Blend Cafe — Restaurant in Jacksonville

This is the second time I've visited in a month. The first time I ordered to go and had my husband pick up 2 waffles. While I understand ordering to go is not going to be as fresh as eating in my husband arrived and was not helped. He had to flag down the workers attention just to help him after many attempts of being ignored. When he got home which we live super close the waffles were thrown together and super soggy and for the price you pay you definitely do not get enough food to justify ever ordering the waffles again. I decided to try again yesterday with my mother who is in town visiting. We went for coffee. There were 2 girls waiting in front of us but for some reason the wait was 25 mins for coffee. My mother ordered 3 iced caramel lattes with double caramel. They did not have extra caramel. I ordered a cake pop and caramel cold brew with cream and sugar. My mom's order was completed first then I thought my order would be completed but the worker decided to then work on the other customers order who were already waiting when we had arrived. By this time we are already 10 mins into waiting and I'm still waiting for my cake pop. The girl working the cash register just standing there staring at me decided to go to the back and then came back and asked if they as workers gave out the cakepops. She also asked my mother and I if she had already taken our order, which she had and there was no one behind us. As she continued to stand there just staring at me waiting. I looked to see if the girl was finally working on my one coffee but she was digging in the trash can. Then she was told by the 2 waiting before me that they didn't have time to wait for their coffee. She then worked on mine. She was very frustrated at the customers before me. After I got it and had waited for 25 mins, I took a sip walking to my car there was no caramel but what appeared to be chocolate at the bottom. It was watery and tasted horrible. After further inspection at home it was ground up coffee beans that resembled like a thick black sludge at the bottom of my coffee. Needless to say it was dumped. I understand being understaffed but the friendliness of the staff, the willingness to work and provide customer service and products needs to be greatly improved. It is a very cute place and I had such high hopes but unfortunately I don't think I can bring myself to spend more money here. I felt like I was an inconvenience to...

Support local...get treated poorly. Stopped in for lunch. Had 2 picky toddlers so brought Wendy's nuggets for them. Dropped over $60 plus tip for food and drinks. Then got told no outside food at any of their tables, inside or out, and I'd have to go put it in my car. Zero compassion for parents with picky kids; wouldn't even let them finish their last couple nuggets. Should have canceled my order. Will never be back to Blends.

MY RESPONSE: Expecting someone to order something, I fully support and understand. Expecting someone to eventually complain about a policy is proof that the policy is bad. Having a zero tolerance policy of outside food is an ignorant way to conduct business for this type of establishment. Not using discretion for each situation is poor leadership and a lack of trust and confidence in employees to use critical thinking and consider customer satisfaction and service. Offending returning customers, which we were, is a sure way to hurt a business. Minimalizing my family's experience by comparing it to what other people have done also lacks business sense and is dismissive. The employee made it clear with her facial expression, body language, and tone that she was not leaving until the food was in the car...who cares if the kids were hungry. If the scenario of me coming in and dropping 60 bucks on your products while a 4 year old eats a Happy Meal is so unwelcomed, then I guess that's how Blends wants to conduct business. I witnessed another paying customer take his Cook-out back to the car, and we were also present when an older woman who was celebrating a birthday for some friends who had not arrived yet and was told her cake wasn't welcomed there either and was told to place it back in her car. If I want to share Little Caesars and purchase, AKA support a business with my money, by buying everyone iced coffees, I guess we'll...

Atmosphere is nice. Especially during spring time. I’ve been coming here for a year now.

When I first came here, it was absolutely amazing. Everyone was so nice. Food was delicious (and some still are).

I am unsure as to what has changed. The past couple of times I have went, something has went wrong each time. The first time, there was hair IN my sandwich. My friend and I did inform them of this and they fixed it, but not for another 20 minutes with attitude. Then I had went another time, my friend ordered a sandwich she was so excited to get (she had tried it before) and again everything was messed up. There was no mayo as requested, and they did not remove some of the items my friend requested to remove. No problem right? We let the staff know. They took the sandwich back, took off the item requested and gave her a side of mayo……with nothing to spread it with. At that point my friend was defeated and we just quietly picked up our stuff and left. We had also tried the coffee flight which unfortunately was not good in our opinion at all but if others like it, to each their own. There is plenty more of these problems but they all basically go with the two listed above. Why do I go back? I believe in supporting local businesses, maybe they’re just having an off day. No problem. But for this to happen multiple times over the span of 7 months is absolutely ridiculous. I am not sure if it’s the training, or if they simply just do not want to but unfortunately I will not be returning. Especially with some of the replies the owner has given which is unprofessional. I believe in supporting a small business when they work hard.

I also heard they were under a new owner so maybe that is it.

Anywho, this is just my...