PizzaExpress — Restaurant in East Cambridgeshire

It almost seems pointless spending my time writing a review as it is clear from other reviews that feedback is not taken on board.

So I write this for potential patrons instead: if you wish to be served with a frown, to beg for your order to be taken and to sit among dirty plates then Pizza Express Ely is the place to go!

It is a shame that Ely is our closest pizza express. Every time we visit the food is 10/10, I am never disappointed with the quality or wait times.

What makes me reluctant to visit again is the unfriendly staff - but every negative review I have read seems to say the same. Why don’t they learn? For a big chain like Pizza Express with a hugely successful menu, can’t they provide additional training for those who are clearly harming the reputation of the business? Or do they just not care for the consistent customer feedback that goes back months?

Not once during our recent visit were we asked how our food was. We had to ask for our drinks order and our dessert order to be taken. When the waitress did come over she slapped two dessert menus on the table and said “we don’t have any of this, this or this.” Then walked off, no apology, very blunt and rude. Our starter plates weren’t cleared so we ate our mains around them- and these are small tables so we didn’t have much room! On a previous visit our second drinks order never even arrived but made its way on to the bill!

Half of the restaurant was taken by people and the other half was taken by dirty plates. The staff didn’t look in a rush and they moved very slowly, completely blank expressions even when they’re talking to you. If you don’t want a customer facing job then find something else.

I don’t know what it will take for the management to start making some changes. And I can’t wait for the generic response of” please get in contact with us and someone will speak to you soon” only for no one to respond to the private feedback.

The people of Ely love Pizza express, especially after Prezzo shut down we are left with fewer options. I really would like to visit again because as stated the food never disappoints, but the service is so frustrating and depressing that I would rather go elsewhere or get a takeaway.

I’ll see you again in a few months with everything crossed that some well overdue improvements...

My wife and I arrived mid afternoon, having been around Ely for a little while and asked if there was a table available for 2 people. We were asked if we had booked, and when we said we hadn't, the member of staff just pointed to a table behind a pillar and said you can have that one. She was very rude and blunt. She didn't show us to the table, so we just sat down at it. Having had a bit of time to look about, the glasses on the table, for water, looked dirty, as did some of the cutlery. The same member of staff that pointed to the table did come over to take our drinks order, so I ordered coffee, and my wife asked for a pomegranate sparkle. The member of staff quite bluntly just said they don't have pomegranate... no apology, just they don't have it, despite being new on the drinks menu. My wife changed her choice and did get a drink she liked. I ordered the meatball, and my wife ordered the Christmas pizza, and when they arrived, were lovely and worth the wait. Couldn't fault the food. Before leaving, I used the gents, and my wife went to the ladies. The gents were dated but clean, and the ladies had no toilet paper or hand wash. Overall, nice pizzas but terrible service and facilities.

31/12/24 Update ....... despite emailing you twice, on the email you have provided, no one has been in touch, as you have stated. I can only presume your customer service is as poor as...

I had brought my family for an afternoon to Ely from Cambridge. We decided to have dinner at pizza express. We entered and there were theee occupied tables and two waitresses. We entered and waited for about 5 minutes only to have the waitress say she will get a table ready. 10 min later we were still waiting to be seated. My 90 year of mother was standing and wanted to use the restroom and asked the white waitress ? As opposed to the Asian waitress who was busy with customers) and she expressly told me that my mother cannot use the restroom until she had seated us. We continued to wait. The line behind us was out the door. After waiting a further 5 minutes I asked for the manager after I had proceeded to walk to the chefs who were standing idly because the restaurant was empty. The manager came in and I explained he then said he has no idea why she has said that ans offered us a table. A further 7 minutes later no one came to the table and I could see the white waitress attitude. She was rude. I expected the manager to ask her to apologise to us naa take our order. No such thing. The group behind us walked away while another couple said that they live in Ely .. the pizzas are great but service is deplorable. Very disappointing marketing for pizza express. Get better staff and train them to deal with customers!!! Send them to Cambridge city where we have respect...