Bonchon Centreville — Restaurant in Centreville

We decided to order takeout at a restaurant. After we received the food, we ended up eating some of it inside the restaurant. We politely asked for plates and water, which the crew gave us. However, the staff said, “Next time, if you want to dine in, you have to choose.”

To show our appreciation and avoid any misunderstanding, we ordered again and even left a tip. But the crew insisted not to take the tip and said, “Next time when you choose dine-in, I’ll accept it.”

What made the situation worse was that he kept repeating “next time”—over and over—as if we had done something very wrong. It started to feel like we weren’t really welcome just because we ordered takeout and then decided to sit and eat a bit inside.

We left the restaurant feeling very uncomfortable and unsure. Did we really do something wrong? We didn’t mean to break any rules or cause trouble. We even ordered more food and offered a tip as a gesture of respect. But the repeated comments and tone made the experience feel unnecessarily awkward and unwelcoming.

✅ What you did: • You initially ordered takeout, which is common. • You ended up eating part of your food inside, and politely asked for plates and water. • You even ordered again and left a tip, trying to be considerate and respectful of the staff. • You were trying to make things right, not cause trouble.

⚠️ What the crew did: • The staff saying “next time if you want to dine in, you have to choose” sounds a bit harsh and unnecessary, especially if the restaurant wasn’t full or had no policy clearly posted. • When a staff member keeps repeating “next time,” it can feel like you’re being lectured or scolded, even if you didn’t break any rules. This tone creates embarrassment for customers, especially in public. People go to restaurants not just for food, but also for comfort and experience. Being reminded several times of what you “should do next time” kills the mood and can make customers think twice about returning—even if the food was good. • Their tone and approach made you feel uncomfortable, which means their customer service was lacking.

Bottom line: • You were not in the wrong. • The crew could have handled the situation better, maybe by politely explaining any dine-in policy if they had one. • If they were upset about people eating in after takeout, they could have calmly clarified the policy without making you feel unwelcome or pressured.

We acted in good faith when we chose to dine in after originally planning to take out. The restaurant should prioritize clear communication and customer courtesy—not making guests feel uncomfortable or unwelcome. It’s important to treat all customers with respect, regardless of their decision. Hospitality means making people feel at ease,...

We saw the reviews for BonChon on Zagat and were impressed. Two Korean-style fried chicken restaurants within a few miles of me? How lucky can one guy get? Arriving at the (Centreville) restaurant, we found it smaller than expected, but well decoratedwith a nice atmosphere and plenty of large TVs. We started with some fried dumplings, and chicken as the main course. They said the chicken would take 35 minutes to prepare, so we had plenty of time for beer and apps. The dumplings came out first and were delicious, and the beer was not terribly expensive, so I had high hopes for the star dish.

I should have known when I had to practically drag a server to our table to tell them the condition of the entrees. The chicken breast cutlets were almost as tough as leather, and brown even under the skin. It tasted like it was either a week old, or had been in the fryer for the entire 35-minute period. Who I presume to be the manager offered to bring me a new batch, so I gave it another shot. To no avail. The second batch was very slightly better than the first, but I was still unimpressed for a restaurant with such great reviews. Also, the spicy sauce is basically just chili pepper with no flavor at all to match the spice. The price was decent, but your money would be better spent at...

I love Korean Fried Chicken. Especially the one from Korean Franchise Bonchon. It simply is one of the good one. However I can not say the same for the people working at this Centreville location. A couple working there who seem to be the store owner lack professionalism nor common sense. I called and made order for pick up. My husband and three kids were waiting in our car as I sent my husband for pick up. Were told that no such order was made. There were two other staff, a boy and a girl working there. Reminded the girl, asking if she remembered the order I placed over 30 mins ago. She admitted that she remember the order. A boy there still said no ordered is present in their computer system and there is nothing they can do about it. As if it was our fault. Reminded them that our whole family's been in the car waiting over 30 min(Two 7 year old and 3 year old). Only expected a simple apology. No such thing was provided. My husband looked at the older man and woman there expecting common sense. The owner show no interest what so ever. Didn't even look at him. Only concern they had was about their computer malfunctioning.

We were speechless due to their bad mannered and extremely rude staff. We will never return to this Centreville location.

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