Steel Penny Cafe — Restaurant in Hatboro

Has this place changed owners or management recently? I’ve never had a bad experience here until last night, and unfortunately it was disappointing from start to finish.

I brought a friend from out of town, and we ordered at the register to sit outside and enjoy the weather. Right away, I noticed a 15% price discrepancy on an item between the menu board and what was being charged. The cashier asked a man about it; he glanced at the board and said, “That’s wrong, I’ll have to fix it.” But nothing was said to us directly. No explanation, no adjustment—just silence, as if we were expected to overhear and accept the higher price.

When we were immediately texted that our order was “ready,” the cashier admitted the system was having issues and our food probably wasn’t ready. I had to ask if she could check. She eventually returned with my $14 “Caesar” salad—half-filled in a to-go box—and pointed me to the counter for utensils. There were no knives, and when I asked, she simply said “no.” No clarification: no plastic knives, or no knives in the entire restaurant?

Next, our pizza came out. But just as we sat down, the patio lights were turned off and an employee began closing the umbrellas. This was at 8:03 pm, even though the sign on the door, the website, and Google all listed a 9 pm closing time. Another family with children left after the father went inside to ask what was going on. We ended up finishing our meal outside in the dark.

I understand prices fluctuate, but if you display a price in-store and online, it should be honored—or at least explained politely. I also understand staffing is difficult right now, but Chick-fil-A manages friendly, competent service at a similar wage. A little communication and courtesy would have gone a long way.

And one more thing: if you’re planning to share a pizza, don’t even think about ordering a half-topping—it’s...

I like the Steel Penny and think it's a great place; however, I was disappointed by the way my sister and I were treated by the owner. We came into the Cafe to study, and it was mostly vacant at the time we arrived. We both purchased drinks, but were pressured throughout the afternoon to buy more items. I don't believe this was any doing of the staff but of the owner. We were told by one of the waitresses that the Steel Penny was "trying to stay away from the Cafe vibe because of noise level that studiers produce." One, this doesn't make sense because people come in to chat while they dine. Two, why is the Steel Penny offering wifi and calling itself a Cafe if there's no intention of letting people congregate for work, study, or conversation when dining. I also want to note that when another waitress came and asked us if we were going to buy food, we said "no, but we're considering getting more drinks." After that, the wifi was suddenly cut-off. It could be a coincidence, but my gut tells me it was done on purpose by the owner.

Again, I like the Steel Penny and I think it's a great place for coffee, food, and ambiance. I hope the owner reads my comment and sees that the cafe has tremendous potential to be a bustling spot for people to study, work, eat, or meet-up with others. Currently, I do not believe he has the correct mindset and should not be turning away customers who paid into the establishment and were very respectful with noise.

Interpret my comment how you like, but be aware that there is a sour mood towards studying, not by the staff but...

The Detroit style pizza is becoming more popular in the region. In the past few years a few hip pizza joints have opened in the city serving this style. It’s not new and yes there are places that have always sold this style but the popularity has increased in this region in the past few years. I have a fav spot. Driving past I saw the billboard for Steel Penny and made a note to try it. I looked at the menu months ago but could never align to get to try them out. Well this week my schedule worked out and put me close by and I immediately knew I was ordering this for dinner.

I called around 11am and scheduled a 5pm pickup. I ordered The PIG. OME(EVERYTHING), you wanna talk about a pizza changing your palate, elevating it. This pizza is that. Let start with the dough/bread crust… It has this buttery pillowy soft texture and taste, you seriously can eat it alone. Now pair it with the sauce, cheese and toppings and it becomes a flavor explosion in the best way possible. The pizza is layered with flavor, it’s indescribable how amazing it is. I don’t know what I was expecting but I got much more than I was. For Detroit Style Pizza they and my other fav are tied for the top spot! Steel Penny is closer to home for me so it saves a trip to the city to get...