The Crown — Restaurant in England

Title: Disappointing Experience at The Crown Pub in Henlow

Review:

I am saddened to write a negative review about The Crown Pub in Henlow, as it is one of my local establishments. However, after experiencing three separate incidents involving poor service and subpar food, I feel compelled to share my disappointment. Unfortunately, these issues do not seem to be isolated incidents.

One of the major letdowns at The Crown Pub is the lack of attentive service and the inconsistency in the quality of their dishes. On two separate occasions, our food arrived poorly cooked and had to be sent back. It was disheartening that the manager did not display any concern or attempt to rectify the situation, even though it meant we were unable to eat together. Additionally, there were instances where items were missed by the bar staff, and the level of salt in the food was overpowering.

Furthermore, the menu at The Crown Pub has the potential to offer truly spectacular dishes. However, the lackluster execution by the chef and the disappointingly unprofessional service overshadowed this potential. Despite complaining about the food being remade and still being burnt, the manager did not make any effort to make amends, and the waitstaff appeared ill-equipped to handle the situation.

Another aspect worth mentioning is that the pub seems to be understaffed, with most of the employees being very young. While age does not necessarily determine competency, it does raise concerns about their level of experience and professionalism. The young staff members were not adept at making drinks in a timely manner or providing efficient service.

Considering the high prices we paid without alcohol, totaling £100 for two people with two starters and mains, it was disheartening to see that the establishment appeared indifferent towards the subpar quality of the food. Despite the diabolical experience, we were not offered any discount or compensation, which left us feeling unsatisfied.

In conclusion, I cannot recommend The Crown Pub in Henlow for those seeking attentive service and decent food. The menu has the potential to offer something exceptional, but unfortunately, the chef and service let it down. The continuous issues with poorly cooked food, lack of concern from the manager, and inexperienced staff are major areas in need of improvement.

In response to their response below, I feel compelled to write the reply because their response is quite ridiculous and I seems to imply we didn’t address this on site. Which we have. Having looked at all the complaints this business does not address complaints well at all.

"Dear [Establishment],

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my review. I appreciate your attention, but I must express my disappointment with the generic reply provided.

During my visit to your establishment, I had the chance to speak directly with the manager and raise my concerns. It is disheartening to see that my feedback has been disregarded or misrepresented in your response.

I had hoped for a more personalized and thoughtful reply, perhaps acknowledging the specific issues I brought to the manager's attention. Clear communication and understanding are crucial in resolving customer concerns, and I believe this is an opportunity missed.

As a loyal customer, it is important to me that my feedback is valued and taken seriously. I kindly request that you reconsider your reply and provide a more attentive and sincere...

The Crown Henlow is fairly local to me and my family, which made it easy to decide on. My sister booked the table originally for 1pm. But we had to change to a later time due to a previous engagement in the morning, which was handled promptly and with no problem at all. We felt very lucky. We had a very warm welcome on arrival by varying members of the staff. We were slightly early as wanted to add some birthday flowers and balloons although our table was not quite ready we didn't have to long to complete the mission! We had a lovely ambient corner setting for Mum's 80th birthday meal. We felt so comfortable and respected. We had youngsters with us and the staff we very polite to them and responded to their requests. The food was incredible. Absolutely delicious. Hot on arrival, flavoursome and wholesome. We had organised a cake, as you do, and the request to bring out as prompted, again was dealt with efficiently and no problem. All the staff had smiles and happy faces. Friendly, approachable and polite, even asked to help with family photos. Just brilliant. We all had a very special, and tbh, delectable time! Thank you so very much for making a very special lady feel even more extra special. Credit and praise where credit and praise are due. Wishing all the staff a successful...

The positives: Visited for lunch on a spur of the moment moment. We found a lovely seat and ordered via the app. Quick and easy to use. Both meals arrived fairly quickly (it was busy, so we actually expected a longer wait). The food was delicious, but I would say that my meal, for the money, could have done with a bit more in the bowl and had less tomato and more aubergine. My daughter's meal was lovely.

Cons: Our meal was disturbed by a big group of people who came in with babies and pushchairs. To such an extent we felt we had to move or we would have been hemmed in. Apparently they arrived early for a 3:00 booking, and decided they wouldn't wait so they invaded where we were sitting, moving furniture around us and making us feel uncomfortable - I felt staff could have maybe asked them to wait. As a result, we had men just standing around us just chatting and actually preventing my daughter getting out of her chair. It felt a bit claustrophobic.

Will we return, I'm genuinely not sure at the moment. I'm sure this was a one off, but I think the comfort of other customers could maybe have been taken into...