Boston Pizza — Restaurant in Calgary

Holy!!! I wasn’t expecting this Boston Pizza (BPs) to be reviewed as harshly as it has been! That’s not to say that those comments/reviews aren’t just, I’m just surprised because I’ve been here quite a few times and it’s never been that bad for me personally. If it were that bad I wouldn’t keep coming back; once a place has scorned me bad they usually lose me as a customer for good. So what do I think??? I think it’s an average restaurant. Do they always do things 100% right? Nope… Will you get amazing service? Probably not… But most of the time you will get a decent meal at a good price, that’s usually the expectation BPs sets for me and that’s usually what I get.

The Chinook Centre location has some advantages and disadvantages being located in the mall. Chinook Centre is easy to get to so I’d say it’s pretty conveniently located, also being right in the mall it’s a good option for people who are shopping or to combine with a movie outing. Despite being at a very busy mall, this location usually isn’t overly busy, even at peak evening and lunch hours the wait is usual minimal and most of the time you get right in. Being at a busy mall can also be drawback for parking though; this BPs is located on the west end next to Nordstrom which is one of the busier parking lots now. Back when this was a Sears parking area it was no issue, but since Nordstrom set-up shop it’s been a different story.

For food, BPs can be pretty hit and miss. They have a large menu that is constantly changing and offers seasonal choices. There’s even a new “Glutenwise” section in their menu. The problem is not their lack of categories or choices, they actually have so much that it can be a bit overwhelming and hard to choose something, but an even bigger problem than that for me is their lack on consistency. Some items are great and some are just disappointing. For example, their Buffalo Chicken Sandwich is a pretty good and classic choice that is usually satisfactory, but their newer Pizzaburger despite sounding delicious is actually quite disappointing. This is the trend that carries throughout their whole menu, some things are good-great, some are okay to just plain bad… As others mentioned, they’re constantly getting rid of stuff too and a lot of the time it’s not the bad items, it’s actually one’s they were doing a good job at! face palm Their drink menu is completely average as well, it has all the basics and is completely adequate but offers nothing special as a value proposition.

I’ve had some awesome service at other BPs locations, but the Chinook location is usually average at best. Part of this isn’t their fault as I’ve found they’re typically understaffed (more so in the lounge), which translates to longer wait times for everyone. Unfortunately I’ve also noticed that the managers don’t help out enough in these situations which is a pretty poor show of talent/qualifications. Real restaurant managers are constantly busy on the floor, they run food, introduce themselves and checkup on customers. This is not just the server’s job! On our most recent visit we ordered wings, which actually came out before napkins and wet naps. Standard practice would be to bring these out ahead of time as well as plates (which we did not get). She also forgot to bring out the ranch but didn’t forget to charge it; we of course brought this to her attention and she reversed it. Other than that she was quick with everything else and did a good job checking up on us, so as expected it was average service overall.

Everything considered, it was an average experience as expected. The food was good, the price was right and the service was average. I suggest to tread carefully when navigating the menu; in my experience it’s usually better to go with the tried and true over something new and different when eating at BPs. But also no risk, no reward! That new item could be your new go-to lol… So on second thought I’ll leave that up to you...

THE BEST SERVICE I’VE EVER HAD – Rei at Chinook Boston Pizza Deserves All the Praise!

I can honestly say I’ve never written a review this long in my life, but this experience truly warrants it. My visit to Chinook Boston Pizza was absolutely elevated by the outstanding service I received from a server named Rei, and I’m still thinking about how great the entire evening was—days later. If you’re someone who values genuine, caring, and next-level service, please do yourself a favor and ask to sit in Rei’s section. You will not be disappointed.

To start, let me paint the picture: we came in during the dinner rush on a busy evening. The place was buzzing with energy, packed with families, groups of friends, and couples out for a night of good food and conversation. You’d expect, with that kind of crowd, that service might be a bit slow or distracted—not with Rei. The moment we walked in, we were greeted by him with a kind, welcoming smile and a level of attentiveness that made it feel like we were his only table, even though we clearly weren’t.

Rei’s presence was calm, confident, and incredibly professional, yet friendly in a way that was completely natural—not forced or scripted like you sometimes experience. He welcomed us to our table, made sure we were comfortable, and started the evening by offering us drinks and walking us through the menu in a way that felt like a conversation, not a sales pitch.

But food aside, what really blew me away was Rei’s attentiveness throughout the meal. Not in a robotic “check-the-boxes” kind of way, but in a way that felt like he was tuned in to our table’s needs without ever interrupting or hovering. He refilled our drinks before we had to ask. He noticed when we ran out of napkins and brought more over with a smile. He checked in just the right amount—not too little, not too much—and every time he did, it felt like we were being taken care of by a friend.

What’s more, Rei has this amazing way of reading the room. Our table was in a more relaxed, catch-up kind of mood, and he never rushed us, never pushed us to order more, and always approached with patience and a sense of calm. He cracked a few jokes, made us laugh, and carried this sense of hospitality that made the whole night feel easy and comfortable. You could tell he was genuinely happy to be there, and that energy totally rubbed off on us.

Even when it got busier around us, Rei didn’t miss a beat. I kept watching him handle other tables with the same level of attentiveness and care. Multitasking like a pro, managing timing, handling dietary questions from a nearby table with grace—it was like watching someone who had completely mastered the art of great service.

When it came time for the bill, Rei made sure everything was correct, explained the rewards points system to us, and even took the time to ask how the rest of our night was going. Not just a polite “how are you?”—you could tell he meant it. It’s that kind of authentic connection that truly separates a good server from a great one. It didn’t feel like a transaction; it felt like an experience—and one we genuinely appreciated.

Before we left, he thanked us sincerely for coming in, and told us he hoped to see us again soon. And guess what? We will 100% be back. Not just because the food was good (which it was), or because the restaurant had a nice vibe (which it did), but because Rei made the experience memorable in a way that very few servers ever have for me.

To the management at Chinook Boston Pizza: I hope you know what a gem you have in Rei. It’s not every day you meet someone with that level of passion, professionalism, and genuine care for the guests they serve. Servers like Rei are what keep people coming back—not just for the food, but for the feeling of being valued and cared for.

So again: thank you, Rei. You made our night, and I can’t wait to come back and sit in your section again. If I could give more than 5 stars, I...

I went to this restaurant because a business colleague suggested it as a meeting place for our group of 15-20 people. The attention we received from our servers was very basic in the beginning but throughout the dinner it was very poor. The restaurant was not even busy and those who were there were leaving. Nobody asked my wife, myself or my colleagues beside me how are food was. I warned the server, when ordering, of my wife's difficulty in getting other restaurants to serve a properly cooked well done steak and when her steak was given to her nobody checked with her if the cook was alright. When it was time to pay my bill, I luckily spotted on the bill that an automatic 18% gratuity was already added to the total, apparently because we were a large group. Stupidest concept ever in my opinion especially in this situation where service was so poor. I warned my colleagues of the automatic gratuity, which they were also unaware of, to which they were grateful to learn. I was exceedingly bothered when I saw a few others pay the server with cash, the server simply saying "thanks" without asking if change was desired and never bringing back any change. My colleagues told me they were waiting for change but the server never came back to them with it. In fact, she left our area as well as the server desk and we did not see her again until I went to the hostess desk to ask the lady there to please find our server and send her back to our tables.(My colleagues were too shy, embarrassed or perhaps did not want to look cheap in front of others so resigned themselves to losing their expected change.) She did finally return so then my colleagues asked if they could have their change. The server retrieved the change and gave it to my colleagues. It was a difficult thing for them to do, feeling embarrassed or something. One of them could not even speak to her and ask for his change. How horrible is that, putting your customers in a position of feeling embarrassment, shame or other such feelings. This was my first and last time eating here. I hope for better service than basic so I can freely give a gratuity of my choice. Demanding an 18% gratuity because we were a large group is bad enough but when service is even less than basic it is nearly criminal. Pricing was also quite high for what was received...