Madras Flavours Restaurant (Pure Indian Vegetarian) — Restaurant in London

Subject: Unpleasant Experience at Madras Flavour Restaurant – Request for Management Attention

Dear Madras Flavour Management,

I am writing to express my disappointment following a visit to your High Street, Hounslow branch today, Sunday 11th May 2025, around 10:15 AM. This was my fifth consecutive week attending your breakfast buffet with my family, which until today had been a pleasant experience.

Unfortunately, this visit left me deeply upset due to the unprofessional and discourteous behavior of one of your staff members, Sri Devi (wearing a pink/magenta-coloured veil). The incident occurred while I was in the process of deciding to purchase an additional buffet for myself. My spouse had praised the food, and after I tried a bite from my child’s plate, I agreed to buy another buffet. Before I could do so, Sri Devi approached us and said, “Please next time don’t do like this and don’t come to us,” in front of nearby customers — a comment that felt both humiliating and accusatory.

I immediately proceeded to pay for one more buffet and even paid extra for my small child, who barely ate. But the embarrassment and public shaming were completely unnecessary and deeply hurtful.

To make matters worse, while I was trying to talk to Sri Devi, she received a personal phone call on her mobile, interrupted our conversation, and walked away to attend the call. I waited for about 1–2 minutes and then approached her again, but she showed no interest in continuing the discussion. Instead, I overheard her speaking to another colleague in Telugu, telling them to deal with me and make sure I paid. What she didn’t realize is that I understand Telugu, so I clearly understood her dismissive and transactional attitude.

This interaction made me feel disrespected, ignored, and singled out — especially as someone who wears a hijab, I cannot help but wonder if selective behaviour or unconscious bias was involved.

Additionally, I want to highlight the lack of proper service and hygiene: • Buffet trays were empty for extended periods. • No hand towels at the handwashing area. • Toilets lacked cleanliness and basic supplies.

I urge the management to carry out surprise inspections and to offer staff training on respectful customer service, professional communication, and cultural sensitivity.

Until now, I had rated your restaurant 5 stars and regularly recommended it to others. Sadly, based on today’s experience, I will be revising those reviews and advising friends and family...

Dear Madras Flavours Team,

I visited your restaurant, Madras Flavours, on 24th November at approximately 2:35 PM to purchase some sweets. Unfortunately, I had an unpleasant experience with a staff member named Ana, who was at the counter.

I specifically requested Ana to handle the sweets carefully as they were fresh, but she ignored my request and placed a broken piece into the box. When I pointed this out, she responded with a sarcastic expression and removed the piece without offering an apology. I calmly mentioned that there was no need to be angry, but she appeared frustrated and began arguing with me about the issue.

Her behavior escalated further when she rudely asked, “Do you want to buy it or not?” and then returned the sweets to the fridge in an unprofessional manner. This interaction was not only disrespectful but also unacceptable for a customer-facing role.

To address the situation, I asked for the manager, and she claimed to be the manager herself. When I requested to speak with someone senior, she stated that there was no one else available and that the owner was in India with no clear timeline for return. At this point, she even said, “If you want to complain, please do it. If you want to take me out of my job, then go ahead. I don’t care and I am not scared of anyone.”

It appears Ana may be the only person managing the restaurant in the owner’s absence, which is deeply concerning given her behavior and attitude. I would strongly recommend reviewing the CCTV footage from the sweets counter at the specified time (2:35 PM) to verify this incident.

This experience has left me highly disappointed, and I have decided not to return to Madras Flavours. Instead, I would prefer Crispy Dosa, just opposite your restaurant, where the staff exhibits exemplary customer service and respect. I suggest you consider sending your staff to Crispy Dosa for training on how to provide a positive customer experience.

Lastly, I urge the owner or a senior representative to ensure someone is available at the restaurant to handle such situations. This lack of oversight and accountability is detrimental to your business and could result in losing more customers.

I hope you take this feedback seriously and implement measures to improve your customer...

Our recent visit to Madras Flavours Restaurant in Hounslow turned out to be a major disappointment, primarily due to the unprofessionalism displayed by the establishment and their poor response to a parking predicament.

After traveling nearly 30 miles for a family dinner, our anticipation was high as we looked forward to a delightful weekend outing. However, our evening of enjoyment quickly turned sour when Google Maps directed us to a location behind the restaurant, far from its main entry on the bustling high street. Despite contacting the restaurant for guidance, we were left to fend for ourselves, ultimately parking at a nearby Asda, incurring an additional fee for what we believed to be secure parking.

Our dismay grew exponentially nearly a month later when we received a £60 penalty notice for an alleged parking violation at the location Google Maps had erroneously directed us to. Feeling unjustly targeted, I reached out to the restaurant for assistance, only to be met with acknowledgment of the issue and a lack of proactive solutions or warnings to mitigate such incidents.

Even more disappointing was their failure to address a known problem that inconveniences their patrons. Despite being aware of the recurring issue with Google Maps directing drivers to the restricted parking area behind the restaurant, Madras Flavours offered no efforts to rectify the situation or provide adequate warnings on their website or Google Maps listing. This lack of accountability is truly disheartening.

In an attempt to seek assistance in appealing the penalty from the parking company, given the restaurant's association with them through their designated parking area, my plea for help was met with outright refusal. This dismissive attitude further solidified our disappointment in the restaurant's handling of the situation.

Overall, our experience at Madras Flavours Restaurant was marred by unprofessionalism and a lack of accountability. We are compelled to share our experience as a cautionary tale for other potential customers. Such behaviour is unacceptable and warrants a negative review to serve as a...