Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe - Lee Branch — Restaurant in Hoover

I would like to share my recent experience with this restaurant. I am a resident of Highland Lakes and work from home. I had a 1:00 appointment today and only had about an hour for lunch so I was looking for something close and quick. On a whim I decided to stop in and eat at Taziki's in Lee Branch. As soon as I entered the restaurant a male representative that worked there asked me in a interrogating way if I had a mask of which I replied no. I had been in a hurry and forgot it when I left my house. He told me that I would have to leave but they could take my order curbside. As I was walking out the door a young lady who worked there and doing curbside was just about to walk in and I told her that I needed someone to take my order. She then proceeded to follow me to my car but didn't have a menu available for me to look at but she agreed to let me look at her iPad. After a few seconds of toggling through the screens I asked her if she could get a menu from inside. So she said yes and then left. A few minutes later the same male individual that asked if I had a mask came out instead and said that they would not provide me a menu to look at and I would have to access everything from my phone or online and I would also have to place my order online. This was a big inconvenience to me and by this point I was personally fed up with the bureaucratic and unhelpful attitude that the staff was giving me. So I decided to leave and eat at another Mediterranean Restaurant in Cahaba Heights called the Pita Stop. The contrast between the two businesses couldn't have been bigger. When I walked into the Pita Stop the hostess asked me if I had a mask and when I told her no she said it was no problem and that she would give me one to wear. She quickly provided me one and then ushered me to my table. The food prices were actually a tad bit cheaper and the service and friendliness of the staff was unequivocally better. They handled everything very professionally and the quality of the food was excellent. Taziki's had no hospitality but the Pita Stop did. Taziki's is a national chain restaurant, the Pita Stop is a small business that is locally owned. I will let this review...

Let me first say that I used to love this location. I frequently stopped in. Since I moved I don't get to as often. This location used to be more than 5 Stars. Now it was hard to muster 2. I placed a to go order. She got my name and I waited. The gentleman in front of me that ordered was named David. I remembered his order because she repeated it. Great so far. The lady behind was named Shayna. Don't remember her order. There was gentleman when I got there named Jim who had been there for sometime. We waited...and waited....and waited. In the course of the 30 minutes I waited. The phone rang several times and they were placed on hold the majority of those times. And never picked back up. So they called back. And were put on hold again and again. The last time the lady that took the orders put them on hold and muttered I don't care if you are calling again. While this is going on. They kept calling the names Jacob, Shelly, and Hannah. Jacob ended up being David, and Shelly was Shayna. Not sure who Hannah was. Poor Jim is still waiting with me. I told the lady at the front that the order she kept reading off was for the gentleman waiting at the corner of a table. She snapped that no it wasn't. Well umm yeah it was. There is no organization. And she definitely doesn't need to be taking orders. I'm not sure if management has changed or what. But this place has lost my business. And some other items that need to be addressed...the Hispanic speaking employees that can speak English because I heard them .. don't need to speak Spanish so that nobody can understand when they are talking about other employees. Someone might just speak Spanish as well. And the men that have beards need to be wearing beard nets. It's unsanitary. And their hair needs to be pulled back under a cap or in a net. The only reason you got a 2 was because the food...

Good food, I eat here often. However I'm not a fan of being asked for a tip before i've been served. The cashier spins screen for the credit card processor around to face me with the question "would you like to tip 15%, 25% or customize a tip" on the screen while she stares at me. I'm thinking, I don't know if I even want to tip I haven't had any service yet! So this time I tapped on the usual 15% which was 1.65 and sat down at my table. After realizing 20 minutes had gone by and people who sat down after me were almost finished with their food I knew something happened with my order. I walk up and ask the cashier and she acts insulted like I did something to her. Five more minutes go by and here she comes with my food, she sat it on the table and said "here you go". Now I ask you, would you have tipped this time for that kind of service? I would not have! Very disappointed in the asking for a tip upfront Tazikis this needs to STOP. Put up signs that say "we accept tips" if that's what you want.. but don't put your customers on the spot by asking for it electronically...