My experience at Zak's Dinner in the ByWard Market, Ottawa, was nothing short of a disastrous disappointment. I, along with my friends, decided to give this place a shot August 13th night, a decision that we now deeply regret.

Upon entering the restaurant, we had the unfortunate luck of arriving about an hour before the kitchen was set to close. Hoping to enjoy a decent meal, we placed our orders, fully aware of the time constraints. However, what followed was an excruciatingly agonizing wait of an entire hour for our food to be prepared. It's almost as if they were intentionally trying to test our patience, and when we asked simply how long would it take to get this order ready, the staff told us you always have the option to make it to go!

When our food finally arrived, we were informed that they had run out of the sides I had ordered. I mean, seriously? We initially ordered soup and, in our hunger after such a long wait, reluctantly agreed to whatever was available. The audacity of the staff to label this as a "discount" when they weren't able to provide the complete meal we ordered is beyond comprehension. It's not a discount when you're denying customers what they paid for in the first place.

Naturally, we inquired why this information wasn't conveyed earlier and why there weren't any alternatives offered. The shift manager/supervisor response was utterly appalling. The manager/supervisor shrugged off the situation, casually explaining that the kitchen staff had already clocked out and therefore, they were unable to prepare anything else. This level of unprofessionalism is nothing short of shameful.

The lack of empathy, accountability, and basic customer service skills displayed by both the staff and the shift manager was truly disgraceful. Instead of attempting to salvage the situation, they chose to brush off their mistakes and show a complete disregard for our experience. It's almost as if they believed they could get away with anything.

To add the icing on this awful cake, my girlfriend's tooth broke while attempting to bite into the rock-hard bun of the sandwich. This incident was not just the culmination of a string of unfortunate events; it was the embodiment of the complete and utter failure of Zak's Dinner to provide a satisfactory dining experience.

I am genuinely sorry for the individuals who have to endure such a toxic work environment, managed by individuals who clearly have no understanding of customer service or responsibility. Zak's Dinner in the ByWard Market has managed to leave a lasting impression on us, albeit for all the wrong reasons. This experience will serve as a reminder of how a lack of respect, accountability, and consideration can utterly ruin what should have been a simple dining outing.