Toby Carvery Denham — Restaurant in England

Toby Carvery is owned by Mitchells & Butlers also have various other brands like Harvester. The biggest problem with large chain enterprise, within time the product and customer service fades away.

Toby Carvery is no exception. We have supported Denham Toby Carvery for around 2 years, and recently after experiencing poor food and appalling service, we have decided to void Toby Carvery.

All too often, staff training and customer service is left behind when a brands grow.

4 months ago, we were told by the staff that the Toby Rewards Scheme had changed to 1 stamp per table. Now reading through Toby Carvery T&Cs there were no changes, in fact the T&Cs clearly state “every paying customer buying a main course is welcome to collect rewards stamps.

So, for 4 months we debated with the staff and constantly being refused a stamp. We decided to take the matter to the head office via their online complains option; 3 online complaints were made and every complaint was ignored! (yet another sign of a company not caring about customers)

We went online and after 13 messages and 2 weeks of complaining we finally were told that “every paying customer whom buys a main is entitled to a stamp… Well, done Toby Carvery, you don’t need to tell me, you need to train you staff properly? To think that we needed to speak with a total of 7 staff before someone knew how the rewards program worked, that’s how appalling the training is.

When we asked about the stamps we are owned, the reply: “you need to provide your personal bank statements so we can see you have eaten at Toby Carvery” Seriously: who do Mitchells & Butlers think they are? We are not providing bank statements but you can go check your own app as that’s where we make our bookings. Again, serious lack of training.

I’ve worked in hospitality for over 25 years and would never ask a customer for their bank statement, especially for something that is Mitchells & Butlers fault. We should be thanked for bringing the matter to their attention, not penalised.

Having supported Toby Carvery for so many years, it’s a shame to see the organisation deteriorate so rapidly.

On our last visit: The food was well below average and we didn’t recognise any of the staff. Our waiter was on his 1st ever shift with no waitering experience and had limited knowledge. The poor lad really was struggling but the limited training he had was all wrong, He too, had been told 1 stamp per table… Can’t win.

The food was absolutely appalling. The beef was cheap fatty cut and not been cooked long enough. To say it was chewy would be an understatement. In fact, we could hear other tables complaining about the beef. The vegetables were over cooked and bland. Their version a cheese sauce, was nothing more that cheese melted over cauliflower, with pumpkin slices!! More like hospital food than a restaurant. The pigs in blankets were an embarrassment, floating in oil absolutely disgusting. The entire meal was an embarrassment to the hospitality industry.

Once we experience the appalling behaviour from their head office, we knew it was time to leave Toby Carvery to their disgusting food, poor training and ridiculously informed staff on line and go elsewhere.

It is rare for me to write a poor review, but I don’t like being conned with misinformation, I don’t like untrained staff being left on their own, I don’t like below average food and I certainly do not like companies that ignore their customers. To ask a customer for their bank statement is unforgivable.

And be careful of the carpark , mud everywhere and massive pot holes .

Often very...

My family and I visited last Thursday night (Thursday 26th September) and it was one of the worst experiences I have ever had at a restaurant and this is thanks to a rude and arrogant chef that I had the displeasure of being served by. After witnessing another customer being bullied into accepting what was served on her plate which was not what she requested in the first place, I then witnessed my own mum being served the most pathetic slice of beef I have ever seen and being told by the chef that there was nothing wrong with it and to accept it for what it is despite the rightful protests of herself, my dad and I. However, things were going to only get worse with this chef. After asking for the king-size option, the chef proceeded to only give me the thinnest slices of gammon, pork and turkey on what should be a King-sized plate! When I dared to ask for at least another slice of the turkey, the chef just laughed at me and suggested that I was not within my right to make such a request which I found to be extremely rude and obnoxious of him to do. The fact that he could not provide me with sausages and then just served me a pathetic amount of meat, meant that it was a complete waste of time for me ordering the King-sized option. When he proceeded to the provide my dad with the thinnest shavings off the meat joints he requested, it led to an unnecessary standoff where the chef refused to serve my dad more acceptable portions and because of his refusal to back down, he proceeded to continue arguing with my dad, allow his food to turn cold and create a long queue of people waiting to be served. His cock and bull story was that he was serving meat based on weight which is a load of rubbish as there were no scales being used to weigh the slices he was cutting and was just guessing the weight of each slice he was cutting based on what he could see by eye. I get served more meat during lunchtime at my workplace when provided with a roast dinner without needing to ask for more portions and it would appear that based on the thinnest slices this chef is prepared to serve customers, rationing appears to be in place at this Toby Carvery restaurant (probably to ensure that he can take as much home for himself as possible at the end of the night!). To make a situation even more uncomfortable for my family and I, the so-called manageress did not resolve the situation at all and just said that the chef's decision is final and what he says goes and then just stormed off. Because of how unpleasant this experience was for my family and I thanks to the rudeness of the chef and unhelpfulness of the Manageress, we will never be visiting this restaurant again and have now been advising all of my friends and other family members to avoid this restaurant like the plague. Instead of the chef trying to lecture me on manners, he should look in the mirror at himself. Arguably the rudest chef I have ever encountered and that is from someone who has worked in the kitchen before of a restaurant with a number of chefs in the past. Well done on losing...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Toby Carvery in Denham, and I must say, it was an exceptional experience from start to finish. Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by a lovely young lady named Cherri, who truly exemplified the phrase "service with a smile." Her attentiveness and cheerful demeanor set the tone for our meal, making it even more special for my wife and our two kids, as it was our first visit to a Toby Carvery.

Cherri went above and beyond to ensure that we felt looked after throughout our meal. Her kindness and helpfulness exceeded all of my expectations. When my little girl accidentally dropped her drink, causing quite a commotion with the glass shattering and drink spilling everywhere, I immediately felt the need to apologize to the staff. However, Cherri handled the situation with grace and humor, making a joke with my daughter to lighten the mood. She replaced the drink without hesitation, displaying not only her exceptional customer service skills but also her genuine compassion.

As a parent of a child with autism, I often find that social situations can be challenging. However, Cherri's warm approach instantly made my daughter feel comfortable, turning what could have been a distressing moment into a delightful one filled with giggles. It was a heartwarming experience that I truly appreciated.

The food itself was delicious and added to the overall positive atmosphere. The combination of fantastic service from Cherri and the quality of the food has left a lasting impression on us. We genuinely look forward to returning every Sunday, thanks to the warm hospitality and welcoming environment fostered by Cherri and the rest of the staff.

I highly recommend the Denham branch of Toby Carvery to anyone looking for a delightful family outing. A big thank you to Cherri and the entire team for making our visit memorable. You have certainly earned top...