Papanui Club — Restaurant in Christchurch

(1 star is too generous here!) I had enjoyed this club and the Nor Wester restaurant previously so I drove roughly 30 minutes last night after work. I thought it would be a good way to kick off Labour Weekend

I arrived between 7 and 7:30 which is normal dinner service times for most places, so I did not anticipate any problems by visiting the Nor Wester

I had nothing but problems and will not be going back!

I could see available tables and food out, I was quite hungry at this time, so I just wanted to pay the $30 and sit down

I waited for the High School or University student (Male with short curly hair) to get off the phone Me: Hi, just me for the buffet please Staff: Nah mate, were not taking any more Me: Sorry....at 7:15?? Staff: Yeahhhh just had it from the Manager that were closing Another staff member intervened and said she would get someone Staff: No no, its alright! Me: Can I speak to your Manager please The other staff member went to get.the Manager and I followed

Me: I've just been told that the buffets closed but theres food there and to be honest with you its 7:30, you should probably be open! Manager: Yes we are but it's very quiet tonight but I'll see if you can go and get a big plate. We have got all our other menu options Me: No I wont be staying for those

I was taken to the pay point and got an abrupt "thank you" from the blonde female staff member who had joined the prior conversation

I went in and noticed several trays of dried food that had been left in the heat for too long. I would have had difficulty feeding this to my worst enemies dog!

I am a Member of another Club in Christchurch but no check for a membership card from the useless staff who did not want to be working. I might have had a 5% discount if I was a Papanui member.

I ate and left. I had no interest in going to the bar to spend more money. In fact I will not be going back to Crapanui Club for any future purpose.

I think customer service in NZ generally is poor but my experience here...

First google review as sadly I feel our experience warrants some feedback. My partner and his family have been frequenting here for at least 20 years, back before the rebuild. Tonight we went for tea making use of the advertised two for one deal for members. Our family house is next to the club. My partners membership had expired so we wanted to renew this and chose to get it under my name for a change. We paid $45 for my new membership and then ordered our meals and got the two for one meal deal for members. They said my membership wasn’t valid for the meal deal and asked for full price. I explained I had literally just purchased the membership for $45 however they said my temp card was not valid - however I could now buy alcohol with it. The whole family was disappointed to hear that the staff could not allow the deal under these circumstances and it seemed unreasonable. I noted strangers around me went out of their way to comment it wasn’t fair. I refunded the whole membership in disappointment of the service and left. Perhaps if this is their policy, it’s a policy they could consider revisiting to re-incentivise membership. They could also consider updating their advertising to fairly inform customers looking at the meal deal, that they can’t actually use the deal by signing up on the night. It’s very sad that after having generations supporting the club, our family will now not...

Me my Aunty my dad and grandma went out for dinner there ( we have been members since the club opened and my cousin helped design the club ) The new area Separating the all you can eat buffet from the normal bar menu is awful. The have no vegetarian options on offer at the new buffet there is hardly anything for non meat eaters now. And they wouldn’t let my Aunty sit with me and my grandma and dad because her only option was to order something off the bar menu. It was a fantastic place before hand but now it just feels like it’s too good for some people. They have even blocked off a way to the bathroom and make you walk around the long way. Which is god damn awful for people with very limited mobility. I used to come down here with family and friends for dinner and we could all have different options from all over the club and still sit together. Now that’s near impossible. You are allowed to take your plate outta the all you can eat buffet, but once you leave you can not go back in to get more food or dessert. It’s a god awful design needless to say me and my friends and family will all cancel our...