Coco Veranda — Restaurant in Colombo

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...

During a lunch outing with friends and family today, we placed a substantial order and were seated in the main dining area. Unfortunately, a nearby child was screaming so loudly that it became nearly impossible to tolerate, even with the restaurant’s background music at a high volume. While we are usually tolerant of disturbances and very fond of children, the noise became unbearable. One of my friends politely asked a server if the air conditioning in another dining area could be turned on so that we could move to a quieter spot. The server informed us that they needed approval from the management before proceeding, so we asked them to hold off on our order until they received clarification.

When the server returned, he conveyed that the manager had refused our request, stating that the air conditioning could only be used if we made an additional payment. Shocked by this response, we asked to speak with the manager directly.

When the manager finally approached, her response was dismissive and unprofessional. My friends and I were taken aback when another staff member, claiming to be the procurement manager, got involved and gave us conflicting reasons for why the air conditioning couldn’t be turned on. Her explanation shifted from not having the remote control to requiring a prior payment and reservation, which only added to our frustration. The situation took an unexpected and deeply troubling turn when the manager singled me out and made a blatantly sexist remark. In front of everyone, she pointed directly at my face and said, "You are a lady, right? You are a woman, right? Just think how bad you are.You should be ashamed of yourself, that’s just a child’s noise" The implication behind her words was both offensive and condescending, suggesting that, as a woman, I should somehow feel ashamed for requesting a quieter environment where my friends and I could enjoy our meal in peace. This comment was not only entirely irrelevant to the situation but also deeply inappropriate. It was shocking to witness such a level of disrespect, especially in a public setting and from someone in a managerial position. Her words were a stark reminder of the outdated and misogynistic attitudes that, unfortunately, still persist in some places. The issue at hand was a simple request for a more comfortable dining experience - not a matter of gender, nor an attack on the child causing the disturbance. To be targeted and chastised in such a manner for simply expressing a legitimate concern was not only humiliating but also infuriating. The manager’s attempt to reduce the complaint to a matter of my gender was a blatant act of sexism, completely dismissing the valid point that my friends and I were trying to make. Instead of addressing our concern professionally, she chose to undermine and belittle me based on my identity as a woman, which is utterly unacceptable in any context, let alone in a place of business. Such behavior is a serious reflection of the poor management and toxic culture that can prevail in an establishment when professionalism and respect are not upheld. No customer, regardless of gender, should ever be made to feel degraded or embarrassed for voicing their concerns. The manager’s remark not only crossed a line but also highlighted a profound lack of respect for women, turning what should have been a simple conversation about dining conditions into a personal attack. To make matters worse, the manager refused to provide a receipt for our payment, raising concerns about the transparency of the restaurant’s operations. Despite our repeated requests to simply mark the receipt as "refunded" or allow us to take a photo, they refused to do so.

This experience has left me deeply disappointed in Coco Veranda, a place I once enjoyed visiting. It’s disheartening to see how far it has fallen from the quality and service it once represented, especially with sexist managers tarnishing...

I went there in last 2023/12/06. As the study hall of main library closed on Wednesday, I wanted an alternative place to do paper work under calm environment. So I searched and found this place. My requirement was finding a place closer to CMC and Library.

Place was satisfied to me. Ample parking spaces were there to park the vehicle. As I observed plug sockets were installed closer to every table. So computer works can be done peacefully. Inside was air conditioned while the outside tables were well placed under fans. Foos was delicious but little bit expensive. However the paying higher price for the food was not creating any worries because the food were in super quality and tasty. For the food they have two menu and if we need food from both menu, then we have to pay separately. Also in one menu the prices were not updated. Staff was friendly. They provided a good service. Free wifi is available. The PW can be obtained by asking from the staff. However the strength of the wifi was not good.

The only bad impression was, if we go there for working document or studying in a calm surroundings to concentrate on the works, that intention could be disturbed by the other customers. Basically the people come here mostly for meals. So mostly they are talking loudly. It could be a disturbance to people like me who went there for study purposes. But the management cannot stop that, as this is not a place like a library where promoting calmness...