Shakespeare's Pizza - Downtown — Restaurant in Columbia Township

I've enjoyed coming to this restaurant for a while now but there's no way I'm going back after being treated the way I was last time I was there. Someone's name was repeatedly being called and they weren't getting their pizza. I happened to walk by the pick up section for a cup of water while waiting on my order and made the typical bad joke to the woman behind the counter saying, "If (name being repeatedly called) doesn't get their pizza can you give it away to me?" I said this as I was laughing but the woman (long brown hair, kind of heavy set) flipped a switch. She starts grilling me about how these people paid for their pizza and she can't just give it away. I guess they have a room stacked with pizzas people never picked up? As I walk back to my table she shouts at me that it's called stealing. I'm heated at this point but whatever, I sit down and wait for my name to be called. When it is, my friend and I went to the counter. She looks at me and says, "Are you really Austin"? Too heated for words, I just pull out my driver's license and held it up to the glass. She looks at it, then says, "What did you order Austin?" Are. You. Kidding me. I tell her my order and she can tell I'm fighting back words, she tells me people steal all the time. I guess they ask first? Stupid. She didn't happen to ask for my friend's info before giving her the order that was hers though. If you're going to confirm a customer's identity, maybe check with the cashier that rung them up rather than accuse the...

I know people love this place and why not. Atmosphere is unique and inviting. A little pricey but who isn't these days. Pizza is good although the cornmeal is a bit heavy from time to time. The music can be loud. Wide variety of beers and cocktails. I did witness a manager lose his shit with an employee and started yelling at the poor worker infront of customers. The manager was a portly short dude with no neck and terrible hygiene, wearing old torn shorts and a stained Shakespeare's shirt. I get that some employees are not great at their job, but that behavior from a manager was not right. It's called verbal abuse and if that's the way he acts, that tells me he can't handle his own thoughts or feelings. Very unprofessional. I would have fired the manager on the spot. But that's me. There's no professional reason for sn outburst like that in any capasity. With that, it's rare to see the same faces working after 6 months. Tables seem to be oily and not very clean. They will correct the issue if you bring it up to them. All in all it's a good time out and a good place to get a bit tipsy, if you know...

Pizza's awfully good, and very reliable quality, staff's laid back. They know what's important and do it well and don't screw around with a bunch of extra crap on the menu or making people dress in rayon uniforms or that kind of BS. They just do a real good pizza. As others have said here, the real key is remember to ask for wheat crust, it's a lot better. You'll not find better pepperoni anywhere. A Columbia icon, important part of who we are as a community. Oh...and for the guy who said "you have to deal with hippies," guess what...we have to deal with uptight snots, too. That's what it's all about, dealing with people who are different. People who have a problem with hippies have about 99.9% of the state to yourselves, forgive us for having Columbia and Westport in KC and little areas of St Louis and that's about it, so give us a break. I'll light some sandlewood incense, do my meditation and send you some vibes, and you can bring over some dress shoes and a big stack of money, and I'll have done you a bigger favor. 'You have to deal with hippies," God forbid....