Rise + Roast — Restaurant in Albuquerque

This isn’t my experience directly, but my mother’s, and it was appalling enough that it deserves to be called out. She’s a loyal, daily customer of Rise + Roast, but after today’s treatment, we’re left disgusted.

The issue started with something seemingly simple: a poorly blended iced matcha. The ice was chunky, the drink wasn’t smooth, and this wasn’t a one-time fluke. My sister and I have experienced the same issue at this specific location, not at the Eubank location, where quality and consistency are noticeably better. My mother even showed staff a photo of the drink to illustrate the problem, hoping it would lead to better service, not retaliation.

Instead, she was met with condescension and told, point-blank, that if she expected consistent quality, Rise + Roast might not be the right fit for her. Let that sink in: a paying, senior customer was essentially told to take her business elsewhere for wanting her drink made correctly. She even attempted to show the general manager the pictures of the drink’s chunky state to explain her concerns.

But it didn’t stop there.

After retiring the next day and placing her usual order, the general manager approached my mother and said, “I thought we had a good talk about Rise + Roast not being a good fit for you,” and then asked her to leave and not return. Over a blended drink. For wanting a standard other locations easily maintain.

When she went back inside moments later, having simply forgotten a straw, she walked in on the GM surrounded by staff, celebrating her removal. Yes, smiling and laughing. Applauding the public humiliation of a regular customer. Over a drink. It was juvenile, unprofessional, and frankly, cruel.

No customer deserves to be treated this way, least of all someone who’s supported your business faithfully. If this is how management handles basic feedback, I sincerely hope this is not reflective of the company’s overall values.

I would very much appreciate if the owners of Rise + Roast could reach out to resolve this issue directly. I personally have met Collin, one of the owners, and he consistently goes above and beyond for his customers and friends alike. I’m confident he would never condone this type of behavior or treatment.

Rise + Roasts GM should be...

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What a great little place. Excellent use of the facility, which used to be many things: gas station, used car lot... The outdoor patio is covered, as is the drive-through. Inside, they've done a nice job of making it comfortable. The Wifi is strong, the chai good and the oatmeal excellent. You can tell that whomever opened this place knows how to run a coffee shop. Though I did not indulge, the donuts look wonderful. The location is perfect, walking distance from SIPI, an apartment building and a local gym. It is right on one of the bike trails, and an easy ride from my house on the west side. I like to stop in for breakfast, and the next time I'm looking for a quiet place to work away from home in the morning, I'll stop in...