I’ve been a loyal customer of Coco Veranda, visiting 2-3 times a week since it opened because of the quality of food and service. The serving staff has always been exceptional, which helped me overlook occasional rudeness from the manager. However, today's experience crossed the line. I visited Coco Veranda today for lunch with friends and family. We placed an order totaling over LKR 15,000, paid, (this was just the order for drinks and a few food items while we were deciding on the rest) and were seated at the only available table. Unfortunately, a nearby child was screaming so loudly that it made the environment unbearable, even over the loud music. Although we generally avoid complaining, the noise became intolerable. I politely asked a server if the air conditioning could be turned on in another dining area so we could move and enjoy our meal. The server said they needed approval from management, so I asked them to hold off on our order until they clarified. Later, our drinks were served, and the server informed us that the manager refused our request, saying the AC remote would only be provided if we paid for its use. This response was shocking, especially from a supposedly reputable restaurant. We asked to speak with the manager, reminding the staff that we had requested to delay our order due to the noise. The manager dismissed our request unprofessionally. When I expressed my dissatisfaction as a loyal customer, another staff member, identifying herself as the procurement manager, became involved. She initially claimed they didn’t have the AC remote and that management only allowed AC use if prearranged through a paid reservation. We offered to call management, but she then claimed the owner was out of the country. When we asked how to make such a reservation, she said payment must be made first, after which they would send the receipt to the owner and turn on the AC. When I suggested they handle customer concerns better, the manager responded, "You forgot that you all were allowed here." ALLOWED? Why should a paying customer need to be "allowed" into a restaurant by the manager? To make matters worse, the manager pointed at one of us (a female guest) and said, "You are a lady, right? You are a woman, right? Just think how bad you are," stating that as a woman, she should be ashamed to complain about a noisy child. This level of sexism is unacceptable and irrelevant to the issue, which was simply about the refusal to let us enjoy our meal comfortably, not about criticizing the child. When I decided to cancel our order due to the poor service and requested a refund, they initially refused. Eventually, they agreed but insisted on deducting the tax before providing a partial refund. After further insistence, they finally provided a full refund but not before making sarcastic remarks that left us feeling belittled. Additionally, the manager refused to provide a receipt for the payment. This refusal to issue a receipt raises concerns about the restaurant’s transparency. I requested that they write "refunded" on the receipt or at least give me the original card transaction receipt, but they refused. Even when I asked to take a photo of the receipt, they remained adamant about not providing it. I have video evidence of the manager’s unprofessional conduct and refusal to provide the receipt. This experience has left me deeply disappointed, especially considering how highly I once regarded Coco Veranda. I share this experience to caution potential customers about the service they might encounter. It’s disheartening to see such a decline in the standards of a once-valued establishment. All of us have been regular customers of the Nawala and Ward Place Coco Veranda locations before they closed and have been loyal patrons of the Colombo 7 outlet since it opened. The servers can attest to our frequent visits. I urge management to take serious note of this incident and make necessary changes to restore the quality of service that Coco Veranda was once known for.