Papa Johns Pizza — Restaurant in Palm Coast

I walked in 6:20pm. Just got my nails done next door. My significant other was not feeling well so I thought I would order inside and pick up a pizza. The ONLY reason I went here is because he loves the stuffed crust pizza. I stood there for 5 minutes before anyone acknowledged me. A worker, placing sticker on boxes told the guy tossing the dough that I needed my order placed. He never came. I watched men and Papa John’s workers come and go to the registers. I picked up two 2 liter Drinks from the fridge. I placed the order inside on the website. The two 2 Liter drinks, two 14 inch garlic stuffed crust pizza, and jalapeño poppers. All of which cost me a little under $70.00. Since when is a 14 inch pizza $22.00? For that price, I could have gone to Terranova’s. It wasn’t until I was finished completely placing my order online before a worker asked me “what do you need?” I said “since no one wants to take my order here, I placed my order online.” He goes “well I can ring you up for the drinks since you didn’t pay for that online.” I said “Yes, I did look.” I would not steal beverages. The only people being acknowledged through the door was men or Door Dash workers. The lady sticking stickers on the boxes left and delivered an order before I even received mine. At 6:38pm I receive a text my food is done. A Papa John’s worker wearing socks and slip on sandals said “It’s not ready.” I said “I received a text it was done.” She goes, “Yeah, sometimes it does that.” Coming from a food service background myself, that is a hazard. It wasn’t until 6:43pm that I finally got my order. It was a terrible experience to say the least. Re-train associates on customer service. The lack of care is astonishing. I told my significant other for what I had to go through to get him pizza it better be the best pizza he tasted in his life. It wasn’t. I...

Food wasn’t very impressive. Walking up to the door a delivery driver kicked the door open and almost hit me with it. At the counter there is what seemed like a relatively new employee labeling boxes for orders. The woman in the kitchen I assume was the manager in a grey shirt barking orders at everyone. Just seemed like a miserable place to work. The kid at the counter turned around and greeted me. He’s the reason for 5 star service. I said I was picking up an order two pies. One extra large one large gave my first name. He looked. Found the order. Asked to confirm last name. I did. All cordial and efficient. As he’s sliding my pies off the rack manager yells at him “ WHY ARE YOU HANDING OUT FOOD!!!!!” He froze for just a moment, eyes like deer in the headlights, but hesitantly gave me my order. Loud enough for the manager to hear I thanked him for “handing me my food” and left. Thinking I wished I had told this kid the company I worked for was hiring. I felt bad for him. Our pizza wasn’t very good and I put that on the manager. The vibe was toxic at this place and I just feel really bad for the kid up front.

Update I got a call from Kim the manager, apologizing for my experience and explained the context of her comment about handing out food. I missed the part about her wanting to be sure all items are being given to the customer. She was just trying to be thorough. I get it. I’ve worked for service and I know how it gets on a Friday afternoon. Crazy busy. She offered to make it right for us and I appreciate her reaching out. Most people would disregard a not so great review and she’s proactive, trying to improve customer experience. I respect that. I’ll chock this up to everyone not having the best day, myself included. I could have been more understanding. Upgrading my review another star and gonna try papa John’s again...

This is the email I sent the manager after he showed my how he handles customer service... I will never be back to a Papa John's. My family and I moved here a few months ago and since moving we don't have many things that remind us of home seeing that we are from the mountains we could be be further from home. We always had pizza night on a weekend night. Like I said last night we worked opposite schedules to take care of our daughter so last night was a special night for us that we had all looked forward to all week. Something happened and your delivery driver did not do he job. Even if the voicemail was full which it wasn't that is no excuse for him just not to come all together. We sat outside for an hr because our campsite number is hard to make it easier and because my daughter was excited and waiting on the pizza was the only thing keeping her from crying. And instead of offering a solution...you basically called a customer a lier. I could never imagine the way you dealt with the situation to be my expectation of customer service. I've been an executive chef for years, owned a restaurant, managed restaurants...all of it. You can tell when someone is just trying to get free food..if someone bothers to come all the way to your store after waiting 3 hrs it's past just wanting something for free. You just could've acknowledge that maybe somehow something happened and in fact my door was never knocked on. You ruined our only family night for months. If someone told me that I'd have to offer something... unfortunately the only thing as a food establishment you have to offer is free food of some sort. That's the only compensation for when something goes wrong on your end. So like I said I'll never be back. You lost a loyal customer...but the way you and your staff made me feel...I know my measley family means...