Blu Diner — Restaurant in Jacksonville

I'm a person that loves to support black businesses. In this case the blue diner has lost my business. I order my dressing and baked macaroni and cheese to compliment my Thanksgiving dinner. I went to the diner two weeks in advance and placed my order. The young lady at the register took my order for both the macaroni and cheese along with the dressing. Both were ordered as half pans, the young lady wrote down my order, and I made the payment. The young lady charged me $55.00 for both the macaroni and dressing. Before I left I specified payment was for both items. The young lady repeated the order to me half pan of dressing and half pan macaroni and cheese both will be ready for pickup on November 24th. She gave me my receipt, she also told me to keep my receipt. I was pleased and I left. I returned to pick up my order on November 24th. I gave them my receipt I was told that the $55 I paid was only for the half pan of dressing. I said NO I made sure before leaving I paid for both. The lady that gave me my food said it was a mistake made the half pan of baked macaroni and cheese is $80, and you only paid for a half pan of dressing. I said that's not what me and the young lady discussed when I placed my order. So the lady went on to say I will give you a cup of macaroni and cheese that's all I can do for you. I usually eat at the blue diner three times a week for dinner instead of cooking but I will never go back to the blue diner in how they treated me. If my order was put in wrong why no one called me to correct the order. I am also part of a food critic group I will also post my review in the group to make people aware of the blue diner. I can't believe they treated me...

Firstly, I love the food. Food is amazing! The ladies and gentlemen assisting with my orders have always been nice. But... the Mac and Cheese is my favorite-- honestly was the reason I began coming since a coworker suggested it (as it's closer to my office than Jazzy's)-- however, after my experience today, I think I'm going to give it a slight break. Like most, I have an hour lunch break, so I like to use my time wisely. I know sometimes places get crowded, or have sudden rushes... so before I drive the "less than 2 miles" to Blu Diner, I always call ahead and ask "do you all have mac and cheese?" I received a yes, so I got in my car right away and headed there. Got there, and to my surprise... there was no mac and cheese. Not like freshly emptied, but like... we've been out for about 20-30 minutes empty. I was told, "It'll be 10 minutes," so I decided to wait (I mean, I have an hour... right?). But, then I was told, "It's coming out now," "it'll be a few more minutes," and then finally after nearly 40 minutes of waiting... I peeked into the kitchen and saw that there was a woman just putting cheese on top of the mac and cheese and was again told, "it'll be 20 minutes." I don't usually ask for refunds from restaurants, I will pick an alternative or wait patiently... but today I asked for a refund. I ended up settling for McDonald's up the street instead of the mouthwatering lunch I had my heart set on. I love this little restaurant, but it'll be a while before...

Disappointing Service Overshadowed the Meal

My father and I came in this afternoon, and let me be clear: first impressions are everything—and this one was a miss. The young lady with the lashes greeted us with a complete lack of professionalism and energy. In fact, she didn’t greet us at all. My father had to ask if anyone was even working. That alone speaks volumes.

The owner was kind and quickly instructed her to assist, but let’s be honest—if someone has to be told to serve customers walking through the door, they shouldn’t be on the floor in the first place. It reflects poorly on the business and disrupts the entire experience.

As for the food, mine was solid and my father enjoyed his as well. But my mother’s plate—fried chicken wings, cabbage, and lima beans—went straight into the trash. That should never happen.

As a business owner myself, I lead with excellence and expect the same from any establishment I support. Even if the food doesn’t always hit, great service makes people return. This place failed on that front, and unfortunately, we...