GAIL's Bakery Muswell Hill — Restaurant in London

This is a post where I am torn because we love this place but got a very awkward customer treatment today. My kid loves this place. We go often to get him treats like a cookie, things we do to cheer up our little ones. So since the Eat Out to Help Out scheme started this week, naturally, I brought my kid out for a sit-down treat at this Gail's. So when ordering, I started off by telling the staff we were going to sit down for the meal. He said we just order and grab a table. That's cool. I went on and ordered what we wanted, I ordered a latte and a croissant for myself, my kid ordered a cookie and a hot chocolate (yes not the healthiest breakfast but we gotta live a little sometimes). And when it came to paying, I wasn't given the Eat Out to Help Out scheme price. I thought, that's fine because the scheme just started, I thought it's natural for any staff to not remember about it. So I informed the staff, and he responded by asking me if I wanted to have the deal applied to my order (??okay so he knew about this scheme but didn't apply it for me when I specified that I will be sitting down for my meal, so strange because why would I not want to apply the scheme to my order? And shouldn't he just offer me this scheme anyway without me asking him since I said I was sitting down and he knew about the scheme?). I thought about all those things to say but did not say it out loud, hey it was morning, it was early, maybe the staff was just getting his day started, let's not get so agitated, so I just responded to the staff, yes please apply the Eat Out to Help Out scheme to my order. This is where it started getting awkward. The staff then gave me the strangest reaction, like I was causing trouble. He changed whatever he typed on the cash register and retyped everything in again, his gesture seemed very forced and a bit unwelcoming. It made me feel so strange, like I'm asking for something unreasonable. So like I mentioned, I didn't say anything to him because we were in a bit of a rush and I didn't want to make a scene in front of my kid. To this dear establishment, I would suggest that throughout the month of August, from Mon-Wed, if customers specify they are eating in, apply the Eat out to Help Out scheme even if they don't ask for it. I know it has been very tough for all businesses throughout the pandemic. But it's because of this pandemic, we should really look out for each other. Like be kind. That's just my...

Unhygienic 'baldy' male coffee maker. I asked him to give me a fresh cup as he used his bare hands without washing/cleaning in between customers. He rubbed his nose. He said his hands were clean and refused to give me a fresh cup; then said to get it myself. Obviously, cups are stacked and I could not reach. He refused when I told him! Other staff were wearing blue gloves but the rude attitude is outstanding and he still works here. I tried to reach but knocked the stack. Another member came to assist. He then said to get out the shop and called me 'crazy'. He needs to be sacked, not spoken to! Boycott this branch! Nobody needs to deal with unhygienic, rude and aggressive staff - whatever the situation. In response to your generic reply, naturally you have to respond but actually do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. The ignorant 'customer service 'across the chain is pretty much the same - discourteous, uninterested and just trying to do a job. Customer interaction and service is appalling amongst this generation that you 'employ'. Muswell Hill, Mill Hill, Hampstead, Belsize Park - we've tried them all and all generic, robotic experiences. Yuk. I wonder how hygienic they actually are in their kitchen...

Still wonderful in late July 2025!

Cashless shops now so don't try paying with money. Dogs are welcome which is really lovely for nice dog owners!

I've been buying Gail's bread for years from a branch of Waitrose. I now buy bread and pastries from this branch in Muswell Hill. We munch our way through bread and 6 to 8 baguettes most weeks, and lots of pastries. The staff seem never to be the same as the last visit and vary in their attentiveness.

I hadn't 'eaten in' before this visit and it was the first time I've tried one of their coffee houses. I had a pastry and a coffee that was really very good. It's not cheap but it's nicer than the chain coffee shops you find in most high streets and their bread is lovely.

I love the black olive Ciabatta and the baguettes.

For a chain of 90 odd shops it retains a lovely feel. I don't work for...