TOGO'S Sandwiches — Restaurant in Emeryville

The staff member who waited on me was very friendly. The rest of my experience was atrocious. For starters, I waited in line for what felt like a half-hour (a line of no more than 15 people). This is a Togo's; I should be able to get my food faster than at a sit-down restaurant. That's the whole point.

So once I got up to the counter, I started the ordeal of ordering. When I ordered a chicken-salad sandwich, I learned that they were out of chicken-salad. No good. When I changed to an Italian, I found out that they were out of Mortadella, Ham, and Provolone cheese. Scrap that idea. I was hungry though, and I hadn't really made up my mind anyway, so I went with my third choice, a Pastrami reuben. Third time's the charm right!? Wrong. My server got halfway through making it before checking the pastrami situation. Oh, darn, they were out of that too. But wait! If I waited 5 minutes, they could heat some up from out back. Good lord. So I waited. My apologies to the fine ladies behind me, but my server (despite being nice) just waited the full 5 minutes for the pastrami, while she could have at least started in on their orders. No wonder it took half-an-hour to get through a 15 person line.

Now, I'm willing to cut anyone some slack. It might be the staff's first day on the job or whatever. I don't know your life, and I wasn't in a hurry, just a bit hungry. And, making matters worse, the poor women behind the counter had to work while the store manager engaged in a shouting match with a dissatisfied customer. (I don't blame the customer for being dissatisfied, but starting a shouting match almost never makes things better. Please stop. For better or worse, poor service is not a criminal offense.)

But the story continues, and it gets better. I finally got my sandwich and it was halfway decent. I ran a few more errands in the area, and then, on my way home a couple hours later, I received an email from my credit card company saying that my card had been declined for a purchase of several hundred dollars at a local department store. Whoa there. Ummm, that wasn't me. I checked my account, and what do you know, that department store charge, AND two additional charges at Togo's! Now, I don't want to jump to conclusions, but I'm having trouble coming up with situations where someone other than an employee of this establishment put two fraudulent charges (both several sandwiches worth) on my card at this location. I mean, maybe someone bought two sandwiches with my stolen card, and then came back and decided they wanted four more, and then figured hell, why not get some clothes too. Or perhaps someone bought two and passed the card to someone else who thought "This is great! Free money! Totally not illegal!" and so bought four and then went on a shopping spree. Or, then again, maybe someone working here just has a moral deficiency.

Now before I finish, I would like to admit my own fault here for not being on top of my game and making sure I got my card back. I was a little distracted with all the hoopla going down in the restaurant and juggling the bags I was carrying while signing for the food, but I should have been on top of my game. No excuses. But, if you are a decent establishment, and someone leaves their card, you try to get it back to them. Not go run off and try to buy $400 with a stolen credit card, which can probably be tracked.

Long story short, Burger King is across the plaza. Go...

I attended an event that catered with Togo’s platter and it was delicious! So when I saw this location I decided to try my luck again..not so lucky this time. There were several employees present when I entered, no greeting. I figured they may be having a shift change so went to use the kiosk, but couldn’t figure out how to do a half sandwich half salad order there. Asked the employee nearby for help. I am not fluent in Spanish, but I can hold a conversation so when she sighed and yelled to the back room to another employee “This lady needs help” in Spanish I answered her back “Is there a problem” in Spanish, thinking they were out of a specific item as many places are currently. She looked at me surprised, didn’t say anything nor did she explain what I needed help with to the employee that came upfront from the back. I explained my question, the new employee helped me and I waited for my order. Once it was ready, I smiled, thanked a third lady that placed it on the counter in English and Spanish with no response, verbal or nonverbal. The sandwich had very little meat, way too much lettuce, they didn’t give me the dressing I asked for, and for $16 I could’ve gone right across the parking lot to Trader Joe’s for better food and MUCH better service. I won’t...

Let me just start by saying, Portia deserves a standing ovation! I mean, where do you even find this kind of top-tier customer service anymore? It’s like discovering a unicorn.

So, here I am, a Togo’s newbie with an undeniable love for a good grinder. I walk in, and BAM—Michelle greets me at the make station like she’s been expecting me all day. But the real star of the show? Her daughter, Portia, working the register with the kind of patience you only see in saints or teachers on the last day of school. This is a family-run business, folks, and they make you feel like one of the family right away.

Being the clueless new guy, I had about a million questions. Portia didn’t even blink. She walked me through the whole menu like a sandwich sommelier and even hooked me up with samples of the BBQ beef and pastrami (yes, please!). In the end, I went with the #10 Pastrami Reuben on Parmesan bread. And who personally delivers it to my table? You guessed it, Portia—hot, fresh, and with a smile that could melt butter.

The sandwich was killer, but honestly, the service is what will have me coming back every time I’m in the area. Michelle and Portia are a dynamic duo, and Togo’s has will be on the menu whenever I’m...