Betty Jane HomeMade Candies — Restaurant in Dubuque

Still the best in Dubuque, but not what it used to be. I have written to the company and they denied any changes and touted their awards and Grammy status. The fact is, the gremlin "select topper pecans" are not the same large, perfect pecans they used to be. Also the caramel in the gremlins, caramels and caramel apples is much less viscous than it used to be. This changes the experience. Finaly, the caramel apples used to have the highest quality apples and that is no longer the case. Because the caramel is less viscous, it makes a thinner coat on the apple. I didn't mind paying for the delightful treat they used to be, and I proudly bought them as gifts. But now they are less special. I know several people who won't buy them any more. Younger people won't know the difference. And there is no competition so the company for now can get away with a little lower standard. But we old timers know the difference. My mother was a confectioner, my father and grandfather were bakers, I worked in a French restaurant in college, and my family was also in the restaurant business, so we are very foods-oriented (admittedy too much so). My point is: some of us CAN discern a difference, were proud of the quality Betty Jane used to stand for, and wouldn't bat an eye at paying a premium for something that is VERY special to give as a gift or treat. Now that Betty Jane has become less of a Dubuque Darling some of us look for other stand-out, best-in-class items or services to gift our loved ones. My suggestion would be to heed our feedback, earnestly seek and achieve the old quality, then raise prices as needed and advertise what you have done. I would gladly come back for the original quality caramel apples and gremlins and pay accordingly....

This place was great. They kept giving us free samples, and then we ordered a scoop of ice cream, and they gave us THE BIGGEST scoops that have ever been scooped. It was a meal of ice cream. Then, a bus pulled up in front of the place, and just parked in the street, blocking traffic. We saw some woman get out, and go in for a bit, then came back out with an employee and they got in the bus. Then a few minutes later, they got back out, and slowly but surely, an endless stream of elderly people got out and went in, WHILE THE BUS IS STILL BLOCKING TRAFFIC! And some guy started holding the door for the elderly people and must have felt awkward about letting it close, and so he stood there, in the rain, for probably 10 minutes while they all wanted across the parking lot and into the store like an endless herd of caribou. Finally, after about 30 minutes of blocking the right lane, the least person got out and the bus finally moved to the next parking lot. Then we watched as the last person from the bus gets to the door, and starts having a conversation on the doorway with the poor dude holding the door in the rain. Finally, they both went in, and we left. It was the most entertaining experience I've had in a long time. Amazing candy and...

I have been a customer for 50 yrs but doubt if I will EVER shop there again. I went there last week and wanted a one pond box of creams, half chocolate and half vanilla. Imagine my surprise when I was told there is a $4.00 up-charge if I wanted 2 different flavors in the box. However I could get an entire pound for the regular price if I only had one flavor in the box. It takes the same amount of employee time to fill a box with one flavor or 2 so the $4.00 extra doesn't make any rational sense. That leaves the reason as being pure greed. I posted my dissatisfaction on their FB page but haven't heard a peep out of them so they must not care if they anger their customers and lose business. This place hasn't been the same since it was sold to the new owners in 2011. They seem to have made arbitrary changes and just want to tout their Hollywood success rather than continuing to be a candy store for those who have supported them for many years. I will be going down the road to Galena for future candy purchases. It's only 13 miles away, has several candy stores with quality that is just as good as Betty Jane, and will let me buy the candies I want in the quantities I choose without...