Benjamin’s — Restaurant in England

Extremely Disappointing Experience – Unacceptable Service, Food, and Facilities

My friend and I recently dined at Benjamin Cafe on Friday, February 21st, and our experience was profoundly disappointing. From the moment we entered, it was clear that customer service was not a priority. The staff appeared disengaged and unhelpful, creating a negative atmosphere that lingered throughout our visit.

The quality of the food was shockingly poor. It fell short of our expectations in both flavor and presentation, leaving us with the impression that no effort was made to ensure a satisfactory dining experience.

To compound our frustration, many of the restaurant’s basic facilities were non-functional. The water supply had been turned off, making the restroom inoperable. After we expressed our concerns, they briefly restored the water only to turn it off again shortly after, resulting in further aggravation. The cleanliness, seating comfort, and overall maintenance of the café were clearly neglected, despite its dubious hygiene rating of 5.

When we attempted to address these serious issues with a staff member, we were met with a shocking lack of professionalism. Rather than demonstrating an understanding of our concerns or a willingness to resolve the problems, we encountered indifference. His dismissive response, “The water mains have always been turned off since the restaurant opened,” left us stunned, especially knowing that patrons were leaving the restroom without the opportunity to wash their hands. This is utterly unacceptable.

To make matters worse, the staff member boasted about his law studies, a completely irrelevant detail that only added to our frustration. Outraged, we pointed out that understanding customer rights, particularly regarding business faults and hygiene issues, should be a fundamental aspect of his training. He refused to provide his name, prompting us to inform him of our intent to lodge a formal complaint with both management and the relevant health authorities, particularly concerning the alarming hygiene standards.

In summary, our visit to Benjamin Cafe was nothing short of a disaster. With pitiful service, disappointing food, and a glaring disregard for basic customer care, we cannot in good conscience recommend this establishment and will certainly not...

I have ordered a delivery breakfast from here which was fantastic. A bit expensive, but honestly happy with the breakfast and would give it 5 stars for variety, flavours etc. On this note we decided to book for lunch for my mum's birthday in August and to simply try the lunch menu and this is where it went downhill and sadly why my stat rating is so low.

The decor is nice and sophisticated, but there's no point in nice aesthetics if food and service is bad

First of all I find it strange that "lunch" starts at 2pm (prior to that it's just a breakfast menu). When we arrived, despite having booked a table for 8 people, they hadn't kept a table reserved, lucky for them they were able to move 3 customers already seated to accommodate our booked table.

We sat down and the table was filthy, so I had to ask the waitress to kindly re-wipe the table, which was cleaned with a smelly dirty cloth, this was noticeable because it left a lingering smell. As 2 of us had arrived early we were waiting for a while for the rest of our party to arrive, we weren't asked if we wanted to order a drink while we waited. The waitress was completely inattentive, and also the servers at the counter - they all seemed miserable to be there. They barely looked over to check if anyone needed anything. Just not good service at all. If I could give 0 stars for service I would.

For 8 people, we were only given 3 menus, which one was missing a whole section. We would have asked for more menus, but it was as though the waitress/servers were avoiding talking to us. So we all shared 2 menus between us. The menus were also sticky and falling apart (side note, the toilet facilities were also filthy).

We all ordered our food and drinks. Which came out after a reasonable time.

We had ordered a chocolate milkshake, which was basically a vanilla milkshake with chocolate bits, not actually a chocolate milkshake. The mains were basic, but the sauces on each dish were like store bought bottled sauces on top of each protein. The only flavour that was decent was the Dynamite chicken. We would have loved to try the desserts, but being so disappointed so far, we didn't bother.

I hope that the restaurant can improve on the above points because I think it has potential, but these are just basics in any restaurant or...

An Unforgettable Celebration at Benjamin's Cafe!

From the moment we stepped into Benjamin's Cafe, we knew our celebration of Adeel's incredible achievement of running 5km for 100 days was going to be something special. This quaint yet vibrant cafe exceeded all expectations, making our first experience here truly unforgettable.

The customer service was nothing short of outstanding. Every staff member greeted us with warmth and enthusiasm, ensuring our event ran smoothly from start to finish. Their attention to detail and willingness to accommodate our needs was exemplary, deserving a well-earned 5-star rating.

The food, both sweet and savoury dishes, was a feast for the senses. Presentation was impeccable, with every plate crafted to perfection, making our dining experience not only delicious but visually stunning as well. The quality and taste of the food were unparalleled, with each bite leaving us more impressed than the last. It's clear that Benjamin's Cafe places a high value on using quality ingredients and expert cooking techniques, which is why their food deserves a 5-star rating across the board.

A special thank you must go to Sister Aisha and her team. Their hard work and dedication to making our event a success did not go unnoticed. It was their efforts that truly made our first experience at Benjamin's Cafe a wonderful one. The team's passion for what they do shines through in every aspect of their service, from the friendly smiles to the exquisite food.

In conclusion, Benjamin's Cafe is a gem in Luton that provided us with an exceptional venue to celebrate a significant milestone. Their outstanding customer service, 5-star food presentation and exceptional food quality and taste have set a new standard for what we expect from a cafe. We are already looking forward to our next visit. Thank you, Sister Aisha and the entire team at Benjamin's, for making Adeel’s celebration not just an event, but a...