Fresh Kitchen Lakeland — Restaurant in Lakeland

I would like to start this review off by saying, I do not have too much time on my hands. I specifically made time just for this.

Secondly, I’d like to give a warm shout out to every person, since Fresh Kitchen has been open, that rated them anything under four stars. (Below)

SR, Ashley, Chris, Nathan, Jennifer, Bria, Kyle, Jef, Maryah,Hau S, Sylvia, Lou, Kimberly, Christopher, Stephen, David, Samantha, Amanda, Brett, Selah, Mickie, Charlotte, Joey, Justin, Miriam, Stephanie,Michael, Mike, Marcell, Bert, Canelo, Eduardo, Crystal, and Drew !

No, I do not plan to badger, talk bad or bring down any of these people. I would just like to give some quick, simple perspective

The majority of the people working at “fast food” place most likely don’t want to be working there. It is a stepping stone to another place or they’re trying to grow in the company.

Secondly, you have to put into comparison other places that are similar to this. No place is going to be perfect, but this place definitely is as close as it gets to it. (Booo Chipotle)

So for the sake of peoples jobs and the influence you have when you leave a bad review, over something really not that big of a deal. It’s not worth leaving the bad review.

With that being said, as a person who eats a whole food, gluten-free, at home, kind of diet. I genuinely appreciate the taste, quality, and pureness of this food.

As soon as I walked in, the place smelled amazing. It was clean to the touch and you could feel the good energy and atmosphere that has been created there.

I was already looking forward to it before I even got my food. Then I was greeted with the biggest kindest smile by Brooklyn. She took her time with no attitude, and with all the patience in the world explained to me every single dish that was in front of us and the different sizes and portions.

Then I moved over to Jeremy who as well greeted me with great energy and was happy to explain the proteins in front of us. With a smile on his face the whole time.

After that, I moved over to Xavier, with great great energy as well, to check me out and he made the process so smooth. With no rush at all like other places similar to Fresh Kitchen. (Chipotle, Panda Express, Moes etc.)

After sitting down to eat my food. I was in shock how good it was that I literally went back up to tip the five dollars I had in my pocket and told them, “I will be giving you guys my money on a regular basis!”

Xavier and I went into casual conversation about the benefits and plus of eating these type of Whole Foods like two human beings! Not a customer and a worker. It felt like I knew everyone there because they were so personable.

Shortly after,Sean, another worker on his way out, was even welcoming as he was about to clock out and head home. NO ONE! is trying to have a conversation with a customer as they’re trying to leave the job. They’ve been there all day! But he chimed right in with great energy and I essentially introduced myself to everybody that was on the front line and told them I would be back here!The crew at FRESH KITHEN and the place itself is an 11 out of 11!

Viva La FRESH...

I went in on Friday to redeem my coupon for a free bowl and I was honestly quite disappointed. My first time coming to Fresh Kitchen I had an amazing experience, and I left an amazing review to follow up with that. Shay at the front was the same person I had a wonderful experience with the first time and she also checked me out this last time, she was wonderful and absolutely amazing just as before. When I came in on Friday there was a line but it didn’t bother me one bit. I came in and the line was about by the door, the manager on duty came to me, looked me in my eyes and asked me to “step outside because the line is too long.” I looked at him and the ladies behind me and was baffled, and yet I still stepped outside. I came back in seconds later, upset at how he approached me and how he handled the line, I thought it was rude and terrible customer service. I understand business protocols but if there is any procedure to be followed for a long line, I believe there’s a better way to go about it. I requested to speak to the manager before I left and when I shared with him my concerns and how it made me feel as a customer, the reply I received was “You thought it was rude?” And “Okay, thanks for your feedback,” without a look in the eye. I even expressed to him how I loved my first experience there and how everyone is so professional, happy, and the place is clean. I recommended that a sign should be put up for protocols if the line is past the door and that maybe you should not ask a customer to step outside when they are already inside. We are in Florida, it is exceptionally hot, and we are customers coming in to buy from your business, patiently waiting in line because it is worth it. This experience really disappointed me. Customer service is key to a business, as is empathy. I understand maybe he was overwhelmed by how busy it was but there’s a better way to handle these situations. If I didn’t have a coupon then I would’ve walked straight...

I was quite taken aback by the unexpected additional charge, amounting to $6, for opting for steak as my choice of protein. It felt rather disheartening that the blame for my inability to anticipate this charge was placed on me not being able to read. In this situation, it seems imperative for customers to not only listen but also carefully read the options provided, especially when offered the choice of having double steak as part of the two-protein selection. This seemingly small issue was further compounded by the fact that a seemingly straightforward order, consisting of a "six" bowl and a canned soda, culminated in a total cost of $24.70, which I found to be quite steep.

While I understand that businesses need to make profits, the manner in which this situation was handled left me somewhat dissatisfied. Rather than feeling valued as a customer, I was left feeling like my lack of awareness was exploited. If there is discontentment regarding the additional charges, the only recourse seemingly available is to backtrack and rejoin the line to place a new order. This process not only feels inconvenient but also lacks a sense of customer-centricity.

In conclusion, my experience highlighted the importance of transparent communication and fairness in pricing. It would be beneficial for the establishment to consider a more customer-friendly approach that doesn't leave patrons feeling frustrated or taken advantage of due to misunderstandings about pricing...