Cupitol Coffee & Eatery (Evanston) — Restaurant in Evanston Township

Well you asked, so here it goes. Went to the restaurant today and was met with very brisk employees. Asked for my order and they said it is "over there." And walked away. I was confused about over there, asked again and was brushed off, them pointing over there. Clearly if you have been here before you may know what that means, but as a first time visit I had no idea. Finally found the spot, lo and behold, no order. Asked 3rd time for my order and he starts looking online at his computer. Wait for another person, finally they find it with the other orders behind the counter. There are 3 other orders with it. So clearly this is a spot that orders are kept, why not just look there first instead of brushing off a guest in your establishment? Also, should have checked my order before I drove away. Order was incorrect, went back to fix and you guessed it, I was told to go find so and so to fix it. No, please this is your job, can you please fix it? I don't work here, I am not going to track them down and catch them, please just handle the situation. When our family finally sits down to enjoy the takeout, the salmon on the bagel is not fresh. Although, the slimy nature could also have come from the cucumber, which is so mushy it was quickly thrown away. Luckily, I have cucumbers in my garden, so I was able to enjoy my own. Finally, be aware that a side of the $5.50 bacon includes 2 slices! I realize that there is inflation right now but in my entire life I have never seen a side order of bacon, include only 2 slices! Of course I don't order it more than once a year as a treat, but perhaps this was the universe really, really telling me that bacon is bad for you 😉. We also ordered the lemon blueberry pancakes, but I think y'all get the idea, I will save you from having to read anymore of...

I was charged more for each item than what was on the menu and the food I ordered was NOT the same as the menu listed. Read more below:

I was BLATANTLY overcharged for my order. I ordered a sandwich and two sides and saw that the staff member was overcharging me for each side on the iPad facing me. When I pointed out what she was charging me was more than what was listed on the menu (sides are $4 each; she charged $6 for each side), she shrugged it off and said “they needed to update the menu” and continued onwards. That’s insane to me— especially when she handed me the menu as soon as I walked in and said nothing about the price discrepancies.

To add insult to injury, I ordered a baguette sandwich and they brought out a bagel — they didn’t ask me about the change or notify me if they were out of the baguette or not. It may sound petty but if one orders a $14 sandwich, they should be given what they paid for or at least notified in some way if something is sold out.

I wound up having to flag down a manger to get it resolved and he begrudgingly refunded the over charges and reiterated that the “menu needed to be updated” and asked if I wanted my sandwich to be remade. I declined on a new sandwich because I was so turned off by the entire experience, I not only won’t be going back but am warning people in general to avoid this location. Instead of misleading your customers, be transparent about prices and stop bait and switching them and give people the food they ordered instead of some cheap...

I’m new to the area and came to Cupitol because of the positive reviews. The signage when you walk in directs you to order at the counter, but when I went to the counter the cashier said I needed to sit at a table first. It was confusing because it’s a counter-service restaurant; Are people supposed to leave their belongings unattended at a table while they order? You have to pick up drinks at the counter yourself but they bring food out to your table.

I thought this would be a good place to get some work done, but it was loud, there were no accessible outlets, and the tables are arranged awkwardly so I kept getting bumped into. I ended up leaving and going to a coffee shop nearby. There are multiple within walking distance that are better for studying and working.

My breakfast sandwich was good quality for the price but greasy. My oatmilk chai had no flavor, was overpriced, and they gave me a small when I paid for a large (16oz). When I waited at the counter to ask for the correct size, I was left standing for 7min without service while the staff chatted and ignored multiple customers.

Overall, this would be a fine spot to meet up with friends but I wouldn’t recommend it at all for focused work time or the drinks. I hope they take time to think about the customer experience all the way from walking in the door and looking for proper signage, to the ordering experience and table service, to knowing what’s expected for tidying tables before leaving. The ambiguity leads to both staff and customers...