Grind Cafe — Restaurant in Morganton

I haven't tried the reuben sandwich I ordered to-go yet, it looks pretty good, though not very big.

But the "frappuccino" I ordered was NASTY. Thin, watery consistency (very disappointing even if it was "good") and grossly overpriced. But as I sipped it, waiting for the sandwich, I realized it tasted like spoiled milk. When I super politely/discreetly went to chat with barista about the milk being "off," he sniffed, tasted milk from fridge etc (said he couldn't tell, asked other guy for 2nd opinion). Who knows? Maybe it was just not-good coffee, bitter flavor or some other factor? The point is, it was Not Good.

All fine... things aren't always great. Except after all that conversation, sniffing, he just said "well, thanks for letting us know." And left me standing there with half cup of their unholy liquid grossness! NO offer to make it right, either by making me something else, refund, or whatever.

After standing dumbfounded for a minute, I threw the rest away. So I basically paid $7 (I guess there's also an unposted "convenience fee" added for using debit card instead of cash?!) for the WORST beverage and clueless barista experience I think I ever had (I'm 55+ so that's at least 4 decades of comparison, haha!)

I never write reviews (except occasional 5-star++ type experiences, when the service or food is amazing). This may be the only negative review I've ever shared? But it was THAT bad. If they'd only said sorry, and offered me an iced tea or coffee or something I probably would've just let it pass. Super-bad, sad service. Literally and figuratively left me with a bad taste in my mouth.

A lunch sandwich and 20 oz beverage I had to throw away in front of the barista was almost $22, no tip included.

Hopefully the sandwich will be good? But even if it is delicious, I will never...

Here’s a lil story. Back in high school, this place got some flack online for not enforcing any of the covid restrictions (they weren’t, not even masks.) and their manager thought it was cute to publicly confront me, in the middle of the dining room, and call me names and yell at me for reposting something about it on Facebook. In front of a FULL restaurant. I’m autistic so this experience was completely humiliating. I couldn’t even respond because she wouldn’t stop squawking. She didn’t stop until I left and she followed me out to the parking lot to scream some more. They literally BANNED me for reposting something that I didn’t even write almost 6 months after I did so. And then proceeded to speak poorly of me to all my friends. When I was 17 years old. If you can’t handle receiving criticisms, don’t manage a business. I’ll never forget that. Now that I’m an adult, I’ve realized this deserves to be public information. Hope there’s been some growth or change in management since then, doubt it though. I’ll give two stars in hopes that things have changed. If you think it’s okay to speak to teenagers like that, unprovoked, as a grown woman, then you should probably work on and worry...

First time going. Was greeted more like an inconvenience than niceness. Maybe they she was getting stressed out of how busy they are back to back. There was an old man there seemed to be familiar with the staff taking up room not eating(when I saw him) but scopping out who he could talk to next. Not in a creeper way but more like he wanted someone to care about what he had to talk about.Luckily he left me alone. The seating inside isn't a lot which is expected in an older building. There's seating outside as long as it's not obviously raining. I got the French toast. It was good. Whomever brought it out to me seemed nice and smiled. The one who took my order wasn't so friendly. Wanted to try local. Won't be back, but I suggest you at least give it a try and see for yourself if you've ever wanted to. I just didn't like the initial start of it all. For being in North Carolina there wasn't a warm welcoming from the start considering the food isn't on the cheap side. At least she didn't fake it so I give her a star for...