The Laundrette — Restaurant in Manchester

I would not recommend anyone expecting good service to eat here, I personally won’t be returning and have actively told friends not to bother which is a shame because the food was good but the service was absolutely appalling.

TL/DR: Couldn’t get the staff’s attention for anything, immensely long wait time for first drinks order, immensely long wait time for food order, asked how the meal was when we had clearly finished, staff member walked across one of our bench seats in her shoes

A small group (4p) of us came here for Sunday roast. One of our group arrived early and was shown to the table the group would be sat at, she wasn’t asked for a drink order or even if she’d like water, she then waited for 20 further minutes (the rest of the group were running a little behind but she was quite early) without any attention or even eye contact from wait staff whatsoever. It’s important to note the section she was sat in had roughly 8 tables and only 3 were in use including hers.

When the rest of us arrived (only a few minutes after the booked time) we asked if we could sit outside because it was a nice day (and they do have a very nice looking outdoor area) which was a request quickly accommodated and we were very grateful. However when we got outside it quickly became clear that either no one had told the person running the outside section we had moved, or she saw us as an annoyance that was to be avoided at all costs. I genuinely at one point thought there had been training given to not look at customers directly, it was that hard to flag anyone (and the outside area is not big! They were walking right next to us and still nothing). We waited forever to receive menus on the outside table (they weren’t given when we sat down and we asked if we should bring them from inside and were told that wasn’t necessary), it took a long time to order drinks and we ordered food at the same time because we didn’t want to risk waiting all over again, and then it took another age to ask one of the staff to please turn off the heat lamp because it was absolutely sweltering.

No one can control heat I completely understand that, and we would’ve moved ourselves around to accommodate the extra warmth if it couldn’t be turned off, and I appreciate we literally asked to sit outside so honestly we were not looking to make a fuss. When we did ask we were in luck because the staff member told us it could be switched off but she’d need to get to the switch by moving through our seats (we were in a booth, planter type benches on each side, fur rugs and cushions on the benches which made the seating super shallow) which we said was totally fine and half of us left our side. This person then stood on the seat and, in her shoes, walked across the bench to be able to reach up and switch off the heat lamp. I don’t imagine she could levitate I know climbing is necessary to reach something high up but to not even lift up the padding of the seat (which was one piece of cushion and moveable), just seems a bit ignorant of the customer.

There is an automatic service charge added to the bill that we were too British to ask to be removed but I could not tell you what we paid for in that charge. I would expect somewhere confident enough to automatically add this charge to all bills to be somewhere that at least gives a little training to their staff to provide good service.

It was a very disappointing experience because we were really looking forward to trying this venue, we had been at an event in Chorlton a couple weeks before and the atmosphere looked great and the food smelt AMAZING, but when we ate there the service was genuinely so so bad and the atmosphere was just customers like us waiting to be served and staff members walking around a mid-busy restaurant seemingly not prepared to engage with said customers.

The decor is brilliant, the menu is good and the food was great but the service (which I know I’ve hidden really well but is a huge bug bear of mine) just let the...

As I told two of the waitresses the whole experience was awful. Pre-booked a table for two, but when we got there they asked us to take a seat outside the restaurant in the hallway where they had put a row of tables but I was too fat to actually sit down so the couple next to us had to move their plates so my partner could squeeze in, ruining their dining experience. The area was so small, the waitress had to take our our from behind me which was not at all the service I expected. I could understand if it was a last minute arrangement but having pre booked and confirmed the day before I assumed we'd have an actual table of our own.

I then found three waitresses stood together explained the situation and they apologized and said they'd find somewhere else for us to sit. Then another waiter came over and asked what the problem was but he had to ask me from behind as there was no room to stand next to me. I found it incredibly uncomfortable to be served and talked to in such a way. I explained that I had discussed this with three other members of staff and he should asked them what the problem was as I was not in a position to discuss it further at the table when other guests were sat next to me.

We were then moved inside to a tall table which we were more than happy with, but as we sat down we noted the chairs were broke but were good enough to sit down on as long as we didn't move.

We then had to ask specifically for two menus and then again three times to be served for food. The waitress was lovely but didn't write our order down and as such forgot it and had to ask us again.

We ordered a sharer starter which came out with no extra napkins despite it being finger food. Then when the main arrived our cultlery or napkins were not replaced. Once my steak arrived (without a steak knife) it was well done despite me asking twice for it rare to medium not medium rare. The waitress agreed it was well done and asked if I wanted a fresh one but my partner was already more than half way through his meal. So I declined.

When we asked for the bill, the person forgot and we had to ask another male member of staff who got us the bill, we asked him for the card machine to pay and then he went to get the card machine, but never returned. Two members of staff later and we finally paid.

A female member of staff asked how our food was, and I said the whole experience was terrible she then asked what we were doing tonight and I responded that we were going to get some food and she said oh really where at, and I told her the place we were going and she said she had been there and enjoyed it. She asked if we wanted a drink taken off the price because we hadn't enjoyed, the service, food or drinks and said she would need to get her manager over. I declined and stated it was such a bad experience I wanted to leave as soon as possible. Then another member of staff came over and she didn't say anything but...

I have been waiting a while to try this much hyped venue, and today we got a chance.

Arrived at about 2pm and the young lady at the desk offered us an outside table which was not bad even in the freezing manchester conditions.

The atmosphere outside is buzzing, the area is covered top and sides and the heaters add a pleasing, comfortable warmth.

Menu is simple, pricy but has a good selection. We picked our starters and mains, now all we had to do was wait for some one to take our order.

Well, we waited, and waited, and waited, while we waited waited and waited, we watched as several members of staff went round the tables asking diners if everything was OK if they needed anything else, and we watch as the tables were served their food.

As we waited, waited and waited, we watched the tables next to us get served, we waited as we watched these tables get second drinks orders, we waited while each member of staff walked past us, we waited as we asked for someone's attention and we waited as we got ignored as if we were invisible.

After 20 minutes of waiting, waiting and waiting, I said to my wife, let's give them one more chance.. that chance came and went when the table infront of us received their food, ordered more drinks and the staff member who was no more that 2 feet away from us ignored us again and walked off.

Finally as we walked out we were greated by an elderly member of the team who for the first time asked if we needed anything, and as we explained how we waited, waited and waited, the manager arrived.

To be fair the manager handled the situation well, but the excuses didn't justify the experience.

Excuse 1: the girl on the desk is new, it's only her second shift. Sadly, as much as I sympathise with any new team member, it's not her fault, it's the restaurants fault for putting a new, inexperienced member of staff on the front line, moreso on probably their busiest day of the week.

Excuse 2: it's very busy. Again, that's a poor excuse, being busy cannot explain customers being served while others are ignored.

Again, I admire the manager stepping up, she even offered us to be resat and free drinks with our meal. The problem is, we raised a concern not to get anything free, but to highlight the failure of one of the key factors any restaurant should focus on, the experience.

Many people visit restaurants and have a great experience but mediocre food, these customers normally return and give the place a second chance. Then you have those who visit and have a bad expeience and great food, most of them would not return, and in our case we had a poor experience that resulted in walking out without experiencing the food.

Let's now put the competition into perspective, we crossed the road and on entering the lead Station we were sat down, handed menus, specials explained, drinks ordered and within 5 minutes food ordered. And all this is a place just as, if not busier than The...