Crystal Inn — Restaurant in South Holland

We eat here often, the food is amazing but the service wasn’t great last night! Maybe it’s because they were busy, staff training or purely greed - not sure!

We visited last night for a special birthday, we arrived early at 5:30 (as recommended by the manager when we made the reservation) and were served quickly by a young waitress.

We asked for the set menu for 2 adults and 2 children, the lady recommended we go for the set meal for 3 with a starter booster. We then asked if we could swap the stir fry mushrooms with something else, the lady confirmed that we could choose any dish (I did check again for reassurance) so we asked if we could swap it for a chilli beef and she replied “yes that is fine”. We then ordered the salt and chilli chips (which were great BTW).

As always, the food was exceptional but sadly we were rushed towards the end, we were also shocked to see that we were charged for the Chilli Beef as an extra (even though we questioned this twice before going ahead).

The lady (I think she’s the manager) mentioned that this can’t be swapped, and although we’d had it confirmed from the young lady while ordering, she didn’t seem to care.

We had a lovely meal but I’ve deducted a star due to the additional cost we weren’t expecting to pay and the rushed service towards the end of our meal.

We will try the Crystal Inn again, but this time we’ll ask the manager before going ahead...

Arrived 6:30, almost empty restaurant it all looked promising but quickly turned. The food was ok but very very slow. The owner said after the meal ‘everywhere in Spalding is like this on a Saturday’ which isn’t an excuse you wish to hear after waiting 2 hrs (with no word from staff to explain the issue or offers of drinks while we wait) for your main. With little or no service between courses other than to ask if we had had our main yet, the overall experience was uncomfortable and frustrating. The starters on the classic set menu were fast to arrive but perhaps not as freshly cooked as they should have been. By the time the mains finally arrived we had been in the place 3hrs cramped, cold and tired. We barely touched the mains but they were actually quite nice from the little we had. It was a shame. After discussing the bill they reluctantly give us 2 drinks off the bill. I offered to pay the drinks cost but requested 50% off the food (given that we left half). She declined and stuck to the 2 drinks discount. Not the best service or treatment. Even for a Saturday night! They prioritise the take away customers over the restaurant customers despite the much higher costs of eating in. Leaving the diners waiting long times for service and food. I’ve been here a few times because the food is generally ok. But the service and speed...

4 people so we thought we would have 2 set special meals for 2 at £26 starter 4 items I per person of each starter very poor only to be told this is what we do and have been for years by a stressed rude woman. Duck for 2nd course now bare in mind this esentally was 2 set meals just one Duck came out to share , not enough pancakes either, This was shredded up on the counter buy some waitress the stuff that fell off the plate was picked up and put back on the plate by the waitress with her hands hygiene not heard of The mains came out and plenty of food although forgot the rice and had to be prompted. Only then did a sarcastic woman come over and ask is there enough food this time !!! Male toilets I was told was disgusting water / pee on the floor and not very good. In all not what I expected as we have take aways from here and have never had an issue with them. I will not be going back this could be a great little place for spalding just hope this was a one off poor...