Chapterhouse Cafe & Gallery — Restaurant in Philadelphia

This place was my favorite cafe in Philadelphia for 3 years, until today - June 6th, 2014. The barista, her name is Michelle, she has red-curly hair and I believe that she is referenced in other comments in a not so positive light. Anyway, today I was inspecting various shops, books stores, etc in Philadelphia to find a spot for my next book signing (I am an author). I popped into Chapter House for about 35 minutes to send an email, considered the possibility of doing a book signing here and waiting for my girlfriend. Upon leaving the cafe, the cashier, Michelle, yells from the counter and across the room, "You didn't buy anything… this isn't a study hall where you just come and don't buy anything". I was appalled and turned around, as I couldn't believe I was being badgered from across the cafe by a barista. I explained to the barista that I always buy something when I come to this cafe and that I just didn't today, as I was in a hurry. She continued to badger me in an attempt to humiliate me in front of the entire cafe. She said "everyone else in here has bought something". This is even more alarming as I beg to know how/why she focused her attention on ME. Her presumptions of me, as a kid "at a study hall" may have been most appalling as I am a doctor, far from a child using the cafe as a "study hall". Shouldn't matter if I were. I called once I left to ask her for her managers name and she refused to give me the managers name! Unbelievable. I will be sending a letter in the mail, as well as trying to get in contact with the owner/ manager again today or tomorrow. This is not the way to treat a patron, it was unprofessional and disgusting to say the least. To boot, my colleague was at the cafe witnessing this entire incident. To think of all the money I have spent here over the years, to be treated in...

After much undeserved recognition, this Cafe prooved to be anything but glorious. The small space, which encapsulated a dismal seating area, broken floors, a dirty bathroom, and a collection of less than attractive artwork, was staunch and unwelcoming. The ill mannered, incompetent employee at the counter did not offer any form of acknowledgment to any customer that entered the cafe. He and his coworker were more interested in their own conversations than talking with the customers. The only menu in the establishment was a sheet of laminated paper placed on the counter at the register, inaccessible to anyone other than the person at the register. They have a ten dollar minimum for credit card purchases, so unless you are carrying enough cash, you have to spend more than ten dollars. When ordering, the employee could not answer a simple question about the menu, complaining that it was too broad of a question for us to ask. Being the only customer in line, I was aghast to hear two drinks would take longer than five minutes to make. To top off my visit, after I had requested soy milk in my latte due to my lactose intolerance, the now bitter employee chose to give me regular milk without my knowledge. The only hint of friendliness I experienced was as I was on my out of the cafe with the drink I believed to me made with soy. Ultimately, this cafe is not...

I've had mostly good experiences at Chapter House in the past, but there's a particular barista working there who is hostile and abusive to customers. She's slightly heavy set, has red curly hair, and wears glasses. She asks you what you want, then makes you repeat your answer, and then she expresses her contempt for you either to her friends or directly at you. She does not in any way shape or form want to serve you if she decides not to, whatever her whimsical criteria for her decision may be. I spoke with the owner today about the incident, and her response was a mixture of sympathy, indifference, and defensiveness. Thoughtfulness didn't seem to be one of her strong points, so I'm not sure if her sympathy was entirely sincere. She acknowledged the incident, while excusing her barista's behavior, which by all appearances made sense to me. My feeling is that the owner is compromising her own standards for the sake of charity, and places the customer last in her line of priorities. If you don't like being singled out and treated like you're not welcome to your coffee, don't go to...