Teddy's Coffee — Restaurant in Dakar

It is a very lovely setting with an amazing beach view. Unfortunately, it is not child friendly if you have a child or children that cannot be restrained in a high chair or sit calmly. We opted to sit indoors on nice couch setting but kept being reminded to be careful with the glasses and the cutlery which is understandable as they are kids. However when my son lifted his feet up to allow his sister move, it looked like he was putting his shoes on the couch. The owner approached us that the couch are ‘luxury couches’ that they have to be maintained and we may need to move and sit in the outside area because of the kids. I found the comment quite condescending and a tad bit racist. I do not think if it were a white family they would have been accorded the same treatment. We were going to move outside but opted to leave instead and cancel the order because honestly the overall vibe felt uncomfortable for my kids and I don’t want to teach them that you stay in a space where you are not welcomed. The owner said we already placed an order and must pay for it. I was willing to pay for it and do a take away but the rudeness and insistence that we must pay was quite upsetting. Then she told us to leave and we should never come to the restaurant again. While my spouse was upset and leaving I tried to engage her to go ahead and pay but she said it’s her restaurant, I should leave, she has customers and will call the police on me. I’m sorry but that is not how you treat customers. All kids are not the same and If you cannot make adequate accommodations for kids or have conditions then you make it clear as soon as the customer comes in but it’s quite uncomfortable to make a customer feel like they’re a nuisance because of their kids. So indeed it’s a great cafe if you want to work and have adult time but with kids, I’d say reconsider it if you have...

This is the first restaurant I’ve been to where management becomes confused when you tell them food and coffee should not be served cold. I was extremely kind but the manager spoke to me in a condescending tone as if I was a child. I don’t think being patronizing is OK in such an environment. I understand you are busy, but if my request is simple, it really should not be an issue and this is really the first time that this has happened where cold food is served and there is a refusal to reheat it. But alas the food including the eggs and coffee came out cold and I told the staff before ordering that everything needs to be cooked well because I have a condition that could hospitalize me if the food isn’t well cooked. They served me cold tomatoes at were indeed cooked but I explained that they needed to be hot so that I can make sure they were safe for me to eat. But the coffee was only luke warm and when I asked them to cook it again, the manager became very defensive and argumentative and then told me I had to pay for the meal even if I didnt eat it. Once the lady manager stopped being condescending and actually listened to me, they took the food and coffee and returned both of them hot and it was OK. But this whole scenario could have been avoided if the manager was just a little professional and not so combative. It really was a very simple problem with a very simple solution I’m not sure why it was so difficult for the manager. This lack of professionalism from management was shocking but I hope it will be a learning experience for them. When presented with a problem, find a solution. Dont blame your guest and escalate the issue. Otherwise the young lady who was serving us was very nice and...

The owner said “ we have expensive sofas so be careful or else you need to sit outside”. You might as well shut down the place if the sofa is what you are selling as a service. The place is not child friendly and the owner might as well remove the kids time from the menu. Owner was rude and unwelcoming.

However, I would like to address some concerns raised by the owner. While it's important to maintain decorum and respect within the establishment, the tone used in addressing the incident involving my children could potentially alienate some customers especially those with children . Communication about behavioral expectations, while necessary, should be approached with empathy and understanding, especially when dealing with families who may not be familiar with the specific guidelines of the restaurant.

As the owner who relies on a small clientele given the prices you charge, you can also help set a welcoming tone and encourage compliance with your...