Lone Star Petone — Restaurant in North Island

Lonestar was well on track to a five star review. The food and the service were outstanding, but when it came time to pay things went downhill very quickly. Our group was two couples, one from each couple paying for that couples food and drink. First couple identify what they had from the receipt and pay for it with a combination of EFTPOS and a twenty dollar voucher obtained with the Lonestar mobile app. The second couple identify what they had and pay for it with EFTPOS and a voucher (that made one dessert complimentary). Great meal, great night, lets go! But wait. There's another seventy dollars outstanding. Sorry? If we've each paid for our food where has the seventy come from? Unable to establish where it has gone wrong the employee dealing with our bill goes for help. We have an extended back-and-forth with the more senior employee who is all too quick to establish that we owe more money to settle the account, but when pressed cannot say what items have been paid for and which are outstanding. The first couple runs some numbers and determines that they were undercharged, but struggle to get a word in while the second couple are being pushed to "call it even" by fronting fifty bucks. This is supposedly a "deal" because the total should be higher, and because the voucher the first couple used has apparently not registered. The second couple bite the bullet and pay this additional fifty dollars on top of what they were already charged for their meals, under duress; our party includes people who suffer social anxiety who are becoming increasingly upset by the confrontation taking place.

Ultimately what stung the most was the employee coming in part way through and immediately taking the stance that the customer was wrong. There was no interest in establishing where things went wrong, or establishing how the numbers didn't add up correctly, the focus was entirely on extracting more money.

After leaving the restaurant and taking the time to properly assess what had taken place we determined that both couples had been undercharged. The first couple had established this at the counter and had tried to put forth more money to help the numbers add up but the employee wasn't interested in anything less than the full amount outstanding so this never happened. The "deal" that was offered to the second couple ended up putting them within a dollar of what their meals were actually worth, which is great, but throws serious concern at the initial push to get more than that amount and the bargaining down to the correct amount.

The problem started with the first employee messing up the totals, but it's the second employee whose attitude nailed the coffin shut.

If our own analysis of the receipts and transactions works out Lonestar ended up short twenty bucks, which is unfortunate. That twenty bucks does little to avert the panic attacks that were narrowly avoided, and it pales in comparison to the repeat business in years to come that has been lost. Our evening was ruined. Worst birthday dinner ever. We...

Obviously busy but the reception (short blonde haired lady) fitted us in which was great at the start! We sat at a booth for about 20minutes and pressed the bell service twice but noone came then proceeded to wave down a waitress for any kind of service. Three of us but we ordered from the entree menu and a main as my mum and I weren't too Hungry but obviously wanting to eat together. The waitress seemed apologetic that her buzzer wasn't working but that she'd take our order straight to the kitchen. There seemed to be confusion with pricing as the menu was saying $4 for extra ribs but our waitress had asked another waitress that three extra ribs were $3. I questioned if it was $3 each ribs but she clarified saying its $3 for three whole ribs so we figured okay sure we'll order that. About 40 minutes passed- my mum and I got our prawns+small plate of ribs and chips but the big of plate of ribs never came until we had to flag down another waitress as our original waitress never came to check on us. Over 1 hr had passed after it was ordered and we had to ask what happened as my mum and I had well finished eating by that stage. Perhaps it was merely the waitress was in training as the price was unclear, and communication with the cooking staff was off but to watch other tables that arrived after us get their food first then get a bill at the end which in fact WASNT $3 for three ribs as both waitresses had confirmed, then on top of that my partner watching us eat (as he thought his food would come not long after :/) for over an hour before he got to enjoy anything is just really annoying! The waiter with glasses who came to check on us and had our dessert come out within 10 minutes was great and unfortunately had to deal with our frustration but he did apologise for the previous waitress. Only reason for 2 stars was because the Milky bar pudding and prawns were really good and the waiter with the glasses tried to make up for 1.5 hours of waiting with...

Disgusting service from the "apparent" manager of this place "Khan WH"

After 2 previous excellent meals of BATTERED gluten free fish and chips, tonight I requested the same and was served the most disgusting looking meal I have ever seen. Grey unbattered broken up bits of fish slopped on top of the chips on the plate.

When I questioned it Khan told me that the fish is never battered for Gluten Free as they don't do GF batter. At that point I asked him did that mean than they had fed me gluten the last two times and did he know how dangerous that was?

Khan then proceeded to argue that he had never given me Gluten, effectively telling me I was lier, not letting me speak and shutting me down everytime I and my partner opened our mouths. He was rude, obnoxious and more concerned about being right and certainly didn't want to listen to me trying to explain to him that it was extremely dangerous for that to happen to a celiac.

He took it personally rather than professionally accused us of arguing with him when we were purely trying to have a conversation with him. He did finally admit that mistakes can happen, so they must happen often as twice I had battered fish and chips I was told were GF as they were delivered to the table (I always ask again before I eat them). No apology from Khan no acknowledgment, and an absolutely unwillingness to take any responsibility, true narcistic behaviour to the core. The only apology I got was from the girl that cleared my partners plate a complete contrast to her so called manager "of the whole North Island" apparently.

It topped it all off when he came to the table to ask me to please not use his last name if I posted. After treating us so poorly he then wanted a favour.

We definitely won't be returning.

The girls working here were lovely so I do need to call that out, complete opposite to him, and I hope he treats them better than he did us.

Very disappointed as this was a very rare...