Grotto Tea Lounge — Restaurant in Mississauga

We visited Grotto Tea Lounge today for afternoon tea and dinner. Overall, the food was decent—nothing particularly remarkable but definitely above average. The service, however, was excellent, with the staff being very friendly and accommodating.

That said, there was one aspect that felt a bit disappointing. When we were paying at the counter, we noticed a small sign that mentioned a promotion: if you purchase a $25 gift card, you get a free drink. As customers, we couldn’t help but feel that it would have been much more thoughtful if the staff had informed us about the promotion earlier. If they had, it would’ve felt like a delightful bonus or even like “winning a prize.” Instead, discovering the promotion ourselves left us with the feeling of, “Good thing I noticed this, or I would’ve missed out.”

I believe it would be a significant improvement if the staff made a point to actively inform customers about ongoing promotions during checkout. This small gesture would go a long way in enhancing the customer experience.

12/29Updated…

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my feedback. While I appreciate your willingness to address the issue, I must express that your response left me feeling disappointed and uncomfortable.

Your explanation regarding the promotion, while clarifying your intent, comes across as dismissive of the customer experience. The way the promotion was presented, and the lack of proactive communication from your staff, created confusion and frustration. As a customer, it felt as though the burden was placed on me to interpret the promotion correctly, rather than on your team to ensure clear communication.

Additionally, stating that you have discontinued the promotion to “prevent further misunderstanding” feels like avoiding accountability, rather than addressing the core issue: the need for better transparency and proactive customer service. A more customer-focused approach would be to acknowledge how the situation could have been handled better and outline steps to improve communication with patrons in the future.

I truly believe your business has great potential, and I hope you will take this feedback constructively to enhance the customer experience moving forward.

Thank you...

This place is usually wonderful. My husband and I have been going there for the past 7 years and more, and the service is always top-notch, the food is delicious and the drinks are great. Tonight was probably an exception but I had to write a review so that changes can be made and so that other customers don't receive the same service. It was a busy night so we waited a long time before we got to the front of the line to make our take-out order. We waited about 20 minutes at least. When I finally get to the front, the girl tells me to wait. So I waited, and she did other things in the kitchen, and then she comes back and tells me to wait again. By now, it's been almost half an hour of waiting since we started lining up. Then she comes back and says okay. Right before I start ordering, she tells me to wait again and she starts cleaning up tables. I was very frustrated because I had already been waiting for almost 40 minutes at this point, and I knew that after I give my order that it would take time for my food to be made anyway, so why is she cleaning up tables when that isn't the priority? So she finally comes back and says, "Can you wait and let the people behind you go first because they already ate and they just need to pay." So that was the last straw. We left because at that point, we had been waiting for almost an hour and she clearly does not know how to prioritize. I still love this store and I'll still come back because maybe that girl was a new employee and needs more training. But I had to write something before other customers get treated...

I was the first customer of the day and once I walked in, I was kindly welcomed by the worker. She asked me what i was looking to get, and I told her bingsu for take-out. She seemed concerned about me taking a frozen dessert to-go so she recommended me a Taiwanese dessert instead called Formosa which looked very good and refreshing, but I remembered I was here specifically for bingsu which is what my mom has been craving. She still happily took my order which was the mango shaved ice (bingsu). The order itself was about $14 which is a great price and the helpful service and recommendations earned her a 20% tip! She was very kind and helpful and seemed to love what she does which is the way to go for excellent customer service! I took a seat in the waiting area which had a very relaxing and aesthetic ambience of a bookshop. Not long after, she brings me the order and wishes me a good day, and hopes that me and my mom enjoy our bingsu dessert together. Would definitely go back for the amazing customer service, relaxing ambience, and great food as this was my 2nd great experience with the Green Grotto! 😋 (p.s the bingsu was perfectly intact even after a 15-min drive home! Very fresh, delicious, and refreshing for a hot...