The Bagel House — Restaurant in London

I am not bad mouthing the job app that led me to this company nor do I spend time ranting online but I share this to be honest with the UK public. I was looking for a small company to join as I feel local shops need staff more etc. I ended up finding out this job ad was fake. I called shop to ask info on jobs & was told by staff to call back later in afternoon but when I did, it went to voicemail - I assumed they were busy so waited later that day & got through to a staff who said manager never talks on the phone I should come in ANY DAY in the afternoon instead to discuss more on work. I reply I only want to know shift times & didn't want to show up if he is not there + I had no idea if job was zero hrs or not but once again I was told I need to speak to him so come to the shop...

I had a feeling this would be a waste of time & it turned out I was right - all this could have been resolved if he spoke to me on the phone...

Anyway I turn up at the shop & asked to see manager, one staff goes back then returns saying no jobs here. I reply why did nobody say this over the phone earlier? + I was told the boss never talks on the phone so I had to visit if I want info on work etc. Surprisingly no reply to that - only kept repeating herself there is no work as job already gone but couldn't explain why job was advertised online...

I don't appreciate being mislead by your staff + boss does not even bother to come out to talk to me yet I was assured we would have a discussion in person. If I had spoken to boss first I could have been told everything within 15mins luckily I did not cancel my day job to show up here...

In times like this COVID has hit small companies hardest so I thought I was doing the right thing by applying to work here but I was wrong -job is advertised online but it's fake + staff are confused on if they are short of staff or not....... I normally do silver service work & this pays well so this is not about money etc. I have over 5yrs experience in food-retail /hospitality industry my reason to share this is unfortunately my time was wasted + there are fake job ads online that the public should be aware of. I would have been happy to be told no based on my C.V instead of being lied to on the phone to come visit & then manager stays at the back & lets his staff pass on the message.....perhaps to work here is based on image not actual work experience. If you are a busy shop you don't put online you need staff & wait for them to visit then suddenly say manager doesn't need you now [bare in mind from my phone call to the visit was within 50hrs😂]

Inside this shop it is super clean + there are lots of pastry / sandwiches to choose but shame there are no VEGAN options I feel all bakeries etc. must be more inclusive of other diets even a well-known CAFE & PIZZA shops have few vegan...

Staff confirmed on the phone before we arrived that the food is Kosher. Well, the first lady said she "didn't know" (weird because when you're selling such niche foods it's usually expected for staff to know this kind of basic information) and the second lady said yes, they were Kosher.

Upon entering I was already suspicious as there was no signage or visible certification of their Kosher status. When my partner asked what the salami was made from, one said shesdidn't know and the orher said pork! Ummmm...kosher status of ANY food there was quickly seeming less and less believable... They then began to claim other items were halal and some were kosher and some were pork.

At this point I already decided to cancel the order because I didn't want to risk eating food that was neither kosher nor halal. Out of curiousity, we enquired whether they had certification for any of these foods that just wasnt on display, they said no. We asked who told them they were kosher, they claimed not to know and also to have no access to anything that can confirm what's even in their products. Had I eaten this food then found out about their blatant lies, believe me when I say I would've persued legal action. It is absolutely disgusting and vile to lie to customers about something of this magnitude. I will still be making the necessary reports about this awful establishment and force them to stop lying to customers and get up to date with food and trading regulations before they manage to deceive even one other person.

People who lie and deceive deserve NOTHING. People willing to play with the religion of other people simply to make a few pounds are truly vile and I would advise not supporting a business that is...

I really was going to hold my tongue at the incompetence of the service delivered by this establishment just last weekend but, I cannot. This is especially the case after reading some of the reviews that echo my experience.

Back in the day my father used to buy a sesame topped bread from there which was delicious. They don't do that anymore. That's not a problem.

My issue is that the staff that I encountered had issues with my father asking what certain things were. One particular staff member was consistently rolling her eyes and acting like she's never known the phrase customer service before. I had to step in because NO-ONE is treating my father like that. If it was possibly the long hours she/they had been working I emphasise with that. What I will NEVER tolerate is service laced with racial discrimination.

She even had the audacity to state, 'I have friends that look like you but I would never be your friend!' Who was asking to become best friends? We just wanted to know what you were selling, not become pen pals. Absolutely abhorrent service. You should be beyond ashamed to be delivering...