Parkside Café Bar — Restaurant in Preston

I am unable to provide a favourable review but assume the cafe is doing well if they're confident enough to turn customers away in a curt manner. The sign on the door clearly stated that they are open from 9am until 9pm on the day we visited at 2.50 pm (Friday) but the waitress made us feel like we had been foolish to try and look at the menu and even said that they don't serve after 3pm. We preferred to walk out than let her know the correct time, but, it would have been even earlier if they had spoken to us when we arrived. We won't be back for a second first impression.

Update to review following reply. The times of last orders are not mentioned on the door nor on the Menu. The table was laid out with menus and cutlery, which to an unknowing customer appears inviting. If drinks were available between 3-5 then why were we not asked if we would like drinks? However, kitchen preparation times and staff breaks are not a responsibility of your customers making that an irrelevant comment. Friendly, courteous and well trained staff would have been able to inform us, without talking to us like we had done something wrong. Therefore I believe that under these circumstances, my rating was very fair and accurate.

A short update to additional reply

I am glad that you agree that we were in before 3pm and that all of your advertising on social media, the door and menus stated being open until 9pm. Last Orders are not mentioned anywhere and since we were there more than six hours before your advertised closing time and we were not given any option other than to leave, it seems irrelevent to argue about minutes. If you are happy with how polite that your staff dealt with us then that is your perogative but we were not. It is understable that staff look forward to and need breaks but it is not the customers fault or responsibility to manage...

Where's the outdoor area in the photo? Well I never! Is there a car park I never knew about either?

This cafe has been here since as far back as I can remember. It was a well known greasy spoon. The Pit Stop. Aptly named from the days Blackpool Road was used by many a lorry driver as a pit stop,but back then they were allowed to stop outside,which made it easy for them because the road layout was totally different back then. There is the car park on the park across which is doubled for the park and nearby area. If you're disabled though like me and can't walk far,not the place for you.

It's been done up nice inside. A make over I guess you call it. Nice and clean,although where the toilet is situated is not ideal,right next to tables either side. You can put a divider up ,but as a toilet door opens,the smells waft out. I winced everytime it opened lol.

Nice staff and good service. A bit noisy(wasn't busy) for me with the trades lads though. I actually felt sorry for them trying to eat their breakfasts while they had one call or text after another, but it did make me think whatever business they were in must be a great one!

All in all it looks good,the food is good and the staff...

I visited this cafe today and purchased some food to carry out , it's the first time I've eaten from this particular cafe although i have called in on a few prior occasions for a drink whist on my travels, where I noticed the cleanliness and neatness in the customer area which to me indicated the area was well tended cleaned and wiped down regularly, the toilet facilities were also impeccably clean and tidy . I found the staff to be friendly , helpful and accommodating on all occasions . Today I had a pennine from the lunch time take out menu with a filling of coronation chocken from the eat in menu with a side of fries . I walked home with my food which is around a 30-45 min walk for myself at a leisurely pase and the food was still warm and had not become saturated and soggy with steam when eating , well prepared , good portion sizing for lunch on the go , well wrapped and packaged and very tasty , lovely food , pleasant enjoyablen ,...