Bob Evans — Restaurant in Ocala

UPDATE 2/22/24: I am updating my review to a five star review based off of the response of Bob Evans Corporate Director of Operations Hal Conger. I have to admit I wasn’t certain Bob Evans held their restaurants to a higher standard since this had been my first visit ever to a Bob Evans. After speaking with Hal, I realized that they did, and I am pleased to say that our family will be trying another Bob Evans in the near future.

The Director of operation had taken the time to discuss with me this unfortunate experience. The location has been spoken to, and I am certain there will be some changes made in the future so this doesn’t happen again. I am grateful to Bob Evans, for so swiftly taking care of this matter. We look forward to our next experience being a pleasant one. Again thank you Bob Evans corporate for paying attention.

——————————————————————————— Welcome to Ocala and Bob Evan’s Diner. The outside looked like a ghostown which, brought us excitement as we were all so hungry. We came in as a party of 8+ 1 toddler. Our soon to be server insisted to the manager she take on our party. We waited roughly 8 minutes prior to being greeted. Our wait to be seated was shortly thereafter.

We were seated at separate tables as they couldn’t accommodate all of us sitting together. Our server admitted that they only had 3 servers for the entire restaurant, but luckily there were only 5-6 tables sat. and most had their food.

15-20 minutes went by before our server greeted us and took our drink and food order. Our crew was very patient and polite and were still hopeful for our evening. 40 minutes had past by, no refilled water, no updates on our food and no food. At that moment we heard a crash, “I hoped that was not our food.” I said to my husband. Sure enough our sever came to us admitting she has dropped several dishes and some of the food still hadn’t been made.

I asked her kindly, “please bring ANY food you have so some of us can eat so it’s not cold.” Some of our food came out about 5 of our meals missing pancakes, but food nonetheless. We had to go hunt down our own silverware as well.

She stated, “ I did save your bacon.” I was mildly horrified by her comment. Burnt potatoes, cold and not cooked omelettes/eggs, missing items. ZERO plate presentation do not expect a clean plate when coming here.

After observing our server having an intricate conversation with the manager for what seemed like a long time. I arose from my seat and headed for them both kindly asking, “Let me take those pancakes that are in your hand so the rest of us can start eating.” I escorted our pancakes to the table and returning back to retrieve the rest of my son’s food. At this point I didn’t feel like this place really cared about us as consumers at all.

I returned to our server and the manager and expressed my concerns. We were discounted a mediocre $25.00 and our bill left was $90.92. As someone who has a lot of waitressing experience I have to say this is the worse experience I have dealt with eating at a restaurant. We received many apologies, but there was no coming back from this experience for this restaurant.

This was not only the servers fault for not checking on her guests at all through this experience or at the least giving us water, it was the manager for not seeing his server in distress and the cooks for serving RAW food and sending out burnt food. I would not recommend this place to anyone.

Overall:

Cleanliness- 3 Price: 2 Friendliness: 5 (they were all very nice despite the circumstances) Quality of food: 2 (Received powdered scrambled eggs and RAW food) Cost: 8+1 toddler who ate off my plate so technically 8. 6 waters 2 flavored teas 7 adults entrees + 1 kids size meal

Initial cost $115.92 after...

We usually love the country, hometown craving, delicious food from a good southern style restaurant. That's what we were hoping for when we invited friends to meet us at the Bob Evans in Ocala Florida for a Black Friday Thanksgiving meal.

The place was almost empty. We quickly realized why. After all, we passed the cracker barrel on our way there and found their parking lot overflowing. The waitress seemed to be needing a break to get sobered up from the night before. She could not keep a train of thought and we had to read her the menu because she couldn't find her glasses.

20 minutes later, we were literally one of two tables still occupying the restaurant. This was at 5:30 p.m. . So no real reason to have a drink order that took 30 minutes, no silverware on the table, food coming to the table one plate at a time spanning from 40 minutes to 1.5 hours later, and some of our party never even got their meal.

The waitress forgot the silverware for the table three times and the fourth, some of our party actually went up to the counter, went behind the counter, and got us some silverware. Forget about drink refills while we waited.

Each family had separate checks. When we finally got fed up and got ready to pay, we found that the whole check was combined, including the meal that I never got. We asked to speak with the manager, but she was having to cook and help the kitchen, so she didn't come out until one of our party went and got her from the kitchen.

She didn't want to hear about any problems. She also wanted to charge us for our entire meal, including the one that was sitting in the window that never got brought to our table. We refused to pay full price for such terrible service. It was embarrassing because I am the one that picked the place to eat. And I am the one that didn't even get to eat.

So after arguing, and the manager laughing when I told her that it was the worst meal that I never had, I simply told her that she could either fix the check, or we were leaving without her getting anything. She refused to even separate the meals so we could individually pay our shares.

After saying some choice words to our party, she reluctantly covered the whole check.

The impression that we got, was that the waitress we had smoked a little more marijuana than she should have before we got there... Enough that she couldn't hold a train of thought from our table back to the server stand. She forgot several things before she even left the table. The manager didn't seem bothered by the performance of the waitress nor did she seem bothered by the performance of the kitchen. Hell, she wasn't even bothered by her own performance.

(Just think. In a few years, we will be forced to pay surcharges so the restaurant owners can pay geniuses like this...

I have been debating about leaving this review but what I witnessed today that happen to a lady was just wrong. I was eating breakfast the food was ok not bad , not great . A woman came in and i could hear her asking who I later found out was the GM Jakie she was trying to give her something and gm just keeep refusing. I seen GM walk away and continue work .The women looked liked she was recording time. GM just stood there and continued to work. Then the lady walk away I was assuming to leave. And I heard her ask if she may have a man name I believe hawel and corporate's number. Then I seen GM walk to the back and the lady went and sat down on a bench I'm assuming to wait fo numbers because I as well thought that is why she stopped working and went into the back. Some time went by I see the GM come out on her phone the lady just sat there on the bench she was not speaking. The GM walked into the back again. Not after long a cop comes in escorts the lady out I could even hear the cops say something along the line says she was all right he could see if she was not c causing a scene . What I find a appalled an alarming is all that this woman did was ask the GM for the two numbers and go sit down and wait. she was never asked to leave she sat there quietly and had had cops called on her. So you can't ask the GM for corporates number or she's going to call the cops on you and have you removed. I don't know what happened to the poor women that just asked the GM while she was working for the two numbers . I hope she is okay. And I pray this doesn't happen to other customers again when they ask for help and assistance and for corporates number from GM or anybody . I gave the lady my number and told to call if she need me for...