LEON Eurotunnel — Restaurant in Folkestone and Hythe District

Went in for lunch on while waiting for the train and the food was disappointing and the portion size even more so.

I'd have let that slide and put it down to an off day but for the poor service though. After ordering my food I asked the lad serving me if I could have a big cup half filled with hot water to heat a bottle for the baby that was strapped to myself at the time. His response was that it was "against store policy".

On receiving my food I queried this with the girl serving me who raised the stakes insisting it was "against the law". I pointed out it wasn't, she insisted that it was and refused to get a manager for me to raise the issue with, as its pretty grim to refuse to help a new parent feed their 4 month old child.

Walked out in disgust and got the water, along with a coffee, from Starbucks who had much friendlier staff. I'm not a massive fan of Starbucks but I know where I'll be heading next time I'm given the choice.

• Edit: The response below from Leon claims they were looking into this. The response I got was an apology for saying it's against the law, but it is against their policy in this branch in common with all the other outlets including Starbucks for "Health and Safety". As if customers at the Eurotunnel terminal are somehow thicker than the ones everywhere else and will burn throw the hot water over themselves or something. Either they're lying about Starbucks policy too or someone at Starbucks was a bit more empathetic and pragmatic in the circumstances. Either way that's not really making it...

On Friday the 27 of December at around 19:45pm approximately , I was heading to Leon,La Shuttle to get some food and saw a queue getting in Leon as the staffs were heading to the doors to shut the door of Leon. I was the last person in the queue and after I got in , a particular staff with long hair (with hair tied up) told me that it was closed ; he spoke to me in such a way he expected me to step out. I told him there wasn’t anyone behind me and he could shut the doors. He then walked out and came in and told me again specifically that it was closed expecting me to step out of the doors. Very bad customer service Leon, please check your CCTV for proof. Today is the 27th, just two days after Christmas, your staff can’t be that rude. I agree if there were few people or if after the doors were shut, I was trying to get in. But I was already in and was made to walk out. I was going to get food for 2( you lost 2 orders ) and left someone feeling disrespectful because of a staff’s attitude and behaviour. I also work in Customer Service and also am a Qualified Nurse, I would never speak to my customers or patients in that way too. Definitely kindly reflect this. Keep providing great food service you usually do too. Also may your staffs never underestimate anyone who walks through your restaurants doors and may they...

Reminded me why I like going to France. The chicken rice box has had all the fresh fruit and greens removed so, apart from the red pickles, is pretty beige. Ordering system is odd. One person takes order and enters into the till, someone right next to them shouts it through the pass. Staff are very nice, but would clearly prefer not to be there. Frustratingly, one of the coffee cups didn’t have the top put on it correctly and it spilled all over the car. I used to love Leon but now there’s more fresh veg in a Burger King, I’ll probably go there next time I’m at the Eurotunnel.

And! We wondered if the decline related to a buy out. And low and behold:

“Leon (branded as LEON.) is a fast food chain based in the United Kingdom, established in 2004. The company had around 70 outlets when it was bought by EG Group in 2021. Since October 2023, most of EG Group's former UK and Ireland business, including Leon, has been owned by the supermarket chain Asda [Walmart]”.

To conclude my essay, the slow take over of Britain by US corporations, as facilitated by years of neoliberal government under the elitist Tories, has ruined my favourite fast food place. TORIES OUT! Let’s prey Labour can must some intellectual leadership for...