Ed's Easy Diner Birmingham Bullring — Restaurant in Birmingham

Authentic American-style diner that is clearly very popular. When my partner and I visited yesterday (Saturday), we were told by staff upon arrival that there would be up to a 20 minute wait for a table, which gave us time to browse the delights of Selfridges (the location of the diner). After about 15 minutes, my partner received a message on her phone informing us that a table was now free.

When we arrived, we were seated in an end booth that had protective screens up, so we felt very safe. I could tell almost as soon as our order arrived why Ed's is such a popular place to eat, as the deluxe milkshake I had chosen was extremely tasty, and the chicken burger was by far the best I have ever tasted. We would have eaten dessert too, had we not been so full from our main course!

The servers were friendly and accommodating to our needs, so much so that I wanted to leave a substantial tip but unfortunately had no cash on me. I will leave a bigger tip the next time I dine there, which is bound to be very soon. Thanks,...

I visited with my two young daughters and was told there would be a 20-minute wait, with the promise of a text message when our table was ready. We provided our number and waited patiently, keeping my hungry children occupied with a snack.

After 25 minutes without any text, we returned to the restaurant. The hostess claimed they had texted us 17 minutes earlier (which we never received) and said our table had been given away due to their 15-minute reservation policy. Despite multiple visible empty tables, they stated they were unusable due to staff shortages, though I observed several staff members standing idle in the dining area.

When I explained that my children were very hungry and asked about solutions, the staff seemed indifferent and merely repeated their policy. We ultimately had to leave and find another restaurant.

What disappointed me most was not the wait itself, but the lack of customer service and empathy shown to a family with...

We paid an impromptu visit to the Selfridges branch at lunch time today and we had such a good meal I thought I would email. Firstly I apologise for not getting the names of any of the staff - from the outside the atmosphere felt nice, and we were very well greeted by the manager(male in green shirt). After being seated at the table the waitress made sure our order was taken promptly, whilst also clearly enjoying her job and giving us a positive vibe. This continued throughout the meal, with evry single staff member giving great, attentive service, with a smile. On the way out, I spoke to the manager and expressed our gratitude for the great service experience, and the good food. I also said that a good team comes from good leadership, which I think he understood correctly as being directed at himself. In what are tough times for recruitment, service standards and pressures of recovery, this Ed's Diner stands out a mile. Well...