Ciao Bella Pizza & Pasta — Restaurant in Lakeland

On May 8, 2021 my family and I decided that we would like to try a restaurant we have never eaten at before to start celebrating Mother’s Day (Mother’s Day is tomorrow). So, we decided to try Ciao Bella Pizza & Pasta. I went in by myself to check out the place, and when I walked in they asked me if I wanted to carryout or eat in. I chose carryout. I order a 16 inch pizza, light sauce, half cheese and half pepperoni, and a kids chicken fettuccine. An older (she looked older than the other females) Caucasian lady took my order. She asked me if I wanted to pay now or later. I said I can pay now, and I gave her my credit card. She ran my credit card and gave it back to me. I was looking at the credit card machine (upside down) that was facing the lady, and it didn’t process my credit card. So, I told the lady, “Excuse me, but my credit card didn’t go through.” (I am honest, so I know not having my credit card charged can ultimately cause the business to lose money and/or have an negative impact on the cashier (the cashier could lose his/her job)). She look down and said, “Oh, it didn’t.” So, I gave her my credit card back, and she ran it again. It went through this time, and it printed a slip for me to sign. I signed the slip. The older Caucasian lady walked off. I asked out loud, how long? She stated 20 minutes. I left and came back after the 20 minutes. When I walked in there was a younger Caucasian girl around about the age of 16 at the cash register. She asked me my name, and said you order a kids fettucine? I said yes, and I ordered a pizza. While she was talking to me and trying to get my order, the older Caucasian, evidently recognized me and said, “She had a 16 inch half cheese and half pepperoni also.” So, they gave me my food. I walked out.

I had made it to my vehicle (about 50 to 75 feet away from the restaurant), where my family was sitting and waiting. I was putting the food in the vehicle, and out of nowhere I hear someone screaming loudly, “YOU DID’T PAY!!! YOU DIDN’T PAY!!! (over and over again). So, I stopped what I was doing to look back to see what was the commotion. I was shocked to see the young Caucasian girl standing outside close to the restaurant and the older Caucasian lady walking fast/trotting toward me, still screaming, “YOU DIDN’T PAY!” I was soooo caught off guard and still shocked and in disbelief that she was screaming at me. The older Caucasian lady made it to me, and before she could open her mouth again, I said, “I did pay. You don’t remember my card not being charged the first time, and I pointed it out to you? And I gave you my card again, so that you could process the payment again. You don’t remember that?” Her next statement was even more shocking to me. She looked me dead in my eyes and said, I ran out here to make sure that they didn’t double charge you. I didn’t want you paying twice of the meal. I just looked at her. She turned around and walked away. No apology. No, I am sorry. No, it was a mistake. Nothing. So, my family was confused on what was going on. So, I told them, I am going to open my credit card app and walk back in to clear any doubt in their mind. (And maybe the Older Caucasian lady would at least apologize). I walked backed inside to the cash register and showed the younger 16 year old Caucasian girl and another middle age Caucasian lady (standing beside her) the charge from Ciao Pizza & Pasta processing on my app. The middle age lady was like ok. And the 16 year old looked at me mouthed (no sound) I’m Sorry, and dropped her head. I respect the 16 year old for mouthing this even though I came back in to them. But for the older Caucasian lady,...

I was so excited to try Ciao Bella in Lakeland when I saw another person post a review that they were under new management.

Unfortunately, I don't think I will be back. To be fair, the food was decent enough, but my poor review comes from a more moral standpoint.

I walked in to place my order. The menu they have in store was different than the menu posted on their facebook page. I wanted Stuffed Shells which was advertised to come with a side salad and bread. I asked the gentleman working the counter at the moment about the bread, and if I could still get stuffed shells because it wasn't listed on their in store menu. He told me yes, and said the menus change frequently.

I ordered a small calzone, "Stuffed Shells", and an order of their cheezy garlic bread. The total was $24 and change, which I thought to be a pretty fair price. I sat at a table and waited for my order. In that time, I witnessed:

The one and only waitress was much more comfortable sitting down at regulars' tables than taking care of new guests that walked through the door. I also watched her handle multiple payments from patrons, watched her touch her face, etc., and never once wash her hands. She also stuck the drink cups directly in the ice bin to make drinks for people, again, hands unwashed, which is another critical violation. The lemons she was putting into peoples' drinks were sitting out on an open air shelf, uncovered, on top of another container with long ago melted ice.

The man making the pizzas (the new owner?) Was very rude and quick to say derogatory remarks about a female patron. This man seemed to be well respected from the "regulars" that were dining in, but from my stand point, he was the worst part about my experience. He treated his staff with such disrespect, and he told the gentleman that took my order to "Slow the fck down so you don't make anymore stupid fcking mistakes" in regards to my payment not being collected when I had ordered. (Nevermind the fact that he was also taking a to go order over the phone at that time while the waitress sat at tables and did nothing.)

Final notes I have were that the man making the subs and handling all the ready to eat food didn't wear any gloves. None of the employees wore masks if you have a personal preference about that (to each their own).

I had to go back inside after discovering my salad was missing from my order.

I will not be returning here.

I have included pictures of the food, which I would again like to say was decent. When I did pay for my order, the waitress rudely informed me "We don't have stuffed shells sweetheart, it's called manicotti". I have worked in the industry for far too long and I cannot support a business that treats their employees poorly, especially when the best employee was the only one keeping that place together, and he was all but fired on the spot for not taking my payment...

I took my mom yesterday for her birthday. It may be good for takeout yet not for a special occasion. We went on Sunday, and we were the ONLY people in there. They only serve entrees in dinner size and price. We wanted something special since it was for a birthday, so we opted out for fast food type sandwich's/calzone or pizza. The food was mediocre for the prices. I ordered Chicken Marsala with Penne as my side for $17.95 which had no Marsala taste, and it was made with spaghetti instead. The waitress offered to make it with Penne, yet the other parties already had their meals, so I opted out to eat with my party. When she brought my plate out it looked like a brown mess overflowing with spaghetti in brown marsala sauce. The presentation for the prices you paid was horrible. Not even a piece of fresh parsley. The meals come with a small house salad which was the usual, 1 slice of cucumber, 2 small slices of tomato, tons of red onion on iceberg lettuce. I ordered a small bottle of water (don't like tap) and was charged $2.69!!. When the check came, I noticed a service fee, and when I asked her what it was, she said I don't know, I said please ask your boss, she said she is not here, I said call her! Needless to say, the owner is her mother, so when she called her, I asked what it was? Owner said I pay fees for credit card purchases so I am making my customers share that cost. Taking credit cards is the cost of doing business. If you don't want to pay for fees, then ask for cash only! Cash is my personal preference, may not be for everyone else yet in this case it saved me a few bucks, yet the other party did have to pay the fees. Needless to say, we...