Swan & Cygnet — Restaurant in Wakefield

Unfortunately for us our day was quite a disaster, we were told to wait in a queue even though we’d arrived for our booking in plenty of time. I did approach the host and explained we had been waiting for our booking 20 minutes already which was supposed to be at 2:30pm and we were told to just wait even though people in front of us were waiting for their 3pm booking. After waiting 40 minutes we were eventually shown to a table at 3pm. The table wasn’t dressed, didn’t have cutlery and looked like it wasn’t cleaned from the previous booking. I then had to ask twice for our starters. They brought out the adult starters then had to wait a further 10 minutes for our daughter’s starter. Also we had no cutlery which I had to ask for on 4 separate occasions. I had to go hunting for napkins as a couple of knives and forks were just dumped on our table. Then we had to queue yet again for our mains which if I’m being honest were not what I was expecting for Christmas dinner. The tiny slivers of meat we received were just not enough, the vegetables were soggy the best part of the lunch were the Yorkshire pudding which we’re impressive but everything else was very disappointing especially served on what I can only describe as a child’s plate. We had already decided we were not having dessert after waiting 40 minutes with zero interactions from any staff other than me trying to catch their attention when running past. I then spoke to a server and explained our dismay he was very understanding and the manager did refund most of our meal but as mentioned it was a huge disappointment. The manager seemed to be absent for the most part other than dealing with lots of other complaints from other customers. I feel the whole day would have ran a lot smoother had you not tried to cram in as many people as possible, there was no atmosphere, the place was very untidy and from speaking with a lot of other diners just a complete waste of money and ruined a lot of people’s day. I understand Christmas Day is a hugely busy day for all staff involved but on this occasion was let down by the poor management. Whether that’s down to head office putting far too much pressure on their GM or the GM not actually caring enough I’m not sure but we would not be in a hurry to return and definitely would not book for Christmas...

Staff were polite, however I would say not attentive. The sign upon arrival said if you have not booked then take a seat, however we did book a table and 2 members of staff who weren't busy didnt come to greet us regardless that we were stood there a good 3 or 4 minutes. Which with the majority of customer been elderly I was surprised they weren't more helpful. The drinks came really quickly and we were greeted by a polite member of staff. Service at the bar was also quick, clear and simple. The food lacked any attention. Ordered normal menu and carvery. Steak was not cooked mto request, things missing from the meal, and we waited 43 minutes from starters been removed to receiving our main course. The breaded chicked was overcooked and therefore dry. No one came to the table to explain any type of delay at all and the pub was not busy enough for the service not to be at 100%. The manager who was on shift was really good and he was attentive, however he cant be everywhere. From finishing the meal we waited just over 10 minutes, plates were not removed so we just left. I wouldn't say the food was terrible but it certainly could have been better. But when you as a group are paying over £150 a visit I would certainly expect the staff to not gather in corners, or hide and attend a little more to customer needs. I think the biggest sell is for dog owners been able to bring dogs, that is one of the only reasons I would return. Just because people can order from a phone doesnt mean that staff shouldn't be delivering customer service properly is my advice for this pub. Although I can not stress enough that the manager on the bar was very good and if he was cloned it would have been a much better experience all round. With the competition in the area you would think that a chain pub would exceed in what this place was lacking, particularly where the food is concerned as it is simply dropping a Fryer and popping meat on the grill. I am more than aware of kitchens and cooking to order struggles but the pub wasn't busy enough to take that into consideration, and also reading the reviews on here it is a consistent complaint that food is dry and Service is bad, which is really sad because this could have been such a...

We visited The Swan and Cygnet in Wakefield for our Christmas Day meal, and while the food itself was fantastic, the overall experience left much to be desired due to several organizational issues.

Starting with the positives, the food was excellent. The carvery meats were cooked to perfection—juicy and tender—with a great selection of sides that were full of flavor. The desserts we did receive were also delicious, clearly prepared with care. It’s a shame that the quality of the food wasn’t matched by the service and organization.

Unfortunately, there were several problems that overshadowed the meal. When we arrived, the table wasn’t fully set, we had a christmas cracker and a knife no other cutlery we had to request the rest of our cutlery of which we were given a bundle of forks which i handed out, then one of our starters was missed entirely, meaning we had to wait while it was prepared thus meaning one of our guests ate his starter whilst the rest of us had finished ours

The main course, which was served via a carvery, was another point of frustration 2 Side dishes were brought out to our table ( we ordered 3) before we even had the chance to collect our mains or our starter dishes were cleared, leaving them to sit cooling while we waited in line we then had to go and ask for the remaining side this disrupted the flow of the meal and made it feel disjointed.

To top it off, one of the desserts we ordered never arrived. After flagging this with the staff, we waited again, only to be told it wasn’t ever ordered - we had to chase in order to get it. By that point, the meal felt like a series of mishaps rather than a smooth and festive experience.

While the staff were polite and friendly, it seemed they were overwhelmed, and service felt rushed and uncoordinated. For the premium price of a Christmas Day meal, we expected a more polished experience.

In summary, The Swan and Cygnet delivered fantastic food but fell short in terms of organization and service. It’s a real shame, as the potential for an excellent experience was there, but the lack of attention to detail left us feeling let down and disappointed I hope management takes this feedback onboard to improve for future...