Urban in East — Restaurant in Howick

Terrible rude owner very defensive and aggressive No care for customers Argumentative

The worst cafe experience - bad owner My family and I usually come here for breakfast on the weekends but after my experience today we will never come back.

Food: VERY salty eggs my mum was not happy Didn't receive my food OR coffee until my mum and dad were finished with their coffee and food.

Terrible and rude customer service (mostly the owner)

Story in short: polity came to owner with my concerns which he was very defensive about Very rude, made things a big deal - none of this had to be a big deal i was polite with my concerns He told us to get out We mentioned we are regulars but he said very rudely "well so are all of these other customers" - No care for their customers

He disrespected my allergies - rudely said : "first of all you cant say you're allergic to everything" ( i did specify multiple times exactly what i was allergic to - waitress confirmed ) but he kept saying otherwise as a defence???

I was super polite to the waitress i told the owner the waitress was good even though she had to come back multiple times to take our order.

Long story: I advised the waitress that i am allergic to everything on display because i am specifically allergic to egg and nuts. I had told the waitress multiple times, the waitress even said it back to confirm egg and nuts. Since i am allergic to egg and nuts i asked if they could just make a ham & cheese toastie. They told me they were too busy to make my order which i said was fine as long as there is toast cheese and ham or bacon, i had said this so many times and they only gave me bacon on toast. We politely asked for a simple piece of cheese i said they can just add a piece of cheese on the side no biggie, but they made this a big deal and made it more complicated then it needed to be, i didn't hear back about the cheese for a long time By this time my mum and dad had already finished their meal and coffee and i still hadn't received my coffee and meal yet I went to talk to the owner to ask if my coffee was still coming and to ask if the cheese was on its way, and that i had been waiting a long time NOTE: they weren't as busy as they usually are and i mentioned my mum and dad had already finished their coffee and food. (i noticed the waitress quickly started making my coffee only when she noticed me and the owner talking The owner was defensive - he told me i cant say im allergic to everything , and as someone with allergies i have never felt so unwelcome and attacked, i was shocked, i told them specifically what i was allergic to and the waitress even confirmed. - I couldn't believe he was telling me this as a defence. And then he kept saying they're too busy and being extremely defensive so i said look im just giving you feedback you dont need to keep being defensive this doesn't need to be a big deal but continued to be aggressive, defensive and rude not apologetic at all. The owner had said aggressively "dont tell me how to run my business" and told us to get out very aggressively He continuously said he didn't do anything wrong - so oblivious and in denial and constantly arguing with us. He said they were too busy with coffees as a justifiable excuse for the poor service and aggressive attitude - mind i have worked as a barista for years at places way busier than theirs and i know what its like, i also know what customer service means - which the owner clearly doesn't have, he seems to be too emotionally unstable to handle feedback or even do orders, The owner simply cant handle his business well

Please do not...

Had an awful experience at this cafe today about 10.30am. While waiting for our food we had the most uncomfortable, awkward experience. Had we not already ordered, we would have left. The owner/chef (we asked who he was after the incident) was screaming at a young boy in the kitchen, swearing and belittling, the boy had made a mistake and missed a meal off the order, this young boy was our waiter who was very lovely and polite, especially for his age. We were at the far end of the cafe, people outside could also hear. The owner was smashing things around and then screamed at the Manager Front of House to get out of his kitchen who was trying to calm the situation (his boss/owner/chef) as the whole cafe knew he was out of line. Props to this Manager for doing the right thing! The young boy was shaken and in tears while still trying to work, customers were giving the young boy a hug. The owner than stormed out into the cafe, apologised to the table who the meal was for and was still going off at the young boy (at a guess around 15th old) Im a mother of a 14 year old, if anyone treated my son like this you would have a PG on your hands. The boy was embarrassed, we were all so uncomfortable and felt quite sick witnessing the bullying behaviour from you. Do better, be better. Learn how to be a good leader! The kid was embarrassed, but the only person who should be is you. Really disgusting behaviour. You’re whole team were clearly embarrassed. Based on the way you treat your staff, I would never eat at this Cafe again. On the plus side, Your food was better than...

Amazed at the negative review posted by Ashley from Sunday. This family of 3 were up at the counter while I was waiting for my coffee - all three with raised voices attacking the staff and service, claiming she could have died with her allergies ( if that bad you wouldn’t be able to sit near others eating nuts etc?).

Dave never raised his voice and was firm but polite asking what the actual problem was several times that I heard, but they just kept saying “the customer is always right”.

If you were a regular with allergies surely you would know what is on the menu that you can & can’t eat (I have allergies and manage fine - which I why I go to urban in East - I know what I can eat that’s ok for me).

There was a backlog of drinks orders (standard for a weekend) and they were doing their best to keep making drinks while being yelled at.

As a regular (daily) I have never heard this confrontation before, interrupting all the other diners’ Sunday lunches.

PS - this all kicked off after her father had paid and she had put her leftover food into the takeaway box shown in the photo.

Having worked in hospo myself, it’s not an easy job and having three people yelling at you all at the same time during a busy lunch service is full on for anyone.

Keep doing what you do Dave and team - i for one love your menu, coffee and staff!! It’s why you are generally the busiest...