Bob Evans — Restaurant in Maryland

This place proves the old adage wrong, if the lot's full and the restaurant is full, it must be a good place. My review is mainly about the service, which was exceptionally poor, and not so much on the food which wasn't terrible, for breakfast food. My family and I asked for a table of 5, which must have thrown everyone off because we had to wait for 2 adjacent tables to clear before being seated. We were seated in a corner, given 2 place mats and no utensils. We got our beverage orders in and our food order in shortly after, all straightforward menu items from the breakfast menu. So far so good. Then we waited, and waited and waited. My wife and I got a coffee refill and my kids got their milk refilled and we nursed the second round so we had something to wash our food down with. This is probably the first place I've gone to for breakfast where I got my coffee refilled before the food arrived. After close to an hour after walking in and about 45 minutes after getting our orders in, and about 5 minutes before we were going to walk out, the food came, and still no utensils, which I had to flag down the server and ask her for them before she left after bringing us our food. Like I said, the food was edible, nothing to write home about.

While waiting for our food I noticed some things screwy about the way this restaurant was run. There was one, I guess busgirl is the best way to describe her as she was helping clean off the tables and then getting them ready for the next guests. When she set up a table she would put only 2 place mats on it, not matter the size, even if the table held 4 people. And she didn't put utensils on the table, so I don't know what the point was for her setting up the tables to begin with. Most eateries set the tables for the amount of people it holds and if 3 people are seated at a table that holds 4 the hostess takes away the fourth setting. Not here. The second thing I noticed was they were overstaffed in servers with each one working 3 or 4 tables. My guess is the manager heard the complaints about slow service and figured it would speed things up to have more servers. Wrong. The delay here is they don't get the food out of the kitchen in a timely manner and aren't turning the tables over no matter how many servers they have. As a result the servers wait on fewer tables per shift and make fewer tips than they would if the cooks knew what they were doing.

Overall, it shouldn't have taken close to an hour and a half to stop here for breakfast. Like another reviewer, I gave Bob Evans another chance last year in Ohio after a 15 year hiatus because of a poor experience. The stop in Ohio was our first in a long time, this stop will...

My family enjoyed a meal at the Bob Evans #329 in Laurel, Maryland. My servers name was Sean N. and he did a phenomenal job ensuring my family received the BEST possible service and experience on a busy Easter Sunday afternoon. He was prompt to take our order, he offered recommendations based on the menu specialties, and he was courteous and professional during our entire dining experience. I cannot think of a better dine in experience. I would also like to mention I saw this young man catering to his other tables as well, and they appeared to receive the same high quality of service as my family.

Sean N. represents Bob Evans hospitable staff with the utmost proficiency. I spoke to the manager about this young man and she agreed, "Sean is professional." I hope this reaches the Bob Evans Headquarters in New Albany, OH, Mr. Steven A. Davis, because Sean N. displayed the potential and attributes of a future leader in this corporation. He did this by demonstrating his commitment to high quality customer service and served us with poise.

I look forward to dining at the Bob Evans #329 location and telling others to do the same. It is not often a server is recognized publicly for performing well above the minimum wage requirement, but this young man warrants recognition. I believe it is because of employees like Sean N. Bob Evans was able to report an increase in net sales of $17 million over the prior year in the same quarter.

If Sean N. is a reflection of Bob Evans #329 managerial staff, then by all means promote this young man and begin training him to be an assistant manager immediately. He demonstrated potential in for a higher position and the ability to build rapport, serve a quality meal efficiently, multitask successfully, and follow up with his guest's tables. Sean N. exceeded the expectations of a Bob Evans server, "provide guests with the BEST hospitality and great service." I hope the next time I visit Bob Evans #329 I do not get Sean N. as a server, instead I hope he is an assistant manager or a manager-in-training. If Bob Evans can retain employees like Sean N. by promoting them from within the corporation, Bob Evans can expect to see another 5% increase in net sales by this time next year. Keep up the great work Sean N. and the Bob...

think you want to eat here? think again..... need a job? dont bother!complete and utter incompetence from the NEW general manager steve, the lack of employees who show up to work ON COLUMBUS DAY A HOLIDAY, oh and btw servers think its studio 54 the way they pick who they want to serve off the hostess list....its laziness and greediness here at the same time. the bad servers want tips but put fourth zero effort (oh lord help you theres always going to be 1 girl who thinks she is better than everyone.this place is no exception. you will know its her when you hear the mouth.she is the worse server in the house & is the loudest. )hope to god you can get sat within THEIR estimated time because servers are lazy and refuse to clear their own tables. this bob evans couldnt hold onto employees if they hand cuffed them to the oven! the new general manager is rude and unprofessional i witnessed 3 people quit in the short amount of time i was there. it has all of the red flags of a dive that needs to be closed. as of today oct 15th my paycheck loaded today i see 21.00 stolen. i was clocked in by the new gm as a server..took him an hour to approve my proper clockin under the proper job title. i am NOT a server, however i see 21.00 docked from my pay "for tips"..this place never corrected the time WHICH IS NOT LEGAL theres wonderful people that do work at this location but they are foreshadowed by the stupidity, and all around ignorance of others. the kitchen will get backed up on a holiday because some genius thinks it would be a good idea to train someone to cook....on a holiday :-/ no one gets written up ! servers STEAL from the retail shelf like its a free for all. want to know where all the blue and green ceramic mugs are going ? this place is a dead end. burnt rolls cold bitter coffee and they cater to ignorant waitresses who pick and choose customers. this is not the bob evans i remember. at all. its gone to heck in a...