McAlister's Deli — Restaurant in Artesia

My daughter and I showed up just to grab early dinner. We had a server that was more eager to get her customers through the line and her EarPods back in her ears and back on her cell phone, then to pay attention to what the customers asked. Prior to us she had forgotten drinks to four people’s orders. Their food was coming out before their drinks were. I had enough time to run to the truck to grab my phone go back inside so that my daughter at a table, get everything together go back and still wait in line to get my drinks because she was so far behind on just drinks. mind you she was not slammed. She only had three orders,including myself that was there. Then, when our food did come out, it was the wrong order. Then when we went back to ask for the correct order and explain what was wrong with it, she acted like we were inconveniencing her and just complaining about things. Mind you I have worked in the food industry for over 20 years and I try to be the most understanding person when it comes to servers and people who work in the food industry. All I have to say is thank goodness for the other little girl who came in right after we started ordering because she picked up the slack to everything that was not being handled and corrected her mistakes on everybody...

I gave it a 1 on customer service because it doesn't have option for 0 or negatives... I ordered my lunch online at 11:15 am to be ready at 12:15pm. I pulled in to drive thru at 12:25 pm to pick-up my order to be told that it wasn't ready & to pull forward to spot A. Waited another 10 minutes & nothing so I get off. I went straight to counter to see what the issue was. Clerk tells me that they had a question with my order. Drive-thru clerk never told me that there was an issue she just sent me off to spot A...SMH !!! After telling her to use a regular baguette instead of wheat and another 10 minutes, my order finally comes out. I asked to speak to manager & clerk tells me that he is really busy & may not be able to speak with me... REALLY !!! I think I just blew a gasket... I said "Oh, he is too busy to speak to a customer"??? Clerk quickly gets manager to which I let him know my frustration... One phone call to ask me which type a bread I wanted, that's why they ask for a number... And NOT being ushered off at drive-thru window to spot A... Manager did apologize but now he needs to educate staff on correct handling of these types of situations. ...

Honestly, the staff was pretty rude. Food was very good.

When we first walked in, 2 different staff members walked past us multiple times without saying anything to us, like "be right with you." Then, we ordered at another register and that staff member was somewhat polite. Then we needed a drink for our daughter and he ignored me while I stood up there waiting to ask for the drink. The young man that brought us our food was incredibly rude. No smile, no politeness at all. He dropped off our food, never asked if we needed anything else. When my wife asked for extra honey mustard, he looked mad and walked away without saying a word. I watched him...he never got her honey mustard. Someone else did and brought it to us.

Honestly, their attitudes ruined the fact that the food was very good. Our experience was very unpleasant and we aren't from around here but we travel through a lot. We will not be stopping...