First Watch — Restaurant in Chamblee

Today was the last time we will visit this restaurant. This was the second time this month and the service was terrible both times. Today, my fiancé checked in at the hostess stand to let them know we had arrived based on the instructions from our online check in. He requested a seat outside....there were four+ tables empty...only to be told, we'll see what opens up, he again reiterated that we wanted a seat outside....the hostess again said we'll see what opens up! We aren't off on a good start. Finally we get a seat outside. The waitress comes by and takes our drink and food order in a timely manner....but she forgot to wipe off our table....we had to ask twice. Then our food comes out, looks delicious, too bad we could not eat it. They didn't bring silverware. The server who brought our food out said she would be back with silverware and condiments....we never saw her again. 5 minutes goes by and our food is getting cold.... and our waitress returns with the condiments, but no silverware. We ask her again....then she stops at the table adjacent to ours to take a to go order....and then another table to talk to the patrons about their dog! Finally, I get up, go inside, and stand in the middle of the entrance to the kitchen trying to get someone's attention..saying "Excuse me" really loud. Then a server stops and gives me plastic ware? I ask for silverware and napkins and receive them...they only have forks, no knives....there are plenty of forks there. I then ask him to let the manager know that I would like to speak to him or her and proceed to tell him where we are seated. I arrive back to our table and begin to eat. The adjacent table receives their food......guess what? They do not have silverware either......and the same thing is repeated at their table. I timed it, they waited 5+ minutes as well....food getting cold. That is just unacceptable service. After asking to speak to the manager twice, she finally comes out to speak to us.....but doesn't have much time because she is whipping up eggs! I explain to her what happened, even noting the table next to us having to wait for silverware as well. She did not bother to stop and speak to them about their experience at all. The restaurant comped our meal, but that is not what we were seeking. We can afford to dine out. I just want a pleasant dining experience (good food/service, silverware to eat with, and timely drink refills).

This is very unfortunate, the restaurant is in a good location, has delicious food, but very poor service. I want to see them succeed because they are in my community but it won't be on my hard...

It takes a significantly positive or negative experience to motivate me to spend the time to write a review. So, here we go. For reasons unknown, the First Watch app wait time is usually not accurate for this location but I took a chance one more time with it. We checked in with the hostess upon arrival, as you are supposed to. We were sitting 5 feet away from the hostess stand and each time someone was to be seated, she would call their name. At about the estimated wait time, a text arrives that says “your table is next.” I thought to myself, that’s good – the hostess will be calling our name any moment. But she never did. After noticing people’s names being called who had arrived AFTER us, I inquired as to our status. The hostess then said, I texted you guys 15 minutes ago. A text that says “your table is next” is not the equivalent of “ready”,” nor was our name EVER called out. This was only the start of our negative experience that day. We get seated in the patio area and we wait, and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait with no service, while several waiters come and go past our table without acknowledging us at all. Finally, when I couldn’t stand it anymore, I went back to the hostess and ask if we could please get some service. The waiter that finally came out approached us with no urgency whatsoever and asked about drinks. We went ahead and ordered everything right then since by that time we certainly knew what we wanted. Then the next round of waiting began. It probably took another 10 minutes just to get our drinks, and to make matters worse, they failed to bring part of what we asked for. Later the food for one of our party arrived, with word from this waiter that the rest of the food is “coming right up.” We insisted that the person who got their food first go ahead and get started so the eggs didn’t go cold. Then the next round of waiting began. The first person in our party was almost finished with their meal before the food for the rest of the party arrived. I have to say this was one of the worst restaurant experiences I have ever had. As we were leaving, a newly arrived couple seated 2 tables down from us, also after having been neglected, had to flag down a staff member and ask for some attention. I told them briefly what happened to us and wished them good luck. The chances of me returning to this location are pretty slim. This place needs to get their act together if they are going to stay...

To the Mgr please check your cameras for proof. On 1/28/2019 approx 11:40am to 1157am Eastern time. I'm the African American woman with a red jacket , blue jeans, black hair with bangs. I entered the restaurant walked over to the host stand, grabbed a menu and sat on a bench and waited for assistance. A lovely mixed couple came to pay for their tab, a waitress came over and looked right at me, didn't greet me or tell me she'd be with me. She took payment from the couple and before they could thank her she was trying to hurry up and walk away so that she didnt have to deal with me. She walked away and went to the back and kept quickly glancing up at me. I continued to wait. She chatted with another worker in the back and that woman also glanced at me quickly, still nobody walks over to greet me. Then a white woman entered the store and I watched very closely to see if that same waitress would notice her. At this point she was over by some machine where she could see the woman clearly. She saw her but then looked to see if I was still sitting there and when she saw my head she looked down. After several people started entering she hesitantly stopped what she was doing and walked over. She literally refused to make eye contact with me, instead she rudely greeted the white woman right next to me and asked her if she could help her. That white woman knew I was first, she also knew this waitress deliberately ignored me. Which is why she hand gestured toward me and told the waitress I was first. The waitress quickly cut her eyes toward me and asked " can I help you?" I asked her " did you not see me waiting all this time?" She blanked her eyes several times and ignored my question by replying with "how can I help you." I told her she was racist and left.

I believe if I walked in with a white friend or white boyfriend, they would have greeted them assuming my friends would pay for my food since a black woman by herself can't afford to pay for herself.

This is unacceptable. It's 2019 yet people like her are still alive? Stop judging people by the color of their skin or assuming they don't have money. I don't care that this restaurant had a black Male cook working that day. That doesn't dismiss the fact that this particular waitress deliberately ignored me until a white woman pointed me out to...