner to Another — Honest Feedback

I really like this café. The food is excellent, the space is beautiful, and most of the staff are friendly. That’s why I’m writing this with genuine respect—as constructive feedback,

I came in on Monday morning, July 9, around 10:15 AM. The place was nearly empty—only a few tables taken. I asked for a table, the guy at the front pointed me where to sit. Less than two minutes later, the hostess came over and asked, “Do you have a reservation?” I said no. She responded, “I need this table in 45 minutes. Can you be done by then?” I said yes, no problem.

I placed my order with a server at the table, ate quickly, and made sure to stay until 10:55 to observe what happened. And here’s the issue: by the time I left, there were still at least eight empty tables inside—plus outdoor seating. No one waiting at the door. No rush. No crowd. That table wasn’t needed.

As someone who’s owned multiple restaurants in the U.S., I have to say—this kind of interaction costs money. The staff were more focused on who might be coming in 45 minutes than on the paying customer already sitting there. A reservation is just a held table, not a reason to rush guests out when the café is clearly not full. People cancel. They run late. And even if they show up on time, there were plenty of other open tables to seat them.

If you factor it out, that hour could’ve easily supported five or six more seated tables if the staff weren’t overly cautious. That’s easily €100–€200 in missed revenue in one hour. Multiply that over several mornings a week and it adds up fast.

Also, while the food is great, there’s a big missed opportunity with upselling. The staff take your order at the table, but no one checks back in to offer anything else. I’ve been here multiple times and would’ve happily ordered more—coffee, pastry, juice, whatever—but no one followed up.

Again, I’m writing this because I like the place - With better staff training, timing, and guest awareness, this café could easily increase revenue without changing anything else. Sometimes, the money is already sitting at the table—you just have to recognize it.

— A fellow...

Today was a rainy day, and I visited this café with my friend for the first time. We ordered two coffees and two pastries. At no point did the staff inform us that all the tables were taken. I didn’t say my order was for takeaway, and no one asked if it was for here or to go — which is usually a standard question in most cafés.

After paying, we found a table to sit at, but then the same staff came over to apologize and told us that he had entered our order as takeaway and that all the tables were already reserved. We had no choice but to stand by the counter and wait for our drinks, and once we received them, we had to leave the café.

What made it worse was that this happened in front of other customers. Having to stand up and walk away from a table — while people around watched — made me feel like we were being quietly asked to leave. It was uncomfortable, disappointing, and honestly upsetting.

I even started to question if it was somehow my fault for not saying anything, but on a rainy day like this, why would anyone assume I wanted to carry two coffees and two pastries outside — without asking?

My friend and I love café-hopping around Brussels, and we've never had an experience like this. In fact, I’ve never been made to feel this way in any café —...

Alors là, quelle déception… Nous venons prendre un petit-déjeuner chez Cali. Je commande des pancakes et deux œufs sur le plat, et mon amie un açai bowl accompagné également de deux œufs. Jusqu’ici, tout se passe bien : la serveuse est très aimable et sympathique, ce qui a été très apprécié, les pancakes sont délicieux, et le café est très bon.

Malheureusement, je découvre un cheveu sous un de mes œufs. Par souci de transparence, j’en ai informé la serveuse de manière cordiale, tout en précisant qu’il n’était pas nécessaire de remplacer le plat. À la caisse, elle m’indique spontanément qu’elle a retiré les suppléments œufs de l’addition, ce que j’apprécie.

Et là, tout dérape. Une de ses collègues de cuisine lui précise alors qu’il ne faut pas enlever les 4 suppléments. Ce que je confirme, car il n’y avait aucune raison d’enlever le supplément de mon amie. Mais une autre employée, visiblement responsable de la cuisine, arrive furieuse et sèchement demande de ne rien décompter. Quand j’explique calmement qu’il y avait un poil/cheveu dans mon assiette, tout s’enflamme : on m’accuse d’avoir mis ce cheveu moi-même (je précise que je suis blonde, cheveux attachés, et le cheveu était noir…) et de vouloir « profiter ». Les fausses accusations sont appuyées par des souvenirs d’une visite précédente datant de plus de 8 mois où mon amie avait simplement fait une remarque sur le visuel et les fruits du granola. Visiblement, cette remarque a laissé des traces, car on nous reproche d’être « des clientes à problème ». La scène est franchement honteuse, tout ça pour 2 €, que je n’ai même pas demandé à retirer.

Pour finir, un homme intervient pour nous dire « le mieux, c’est de ne pas revenir ». Sur ce point, il a raison : aucune envie de remettre les pieds dans un endroit où l’on accuse injustement les clients et où toute remarque semble être un affront personnel.

Ce type de situation aurait pu facilement être bien mieux géré avec un peu plus de calme et de respect C’est dommage, car le lieu est agréable et les plats étaient bons. Mais cette gestion calamiteuse des incidents laisse un goût amer que ni les pancakes, ni le café n’arrivent...