Swiss Chalet — Restaurant in Barrie

This is the second time in less than 4 months that I have had an issue with this location, but I will be focusing my review on today's experience, as the other has been resolved.

When someone in the family is sick, our go-to is Swiss Chalet soup (no matter how upset I am with the restaurant), but since soup doesn't fill up everyone, I had to order for everyone because I'm not driving just for soup. While the wait was its usual 15-minutes, I was optimistic. I got my order quickly after arriving and everything was great - until I got home and unpacked it. Everyone knows Swiss Chalet is known for their delicious sauce, but unfortunately, I didn't receive mine in my order (I ordered a family pack). I called the store at 6:18pm and spoke with Brandon (manager) who said he'd put a rush on delivering the sauce as I live close enough (but I wasn't leaving a sick kiddo again to pick it up). The kicker: I have to wait for the delivery driver to complete his delivery, go back to the store, then come deliver the sauce (which the manager said would be just a couple of minutes). In the mean time, I've got a hungry family who had to eat their cold, cold fries and their chicken without sauce because we just couldn't wait; we got creative. I received my sauce at 6:41 and the delivery guy was pleasant and smiling. I very much appreciate him.

Granted, I should have checked the bag, especially since my last bad experience with this location isn't that long ago. But, I gave them benefit of the doubt. It's insulting they even have an "add tip" option when I'm placing my own order and picking it up because I'd be tipping them to mess up my order essentially. I understand mistakes happen, but because it's a back-to-back bad experience with the same location, I'm pretty bitter. If it wasn't for their soup that seems to have magical powers when one is sick, I wouldn't be returning at all.

I hope this review and my last interaction with this restaurant can help make changes within the restaurant and inform guests of the type of errors made, then I've used the...

28 July 2023 @ 1830hrs Swiss Chalet - Bayfield store, Barrie, Ont.

We went to have dinner, party of 3. At the door, a family of 7, was waiting, another party of 2, and us. The dining room was literally "empty", like the whole dining room on the right was closed, and the main dining room was not very busy.

At some point, about 10 mins later, a waitress came and got the family of 7 a table.

Everything good so far. About 15 mins later ( yes, we've been waiting at the door for 25 mins at this point), the same waitress tells the party of 2 ahead of us (who have been waiting even longer than us)....us, and others waiting behind us, that the dining room is at FULL CAPACITY!!!!

What???? Also being told there's only 2 waitress working.....

There's barely anyone.....even worse, while we were waiting, at least a dozen customers (15 to be exact) left the restaurant, while waiting at the door.

This specific Swiss Chalet franchise has a well known reputation for having major customer service & managerial issues....but that bad???? WOW!!!! So we left to go to Eastside Mario....Great service, Great food, and well staffed!!!!

Let say that although we live at a very short distance from this location, WE WILL NEVER GO BACK AT THE BAYFIELD SWISS CHALET....EVER!!!!!!!!

A very Special note to this manager - I know that St-Hubert BBQ & Cara Foods is your "corporate" managing entity, and I will contact them in regards to this franchise in particular. Immediate corrective measures is definitely needed at that location.

There's plenty of fake good reviews on google for your store, and a mother load of complaints......all which are pointing at the same group of issues, managerial, inside customer service, including at the take out...not to mention within this kitchen. Never mind your customer review form....enough is enough...the corporate level will take care of your franchise.

On that one....when we left, there was one of your kitchen staff outside, right next to his kitchen door.. .having a cigarette...l 'll leave you that one to deal with...

Pretty disappointed with the remodel at this location. The greeter confirmed there are fewer seats now. She also pointed out that some of them are bar height and we noticed two other groups of diners waiting to be seated refused these high seats, preferring to wait for regular height seats and tables. We did too.

The seating is more open than before, with fewer booths. The booths there are appear to have longer tables, we were seated at a table for 6, our party of two. No wonder there is a line waiting to be seated.

Either the tables are narrower now or the bench seats are further away from the table. I guess this allows bigger people easier access but it made my back ache. Our booth was raised and warnings are needed to remind people to be careful when leaving their booth, there is a step down.

There is also a bad step at the back entrance. There is a warning but we saw people miss it when leaving, when you have to step down.

The ceiling has been raised and the acoustics are terrible. The whole place roars with the conversations of diners, cutlery clacking on plates and the sound of the chairs there are being moved on the floor.

The wait staff now wear bluejeans and a long denim apron. Not a fan. They look too casual. I guess they are supposed to look like they are worked on a chicken farm but I don't want to eat my meal in a chicken barn.

The staff themselves are as pleasant and efficient as always. :)

The food was as good as always. I even think the bun sizes for the chicken on a kaiser, which had been shrinking, were back to full size. I wish they would still cut the sandwich part in half though. The fries are still the best anywhere :), the chalet sauce is still the best anywhere :) and the coffee is still the best anywhere. :) Pretty sure the coffee cups are bigger now too. AND, we did get the paper plate meals last time but it looks like they must have gotten enough complaints about that, real plates were used...