GAIL's Bakery Temple Fortune — Restaurant in London

I have been meaning to give Gails in Temple fortune a review for a very long time but haven't got round to it. I have lived in this area for over 25 years and so I would like to believe I am aware of the type of clientele. I have visited Gails almost daily mostly early mornings and as I sit and dink my americano with oat milk and eat something deliciously calorific I watch the interaction between staff and customer. The customer is generally polite but rushed. The customer is often demanding and abrupt. The staff in Gails are in my opinion to be commended. Im no expert but at 50 years old I have had experience in customer care. Ive worked in a large family business, British Airways and I train staff in customer service. Your team at Gails deserve a medal. The food is meticulously displayed, the staff are fast, smiley, efficient. Tommy you manager is leading your team who I have got to know so well. Please make sure this goes noticed at your Head Office and let them feel valued. These are your team members at Temple Fortune who I know well and who look after me like I'm family, me and any like me who wont write here. Most people only know how to complain. So, Tommy, Alessia, Tara, Jemima, Duki, Irima and Vivian.... and to the others I may not know ... I hope you are recognised, applauded for your outstanding service and commitment to Gail's. Food and coffee is excellent always, displays perfectly arranged, hygiene amazing but its your team who bring me back time...

Very disappointing experience. Used to come quite often to buy artisan bread which was always great. Before heading for a day trip decided to come for a cup of chai latte - what a disappointment! Chai latte is supposed to be black tea with spices and frothed milk. Picked it up and left, took a sip and it was terrible! Tasted like warm milk with sugar, no black tea, no spices. After paying 3£ and disappointment, went back to ask how they actually make it as it is supposed to contain black tea and was shown a syrup - premade with sugar and some spices that gets splashed into your warm milk. Was really disappointed that it's not made the regular way. No apology expressed from your staff, no actual way of getting a refund for that absolutely sugary disaster. Basically paid 3£ for a drink that I left on the counter as it was not drinkable. Very disappointed and will not come back. I have worked a multiple customer facing roles and we always had to offer either a new product or a refund for an...

Slow and unhelpful. After a 10 minute wait, standing in a queue with only 2 people ahead of me, and no apologies, I asked about gluten free, or trace gluten. I'd seen some signs for trace but didn't have my glasses and could no longer see the items now further away. The waitress said there was nothing except one flourless chocolate cake and nothing with trace gluten. I said I had just seen a sign on one of the cakes. She said no, they all have wheat so not possible. I decided to go to shops down to Costa where the barista immediately investigated happily and found me a gluten free flapjack.

I'm sorry but café staff should know their products. Just because I couldn't see at that moment, doesn't mean I hadn't just read something that said "may contain traces of gluten"... I just couldn't find it and she had no intention of being more helpful.

Maybe if I hadn't had the 10 minute wait I'd have been more patient but the decency of an apology would have...