The Egg & I Restaurant Ancaster — Restaurant in Hamilton

From two customers who used to work in the service industry for many years, hopefully this can be some constructive criticism to learn from. We come here often and have been for as long as we can remember. Our service from He Michelle today was the worst service we've had here. When she took our order, it was if she wasn't even listening to us, she seemed distracted, just writing down our order while looking off at other tables. I asked for a straw when she brought our waters. 10 minutes later, I once again asked for a straw when she was doing a round of coffee top ups as I still had not been brought one. At that point it was if I was asking for the very first time, no apology or anything. Another 5 minutes went by another server brought one of our meals out and then He Michelle brought our second meal then walked away quickly. I had to basically track her down to ask for a straw for a 3rd time in 15 minutes since I had first asked. It's okay to get distracted and forget to bring a customer something, it happens to every server...but it's also a way of how you handle the situation when a customer has to get up and ask for the third time. At that point, you apologize which didn't happen. She didn't table check after we got our food and we would have had something to bring up to her had she stopped by but she didn't interact with us from the third time I asked for a straw, to 10 minutes after our plates were cleared (by another server) when she was bringing us the machine and bill. On a positive note, the food was good as it always is, the cooks do a good job at cooking everything perfectly and there was another server.. a lady with a long dark ponytail who we noticed was working extremely hard. From having restaurant experience we can tell when it's busy, and can tell when a server is hustling and working hard and trying their best vs when a server doesn't care about the level of service they give to a customer and just wants to be...

We went for breakfast here today…..What a mistake, we only live five minutes away and used to come regularly, but after a very poor meal we have not been for a while. We mistakenly thought we would give them another chance. My Wife had a chicken benny and I had a regular pea meal benny. There were only three tables occupied. A few couples came in after us. We waited far too long for service, in fact two couples walked out, tired of waiting I guess. Our meals took forever, both meals were very lacklustre and the coffee didn’t taste of coffee at all. We paid and left going straight home, as I said we only live five minutes away, by the time we pulled into our driveway we were wondering who was going to use the bathroom first…..We both ended up in both our bathrooms for well over fifteen minutes, My wife is dizzy and feeling pukey and I have without a word of exaggeration explosive diarrhea. My god we feel absolutely awful, we ate nothing before we went there since the previous nights supper, so it had to be the breakfast. Certainly not the egg and I of old, you could always be sure of a good meal. For us never again, why can’t I give minus stars, this place now deserves...

Never again!! I called several times this morning a gentleman picked up saying “hello” I didn’t even know if I had called the right number. I asked if this was the Egg and I, he said “ya”. The phone line was very distorted and I couldn’t hear him and he disconnected. I decided to go in and place my order for take out. I went into the restaurant and there was just the cook working. There were 6 people seated eating. One couple was done waiting for the check. The cook noticed me and I said I’d like to get something for take out he said 2 mins. I sat down while the one couple asked the cook for the check. The cook looked confused! The couple said I’d like to pay by card the chef had no idea how to use to the card machine and said he would have to call someone for instructions on how to use the debit machine (what)!! the couple said I have cash and the cook then made them calculate their total of what they bought. By this time I’ve waited now 20 mins with my order still not being taken. I left the restaurant!! Why would Egg and I open the door at 7am to serve breakfast and not have someone there that knows what hat they are...