Highland Coffee House — Restaurant in Cincinnati

Review:

I recently visited Highland Coffee House and unfortunately, my experience left much to be desired. After paying a hefty $9.25 for a simple chicken salad sandwich, I was met with an incredibly rude attitude from one of the workers. Not only was the service lacking in basic courtesy, but I was also subjected to an unwarranted lecture about tipping.

Upon receiving my order, I handed over the exact amount due. However, instead of a simple "thank you" or even a smile, the worker seemed visibly irritated. As I turned to leave, thinking my transaction was complete, I was taken aback when the worker decided to deliver an unsolicited lecture on tipping.

I understand the importance of tipping for good service, but the way it was presented to me was completely inappropriate. I felt as though I was being scolded for not tipping, even though tipping is generally considered optional and based on the quality of service provided.

What's more disappointing is that the lecture came after I had already paid a considerable amount for a chicken salad sandwich. While I don't mind paying for quality food, I do expect a certain level of respect and professionalism from the staff. Unfortunately, this was sorely lacking during my visit.

The behavior of the worker not only left a sour taste in my mouth but also tainted my perception of the entire establishment. Customer service is a crucial aspect of any business, and it's disheartening to see such disregard for it.

In addition to the poor service, the chicken salad sandwich itself was nothing extraordinary. For the price I paid, I expected a more satisfying culinary experience. However, it was rather mediocre and not worth the inflated price tag.

Overall, my experience at Highland Coffee House was highly disappointing. From the rude behavior of the worker to the lackluster food quality, I cannot in good conscience recommend this establishment to others. Unless there are significant improvements in both service and food quality, I will not be...

I really enjoyed this coffee shop and have been excited about the proximity that it has to my building as a PhD student. However, after being scolded today while I was in the active process of going through the tipping screen about how I should “be a decent person” because the workers only make 3$ an hour, I won’t be coming back. While I recognize that the model of table service is unique for a coffee shop, it is still a coffee shop. If it is to the point where this is being said to customers; perhaps this is not a sustainable model. I’ve both gotten table service here and ordered at the counter— so I don’t really think that it’s reasonable to expect customers to intuitively know what to do. Furthermore, the timing of this being said to me made me incredibly uncomfortable, and because I was so anxious, I couldn’t really think straight enough to select an appropriate tip amount as I was actively being spoken to in a confrontational manner. Had this been presented to me in a kinder way (and not after I was literally already in the middle of the process, actively in the screen), I would have heard the message. However, I am a depressed, anxious PhD student who is going through a lot personally (so, awesome work, you really chose the right target audience here) this made me further uncomfortable and also ruined my evening, so, my friends and I will find a different spot in the future. This appears to be a consistent problem with this owner and establishment based on other reviews. I also make 3$ an hour working pretty freaking hard myself— I don’t need a lecture.

Oh and cherry on top? They never even bright my husbands food lol. So you want me to tip you even though you literally didn’t even do half the...

I’m honestly shocked that so many others have had issues with this same staff member. I even saw someone post a picture of him! How is he still working there?

I visited this place two days in a row. The first time, I spoke to the owner. Initially, he seemed a bit standoffish, which was odd because there was only one other customer besides me. However, I ordered a coffee to go, and by the end of our interaction, he had warmed up, so I just brushed it off.

The next night, I returned and encountered the staff member with greasy hair. The moment I approached the bar, he seemed annoyed. He asked me to look over the menu and take a seat. I agreed and stood there for about 10 seconds deciding on my order. When I politely tried to place my order, he snapped, telling me to sit down and wait because he was "working on other orders" and would "get to me." It felt unnecessarily rude, especially since I just wanted a quick drink to go. It seemed like he was pushing for a sit-down experience, almost as if he expected a bigger tip.

After a few minutes, he finally took my order. The drink came out in a glass and seemed hotter than usual but could have been imagining it. Overall, the experience left a bad impression.

Both times I was happy with the coffees but so unreasonably expensive both times I will probably not be back. It's a shame because the coffeeshop was pretty cool on the inside. Judging on the reviews this place will not be open for another 10 years. Which is a shame due to...