04 La DUNI Baking & Coffee Studio — Restaurant in Dallas

We used to go to the NorthPark location at least twice a week. We loved La Duni.

Today we went to the original Oak Lawn location for nostalgia and sigh, while (some of) the food is still good, everything else sucks. Getting a seat is a five minute process requiring your phone number, arbitrary delays and a QR receipt prominently displayed on your table. (For clarity, not a QR menu, but a piece of paper assigning you to a waiter. What? Why?)

They have signs all over, including on your table and the menu talking about how hard it is to find staff. Most of the wording is aimed at the customer as the guilty party. No other restaurant is still doing this? Eating out is a luxury, and luxury products should never impart guilt. This is product & marketing 101.

Making it worse is the three ridiculous & loud "waiter" robots that get in the way at the Oak Lawn location. We stopped going for a long time until today because they're just that irritating. We stupidly thought they'd have gotten rid of them by now. They don't serve a purpose and the staff just follow them around. Useless. I watched staff move them out of the way of trapped customers twice. Amazing. Instead of spending $40k on two "Bellabots" and a third BeverageBot for a tiny twenty table interior cafe, you could actually pay your employees a market wage?

They've taken it a step further by charging a 20% inflation fee that goes to "all staff", on top of changing several of their prices, including carne asada to "market". Really? Obfuscated pricing for skirt steak? This isn't bluefin or top mignon, skirt is a base commodity served as fajitas in thousands of restaurants across Texas.

Going back to the 20%: this is not a tip to the waiter, as depressingly explained by the already overworked wait staff. It is distributed across all front and back staff. You're funding traditionally higher paid back staff. It does little to contribute to the wait staff's $2.13/hour wage.

Worse, the final receipt does not allow you to add a tip for the waiter (nor sign for the purchase; what?). After the sad explanation from staff you must immediately state to the wait staff "please add x% to augment your ridiculous $2.13 wage" in order to provide a traditional tip.

Disgusting and shame on you. No wonder you can't retain staff. Just charge more so you can afford to pay your staff. Or move to a cheaper location with...

I visited this location by mistake once and I was so delighted by the service and the baked goods ! Such a delight, however today I had the worst service experience ever from one of the young attendants that the chefs have as the front of the house greeter and server, not sure what her name is but she is related to the chef! I arrived 10minutes prior to opening and she had the door opened and unlocked, as I walked I noticed she had a Frown on her face, however I kindly asked for a coffee to what she answered “we are closed” and got up very upset and pointed to the sign that said closed and then very abruptly wanted to rudely give me a menu and I asked her, are you mad and she answered “No Sir we are closed and pointed to the door.” I walked out and left, then came back after 9am and she was still rude to me, even though she recognized me as a frequent guest. I am very disappointed because I have recommended this place to many people and have always bragged about the baked pastries and food….. I told her today “Miss you should be glad I come for the food and not for your service, because it does not reflect the owners values” .

I still recommend the food, the conchas are delicious, but the owners definitely need to get a grip on the service level this young lady offers!

I will share this on Social Media until I receive an apology from her! And I will find a way to get my conchas without having to set foot at the location to be treated...

La Duni: A Technological Bakery Haven

La Duni, situated just a stone’s throw away from our office, is a delightful fusion of modern bakery and an experimental food lab. It’s not just a place to relish scrumptious pastries but an avenue to witness cutting-edge food technology in action!

The genius behind La Duni, Taco, not only ensures his staff serve with utmost warmth but takes the time to walk visitors through the unique concepts driving this establishment. Given our proximity and specialization in software development and managed services, this technical insight was particularly fascinating and invaluable.

High-tech ventures are on the horizon for La Duni, making it not just a culinary delight but a technological hub for food enthusiasts. With an ambiance that encourages innovation and friendly interactions, it’s no wonder they deserve a whopping 7/5 stars!

In tech terms, think of La Duni as the perfect integration of traditional bakeries with next-gen food tech. And for those less tech-savvy: it’s like walking into a magical kitchen where delicious treats are made with the help of futuristic gadgets.

We at WRLD.Tech are thrilled to have such an establishment nearby. We’ll be frequenting this spot and can’t wait to experience more of the tech-infused delights they have in store!

-Ridgeway (written with AI based on...