Mickey D's Cafe — Restaurant in Apache Junction

I REALLY wanted this hole-in-the-wall breakfast spot to be amazing. The only people who had told me about it were people in their late 70s. I get it now. I know food. I know an excellent breakfast when I taste it. I love small-town, diner and truckstop food IF IT’S GOOD! I know some people have only eaten mediocre food their entire lives and wouldn’t know a good breakfast if it bit them. I understand that some people get caught up in the atmosphere, tradition, nostalgia, and neighborly experience of a restaurant, and that often muddies their judgment when it comes to rating the food. Do yourself a favor and read all of the reviews. Try to filter out the loyal customers who say the food is “amazing” and “excellent.” Look at how many people in the reviews say that it’s just OK. I don’t look at the spectrum of extremes when I read reviews. Loyal customers and friends of the owners always say the food is excellent. Miserable people who have one bad experience with a waitress or a plate will talk about how the place is horrible. Look at the mid range and the common denominators throughout the reviews. They say that the food is just OK and that there’s nothing to write home about. This is a genuine reflection of what you will experience here. If you walk into this place thinking the food is going to be amazing and excellent, you are going to be GRAVELY disappointed! It is below mediocre. I will start with the customer service. It’s easy to tell that it is a bit of a crapshoot regarding the experience you’ll have. I paid close attention to the other waitresses rather than just mine. Some had Flo (from Mel’s Diner) skills and hospitality, which would make anyone want to come back and would override the mediocrity of the food. I get it. People will put up with bland food if they’re treated like royalty once a week. My waitress was exceptionally awesome and helpful. The girl busing the tables the instant you finish each individual plate on your table was a tad overzealous. Management should take some time to talk to her about the importance of smiling. I tried a variety of things to get a feel for the quality and flavor. The blueberry pancake was very average. I’m not sure what type of maple syrup they use, because they have it in clear pour bottles. However, they should pay a little extra money and get something that doesn’t taste like it’s Kroger. The egg was the best thing I tasted. It tasted like an egg. The bacon was disappointing. It had the taste and consistency of pre-cooked bacon that is simply microwaved. I could be wrong. Either way, spend a little extra money and get some quality bacon for your customers. The gravy was salty, but tasted like flour and water. I will say it’s the worst gravy I’ve had in a decade. I will attest to the multiple comments in the reviews about the biscuits being dry. Mine was so dry that it crumbled. It was awful. Finally, the French toast was so disgusting that I have to write it off as an accident. There is no way they serve this on a daily basis and don’t go out of business. I am 99% certain this was an anomaly. The cook either accidentally spilled some other spice on it, fried it in week-old grease from a fish fry, or the bread was horribly mildewed. I can’t articulate the taste it had, but I spit it out immediately. Had Sheriff Joe given this to the inmates in Tent City, they would have rioted. The decor was gimmicky and predictable. The outside of the building is also quite impressive and needs some updates. Don’t get me wrong, I love little dumpy greasy-spoons joints, but the food needs to be spectacular. I can’t even say that this is average food. It is below average. Regarding the clientele and atmosphere, if you think this is going to be a place where old friends get together and talk across the tables like they do in the small-town diners, you would be wrong. To my fellow foodies who love an awesome quality breakfast: don’t waste your money, gas, or time. This is a 2-star restaurant. Don’t be fooled by reviewers who have no tastebuds or those who are forever...

I've been to Mickey D's Cafe before and was very impressed but on this visit last time I was completely and totally I don't even have a word for it I ordered an omelette with meat and cheese in it and it was so dry and overcooked I could pick the whole thing up and shake it without it falling apart I took a bite of it and I couldn't even it was like chewing gum or rubbery they were very short staffed which is not the waitress's faults the waitress we had was very very good very nice it just seemed like nobody was working together we came in and they asked one waitress if they could see two people in her section and she said absolutely not they didn't have the middle section open off to the right but they had the section behind that open so didn't make sense we had asked if we could sit in that middle section because two reasons one my other half that was with me has a very sensitive hearing issue and it was so loud in there and number two I have anxiety surrounding covid and being in public places and since they're not following the guidelines any longer I didn't want to be in room full of people and they wouldn't allow us to be there I was told that they took the omelet off my bill which I only took the one bite and I just I couldn't eat it however I was still charged 20 something dollars for a half order of biscuits and gravy a coffee and an orange juice so I don't think it got taken off my order but I wasn't the one paying for it my friend got my friend paid for it and he wouldn't let me see the receipt so it is what it is but again the server was great however all the servers together we're not working together I went into another restaurant a few days later ordering the same exact item that I ordered at Mickey D's and it was amazing and I was very intrigued as I watched the waitress is there working together with each other picking up behind each other delivering food for each other and it was just a well-oiled machine not to mention that Mickey D's I waited almost 40 minutes...

Great food. Great atmosphere. Great service. My son had delicious french toast and bacon. I had a wonderful omelet with a side of sliced tomatoes- perfect for my keto diet!

So, why only 3 stars? This was our first time at Mickey Ds, and we were surprised that our waitress, who did a really great job with our table, was pulled into an office right behind us and berated loudly within earshot of customers on either her first or second day.

It was a busy Sunday mid-morning, and everyone was hustling, including our waitress. I was surprised to learn how new she was because she knew the whole menu well and helped us navigate it. She noticed my son was shorted a slice of his toast, without us even noticing, and she quickly rectified it without us even asking!

I really hope that there was something happening that we didn't know about. Either way, to berate an employee in front of customers isn't a great look - shows more about the management that day and not the waitress.

We might give the place another chance since we don't know exactly what happened, but we did leave uncomfortable and embarrassed for the...