Perkins American Food Co. — Restaurant in Ottawa

Sounds like Perkins went from a cozy diner to a disappointing disaster. Let’s refine this into a scathing, yet well-structured review.

Perkins: A Nostalgic Favorite Gone Stale

Once upon a time, Perkins was a solid choice for a casual breakfast. Cozy diner vibes, all-day breakfast, and ample parking—what’s not to love? Unfortunately, my recent visit revealed that this former favorite has declined into mediocrity, with subpar service and some outright unacceptable food.

Service: Friendly, But Inept

The restaurant was barely a quarter full, yet service was sluggish. If this was their speed on a slow night, I can only imagine the train wreck that unfolds when they’re actually busy. Our server was pleasant but didn’t exactly exude competence. And when it came time to handle a major food issue, their response was as lifeless as the eggs.

Eggs Benedict: A Simple Rule Ignored

Let’s start with the highlight—the eggs Benedict. It tasted good, but here’s the problem: the yolk was completely cooked. Poached eggs on a Benny should be soft by default unless otherwise requested. If a restaurant doesn’t ask how you want your eggs, they should follow the golden rule of poaching: runny yolk reigns supreme. Otherwise, just call it “Hollandaise on a Hard-Boiled Egg” and be done with it.

Belgian Waffle: Lukewarm and Lackluster

Next up, the Belgian waffle. Good flavor, but apparently, it spent too much time cooling off before reaching the table. It was not hot enough to melt the butter, which is an immediate red flag for anyone who enjoys a proper waffle. What’s worse, the side of scrambled eggs was actually runnier than the poached eggs—some of the whites were still gooey. The irony would be funny if it weren’t so frustrating.

The Breakfast Burger: Burnt Beyond Recognition

Now, let’s talk about the real catastrophe—the breakfast burger. This thing sounded amazing on the menu, but what arrived was a charred, dry, inedible mess. My first bite was burnt and dry. The second bite? More burnt, more dry. Out of curiosity (or masochism), I opened it up and checked the other side. Under the melted cheese was a completely blackened patty. It wasn’t “well-done.” It wasn’t “crispy.” It was carbonized failure.

Service Fails Again

At this point, I waved over the server and pointed out the issue. His response? A casual, “Do you want another?” No apology. No concern. Just a lazy offer to roll the dice on another disaster. I declined because if a kitchen screws up this badly once, odds are they’ll do it again. Instead of offering a menu so I could order something else, the server simply took the plate and left me sitting there with no food, watching my family eat. So much for hospitality.

Final Insult: The Bill

When the bill arrived, they had removed the inedible burger—as they should—but that was it. No apology, no “let us make it up to you,” no voucher for a future visit. Nothing. Just a cold, transactional “you didn’t eat this, so we won’t charge you” approach, as if basic human decency wasn’t part of the job.

Final Verdict: Perkins Has Lost Its Touch

This visit left a bitter taste in more ways than one. The food was a mixed bag of mediocrity and outright failure, the service was passive and indifferent, and the overall experience made it painfully clear that Perkins is no longer what it used to be. If you’re in the mood for a gamble on your breakfast, inconsistent eggs, and the possibility of a charred hockey puck instead of a burger, by all means, give it a try. Otherwise, take your appetite elsewhere.

Final Rating: 1/5 – Below Average,...

This place is great- Me and my Mom come here often. I just went ahead and gave everything 5 Stars because, as long as you don't come on a Friday evening, of anytime at all on a Saturday or Sunday, it's great. (If you come During any of the above times, you're just guaranteed a crowded building with blaring music- So, maybe come more during the week days.)

Now, the star reduction, minus the above, is apparently not this specific location's fault. The issue is that their menu says they have more food than they actually do. I was confused when I asked if they had Caffeine free coke, and they said No. The menu says they have it, but I didn't want to cause the server problems so I didn't question further and simply changed my order. However, some guy behind me started ordering stuff, and was Also told they didn't have what he wanted, even when he changed it. He asked them why they didn't have it, and the server explained that apparently their menus are from the States, and thus they don't actually have control over the fact that they don't actually have all that the menus say they do?

As I said, I genuinely enjoy coming here, so I do want to believe that they're telling the truth, it just sounds a little bit convoluted and bizzare. Still, this place is genuinely a great place to be!

Edit- I Have no idea why this review is not working. I keep trying to put five stars for everything, but it keeps saying zero. I got a response from Perkins themselves saying they were thankful for the review and the criticism and that they try to make their place better and they look forward to next week, but that's gone too. I genuinely have no idea how to fix...

When I was in my younger years, I worked here as a dishwasher. It was 24/7 everyday back then. It was not at all a great place to work, but the money and tips were decent enough to make the best of it.

What I disagreed with was how the work schedule, which required staff to work overnights, mornings, afternoons, and evenings was a thing. Walmart tried to do that with their staff, and they rebelled against it. Can you imagine working a 10pm to 7am shift, only to have to return for a 4pm to 9pm shift less than 12 hours later? I probably would have just called out instead, even if it means certain termination.

There were some pretty good dishwashers that were fired because kitchen managers Clinton and David were both unrealistic and treated their dishwashers poorly, even if they overworked themselves. Managers Bruce and Laurie were more realistic, and Laurie made sure I received my last tips after David says "we don't give tip outs to people who got fired" and that was very nice of Laurie to make sure that I was taken care of, even if idiots like Clinton and David cared less.

Besides the unprecedented kitchen environment, the food was amazing in the end. I can understand why some of the staff were complete jerks, and was all because of how the kitchen was mismanaged. In the end, the level of management plays a critical role in the motivation of their staff. It was crazier times back then, and imaginably it is entirely new staff...