The Clarkston Royal Diner — Restaurant in Independence Charter Township

After 9:55pm this diner refuses cash at pick-up for Togo orders.

This is the 3rd time in the past 5 weeks I have been told this.

The first time, they didn't ask for my card over the phone.

The second time, someone else placed the order, so I'm unsure of what occurred that day.

The most recent time [yesterday night, around 10:20ish August 9th, 2025], I not only had to read my card number(CCN, CCV and expiration date) over the phone. Not once, not twice, but about five times over the phone. The whole process of ordering over the phone here has always been a total mess, however when I get taken off hold; hear multiple servers raising their voices about different things, while trying to tell them my card number, I was quite frustrated and understandably concerned when I was asked multiple times to repeat my personal/sensitive information [I. E. My credit card numbers] many times to someone whom sounded inebriated in some capacity, is obviously worrisome. Especially in this climate with the economic problems and the epidemic of drugs/opiates, I felt nervous giving my cc numbers so many times.

I don't know and will probably never know if my sensitive information got written down/copied to be used in an illegal and inappropriate manor.

The only reason I'm saying this is because when I picked the order up, the server was counting her tips at the counter (no big deal, get your bag girl) however I got the vibe from the voice and appearance that she may have been whom I spoke with on the phone. The person I believed to be intoxicated on some substance. So I am concerned what may have happened with my cc information and if it was copied.

Food wise: Their Omelettes are always a great choice, their wraps and Greek salads are excellent as well. The menu is a bit pricey for what you receive and every single time I order a Togo order, something is incorrect, cooked wrong, missing or I was charged extra for sides or dressings I never received. This has been occuring since the name change from 'ram's horn' to 'nick's country oven' and all the way up to when they changed to 'royal diner'.

The server(and staff in general honestly) turnover rate appears higher than usual, so I'm assuming there is a backend problem that isn't getting fixed.

Do they have food that tastes good, yes. Is their service worth the inflation? Unfortunately, no.

When I have dinned in, the service has been slow, incomprehensible or just outright rude. Hence my decisions to get a caryout.

I love supporting local businesses however I always end up feeling like I'm supporting a flawed system here or someone else's habits.

Will I come back? Probably.

Will any of the servers know they have 2 different kinds of Greek dressing?...

I ordered 2 meals to go from this place yesterday. I have mobility problems and requested that I would prepay and if someone could bring it to me parked right by the front door. The girl who took my order was very sweet and accommodating and assured me she would fo this . I arrived about 5:15 which I realize was busy with exact change: $28.09. I phoned that I was there and the lady whose name is Anna was very abrupt and had trouble understanding what I said. She continued to give me a hard time by being snippy and rude. Eventually she came out and got the exact cost plus a small tip. I was feeling less generous at this point. She pulled her hand away before I handed the entire amount and just glared at me over her shoulder. What happened to the sweet girl who took my order? This miserable excuse for a hostess is a restaurant nightmare.

She brought out the food a few minutes later. I said that I am on a cane and not a very stable walker and that I had been assured that this wasn’t an outrageous request. I calmly told her she was very rude and nasty and I resented being treated so badly after buying $30 worth of food. Then she snapped at me and said I paid for the food, NOT THE SERVICE. WHAT?? She obviously has low understanding of what a good restaurant should be. What a miserable and poor excuse for a hostess she is.

Now maybe she has comprehension problems. She has a very thick accent, so perhaps that signals something. I had to repeat the comments upon my arrival call which startled me since it was clear as a bell.

Watch out for this one: 50 or so, long frosted blondish-orangish hair, a sour disposition, and a nasty scowl on her face.

I’ve eaten here probably 100 times over the last 10 or 15 years and never have been treated with anything but kindness. The wait staff are so friendly and welcoming. I’ve known many of these ladies for a long time. It’s always been a pleasure to go here until this one. It doesn’t take much to be kind. I had been assured bringing my order out where I waited next to the door with the exact change would...

I’ve given this restaurant several chances, but the customer service continues to be unprofessional and frustrating. On multiple occasions, I’ve encountered rude and defensive behavior from the staff—particularly the same waitress each time. It seems that even asking a simple question about the food, how it’s prepared, or pricing is treated like a nuisance.

Most recently, I asked a basic question about a menu item and its cost, and the response was unnecessarily curt and irritated. My father also had a past experience where he inquired about how a dish was cooked, and the same waitress responded in a snarky, dismissive tone, saying that it was prepared the “correct” way. There was no effort to explain the preparation or acknowledge that food can be cooked in different ways. She clearly lacked knowledge of the menu and instead of admitting that or offering to check, she became defensive and rude.

To make matters worse, when we brought a billing concern to the manager, we were met with the same unprofessional attitude. Instead of calmly discussing the issue, the manager was short with us and seemed annoyed that we were even asking questions. The situation was made bigger than it needed to be, simply because of how poorly it was handled. There was no apology, no willingness to explain the charges—just more attitude and defensiveness.

This wasn’t just one bad day—this has happened more than once, and the lack of accountability and professionalism from both the waitstaff and management is extremely disappointing. Dining out should be a pleasant and welcoming experience, and unfortunately, that is not what this restaurant offers. They need serious improvement in staff training, customer service, and overall hospitality. Based on these repeated experiences, I would not...