Huddle House — Restaurant in Florida

Too “pet-friendly” to be sanitary for people or safe for service animals.

It’s been a few years since my husband and I visited, because the last time we were there, they had allowed someone’s PET yapper dog to eat at one of the tables. When we walked in with our child and our child’s actual service dog, the yapper dog stopped eating under the table in the back corner and became aggressive and reactive and started barking and lunging at our child’s service dog! This endangered both the dog AND my child by distracting the service dog from his medical tasks. The owner of said yapper dog, an older woman whom I guess is good friends with the staff, scooped the dog up and struggled to contain the dog; as they left the restaurant, the dog was still barking and trying to attack my child’s service dog on the way out.

But as I said, that was a couple of years ago, so hubs and I decided to go back for lunch last week. Maybe it was a one-off, we thought, and besides, we didn’t have our kid or their service dog with us.

Food was decent (except for serving disgusting Pepsi products-hint! Hint!) and the service was excellent. However, when it came time for us to pay our check, who walks in but an older woman and her little wiener dog!! She and her dog were greeted by the staff as she took a seat in a booth right next to the kitchen area and SAT HER DOG IN THE SEAT NEXT TO HER, CLOSEST TO THE OPEN KITCHEN! Honestly, I’m surprised a health inspector has not flagged this place, as the woman and her dog seem to be regulars; the staff know her by name and don’t even blink at the dog sitting at the table. The biggest problem I have with this situation is that the restaurant’s allowance, and even encouragement, in having someone’s pet dog sit in a booth and eat from the table cause multiple issues for people like my child who NEED a real service dog: Pet dogs are usually aggressive and reactive to other dogs, which not only endangers the service dog, but also distracts the service dog from his life-saving tasks. So if, for instance, the dog is trained to sense and alert to oncoming epileptic seizures and suddenly he’s focused on defending himself from a yapper who’s lunging at him, his handler could have a seizure undetected and even die by not having enough warning to medicate. Also, the service dog might suffer an injury and become traumatized, thus ending his ability to work ever again.

Pet dogs and “fake” service dogs (ESAs are NOT service dogs or protected under the ADA by the way) desensitize staff and owners of establishments when they DO get written up by health inspectors. Once cited because they allowed pet dogs or ESAs in, they go to the opposite extreme of giving ALL dog owners, including service dog handlers, a hard time and try to deny entry to those with actual service dogs. (And yes, we’ve had personal experience with this on more than one occasion.)

So I’m asking as nicely as I can: please, pretty please, stop allowing pet dogs into the restaurant and study up on ADA laws and health regulations. Under ADA laws, service dogs MUST be kept on the floor (or worn in a front wearable carrier if the dog needs to be close enough to the handler’s breath to perform a task.) Under NO circumstances are dogs, even service dogs, allowed to be seated at the table and they most certainly are NOT ALLOWED to be fed from the table! Pets of any kind and ESAs are NOT allowed in any establishment that serves or sells food. Staff have the right to ask someone if the dog in their establishment is a service dog and they have a right to tell someone with a dog to leave if the dog is barking and misbehaving. PSA over. Now...

Upon entering the establishment, the attentive and well-trained waiter immediately takes charge, ensuring a seamless and efficient dining experience for all patrons. With a warm smile and polite demeanor, they gracefully guide customers to their seats, allowing them to settle comfortably. Demonstrating their commitment to excellent service, the waiter promptly presents each guest with the well-designed and neatly arranged menu, affording them ample time to peruse the enticing array of culinary offerings.

Attentive to every detail, the waiter inquires about guests' preferred beverage choices, recommending a selection of refreshing options to perfectly complement the forthcoming meal. As the orders are swiftly taken, the waiter deftly places a set of neatly folded napkins and gleaming cutlery by each table setting, elevating the overall dining experience with an air of sophistication and thoughtfulness.

The restaurant's interior is designed to invite and embrace natural light, fostering a warm and inviting atmosphere. However, an unfortunate hindrance in the form of a colossal board partially obscures the sunlight, casting a narrow sliver of illumination across the room. Despite this minor inconvenience, the ambiance remains pleasant and conducive to an enjoyable meal.

As the anticipation heightens, the kitchen staff works in harmony with the adept waiter, preparing the orders with meticulous care. The dishes arrive at the table promptly, with the MVP platter, in particular, standing out as a shining star among the menu offerings. This culinary masterpiece boasts an assortment of delightful delicacies, and one cannot help but marvel at the visually appealing presentation.

The pièce de résistance of the MVP platter are the pancakes, which captivate with their pillowy softness and delightful flavor. Each bite unfolds a symphony of tastes, leaving a lasting impression on the palate. The careful attention to detail and the use of premium ingredients elevate the dining experience to a level of culinary excellence.

Throughout the meal, the waiter discreetly and attentively checks on the guests, ensuring their comfort and satisfaction. Their presence is subtle, yet ever-present, exuding a genuine concern for each diner's well-being. This consistent and thoughtful service further enhances the overall dining experience, leaving guests feeling cared for and valued.

In summary, the dining experience at this establishment proves to be an exceptional one, characterized by the exceptional efficiency of the staff, the delectable culinary delights, and the warm ambiance, despite the slight limitation of natural light. The impeccable service and attention to detail by the waiter and the kitchen team contribute to an unforgettable culinary journey, leaving patrons thoroughly delighted and eager to return for more gastronomic delights...

I have never been one to leave a review but my and my families experience last night about 9pm was absolutely atrocious and I’m very disappointed! My family comes here pretty much on a regular basis at this point we have had good times and also not so good times but nothing like last night! My husband got the big breakfast cheese scrambled eggs bacon sausage grits and biscuits and sausage gravy all which included in with his meal something he gets every time he also got the new honey butter chicken biscuit I received the meat lover omelette no tomatoes extra cheese and hash browns and we got 3 kids meals my sons kids meal didn’t have cheese in the eggs which we was still charged for cheese my hash brown and omelette was way smaller then all the other times my bacon and ham inside the omelette was black and burnt the sausage inside the omelette was few to none and I asked for extra cheese that I didn’t get and my husbands meal was absolutely the worst of them all we weren’t told they had no grits until right before our food was brought out he had no cheese in his eggs that we was still charged for once again and he didn’t get his biscuit and gravy until everybody was almost finished eating everybody’s plate came out all at different times so half of us was done eating while the other have was still waiting for there food also his honey butter chicken biscuit was nothing more then a chicken biscuit with two little packets of honey on the side like what.and when we got the check my husband’s meal was all rang in separately so it ended up being like 6$ more then it would have been rang up the right way we was charged extra for cheese we did not receive on about 3 different meals I don’t know if the cook was over it for the night but we all was completely unsatisfied and my husband and I left still hungry and had to get food elsewhere because of such small portions and I can understand the server just being out of training or what ever the cook/manager told my husband but I have managed several restaurants and I NEVER let my servers out of training unless they know the menu which this lady clearly didn’t. Oh and we was charged extra 2.49$ per drink for two Togo drinks we already paid 3$ for The manager/cook lady ended up only taking off the extra cheese upcharge which was only like 2$ so we ended up spending 73$ and still having to go get more food such a...