Taco Bell — Restaurant in City of Niagara Falls

A drive thru line so long, I'm surprised a parade permit wasn't required. Half of the restaurant's staff outside on a smoke break. A packed lobby, likely exceeding the maximum seating capacity.

These should have been the the only indicators needed to abandon any plans of enjoying a Taco Bell meal yesterday afternoon. Regardless, my wife and I proceeded to enter the drive thru queue, and we settled in our distant spot behind a Ford GT that had likely been sitting there since the morning shift.

We continued to wait- even making eye contact with some of the idle workers outside. Unfortunately, the blundering representatives of your brand seemed content with the lunch break they all took simultaneousy, so our desperate gazes were only responded to with blank stares of inattentiveness and oblivion.

After approximately 15 minutes had passed without a single vehicle advancing in the line, panic had begun to set in. However, with a stroke of good fortune, we saw the car behind us back out of the lot- allowing us to escape the drive thru trap, as well.

We were still determined, so we decided to dine in.

As we observed from the parking lot, the restaurant lobby was packed with people, uncomfortably exchanging glances with each other as they awkwardly waited for their order. We could even see the face of the current drive-thru customer through the kitchen, anxiously peering in after clearly being abandoned at the window. Lack of efficiency was an evident issue here.

We placed our order on the kiosk, and found a seat to camp out at as we began our expected long wait. This provided an ample opportunity to observe the elite workforce you've elected to employ.

This includes the multiple workers seen wearing a mask under their nose and/or chin. I'm not debating the value of wearing facemasks here. However, the employees volunteering to wear them obviously do believe in their effectiveness- and then made the conscious decision to disregard the well-being of everyone else around them. Apparently, these are the types of people we trust to provide a safe dining experience- those with no concern for public safety.

The representative announcing the current orders was not the best kitchen spokesperson, considering her soft and barely audible whispers needed to be supplemented by a random customer (in the lobby) shouting the orders for her. Although this was very bizarre, I recommend that particular bystander be hired immediately, considering she out-performed the actual employees.

Fourteen minutes after placing our order (verified by the timestamp on the receipt text), we were finally called. We, of course, had to ask again for the drink and sauce we ordered, since all we were handed was a bag of food (as if we didn't choose "dine in").

My chicken quesadilla was one solid, un-cut, crumpled pile of detritus on the bottom of the bag. I was fairly famished at this point, so I attempted to tear it apart by hand and just eat it anyways. Fifteen napkins and a few third degree burns later, it became even more obvious- this store does not value the welfare of its patrons in the slightest.

As I recovered from the chicken quesadilla stew I apparently ordered, we saw the same Ford GT we were originally behind- finally escaping the agonizing confinements of the laggard and sluggardly drive-thru. It's a wonder how the driver withstood the ordeal without running out of gas, or dying from old age.

My wife ordered two chalupas, but with beef rather than chicken. When she opened her meal, she discovered both chalupas contained beef AND chicken. They might as well have been hotdogs.

We went to exchange the two items for what was actually ordered, and they only presented one replacement chalupa. After correcting this situation, the cashier tried to fluff the deal by commenting "these replacements are free of charge". Well, thank you so much.

Unfortunately, Google only allows so many words in a review. So, in...

Ordered 26$ worth of food on the app and arrived at the store when the app said food was done. When we got there we saw a sign saying lobby was closed due to short staff..

Okay, fine, no biggie, I work retail I get it.

Pull through drive through and see a sign on the speaker that says “soft shell and hard shell tacos only”. We were then met with rudeness when we tried to speak with the women on the speaker. She said something to the effect of “can you read the sign on the screen!?”

A younger gentlemen came over the speaker and had us pull up to the window to try to at least see if there was something that could be done. He told us unfortunately nothing on the order could be made and that we would have to contact support to try to get our money back because it was already cleared through the store’s system. (I would like to recognize this employee for being as helpful as he could be! Didn’t catch a name)

I later heard from a friend that they had a sign up yesterday saying only soft shell and hard shell tacos as well. If that’s true, I find it extremely worrisome that they have had next to no product for two days and are still accepting online orders. I can only imagine how much money has been accepted by this location the past maybe 2 days in exchange for probably 0 product received.

You would think a manager would be able to contact SOMEONE to turn off online orders or just even close the restaurant if they really have no employees AND no product.

EDIT: So I went back today and thought I’d give another chance. Can’t say I was surprised when my whole order was wrong. It’s partially on me for not opening up my bag and laying it out in the restaurant but I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt and took that chance.

Ordered 11 items plus 2 drinks (most of which was “boxes”) which I thought was a relatively simple order but when we got home there were 2 missing items and the chips were literal crumbs and the few that we ate tasted like pure chemicals.

The biggest issue I had today which is what brings me back here was that this restaurant is substituting meats without telling you as wel. HUGE no-no in my opinion and could really hurt someone if they’re not careful.

I ordered chipotle chicken burritos and got home only to find out there is beef inside? Now we not only have to check to see if the packages look right but we actually have to open every single item to confirm it’s what we ordered? Very sad to see Taco Bell continue to allow this poor service so...

This place is an absolute disaster whoever manages this place should be put not only let go but never hired anywhere else again I waited 20 minutes in a drive-thru with one guy in front of me I watched the person in front of me sit there for 10 minutes before her order was even taken then drove to the window and I waited 15 minutes for some of the cake my order which I didn't even do I just drove off when I could get out of the drive-thru because I was that disappointed this is not the first time this place has done this unfortunately I like Taco Bell and just try to go there every once in awhile hoping that something has changed but nope still the same management whoever owns this place should really do something about it destroying this business here this place could be probably twice as more profitable with better management and as far as the staff goes should pick better people they're ignorant rude disrespectful and can't even get an order right I wish I could leave a negative a hundred stars because that's what it would be please do something about this place I love Taco Bell but I have to drive to another town to get it and then rewarm up all my food That's how much I avoid this place try it again today and sure enough the same thing so adding to my review here unfortunately this is the closest Taco Bell and I figured I'd give it another shot this place is absolutely horrific who owns this place how do you allow the service that people are getting here is blatantly disrespectful orders are completely wrong the last four times I've been here like when does something change here Taco Bell is good I love it but this place is absolutely horrible you need to clean house and I'm starting to think the owner needs to go you should be ashamed of yourself running a business like this...