Tropical Smoothie Cafe — Restaurant in Raleigh

Let's add onto this review.

I attached my email order with pick up time, i attached photos of my melted smoothies that were sitting out when I got there at 1:47 and I also attached the tickets that show the time of them made. absolutely ridiculous that you have yet to address my previous concerns about sitting shakes out on the table. My drinks were made well over 10 mins prior to my pick up time. disappointed last time, even more so this time. this will absolutely be my last time coming here.

I'm very disappointed with changes they've made recently. Not only do I go there during my lunch break, so do my co-workers & they seemed just as displeased as I am. I have always put in an order for online to make it a quick stop which ultimately I would still have to wait in line just for my things to be handed to me as soon as I got to the register but understood since it was during lunch time. Last time I went, I went in as normal, waited just to be told that my pick up order was "over there" as she pointed to my smoothie sitting on a corner high top table in the far corner directly where the sun shines in. A printed sign was taped to table but you couldn't see it through the crowd of people waiting. So a few things about this solution they think is appropriate for pick up orders.

My order is left completely unattended. My drink shouldn't ever have left from behind the work station until I came to pick it up and was handed over the counter to me, that should be against health codes & I'm almost positive it is. Anything perishable should be kept in a cool area & not left out

My smoothie was melted. - why ? not only is the traffic outside crazy due to new construction going on in that plaza. However this morning, my coworker arrived on time for her smoothie which was already out on the table & had melted which means they don't even follow the pick up time to make sure it doesn't happen.

Either way, I understand its busy. The better solution especially for your customers would be to have a online pick up station at the counter with someone assisting those orders since the online orders have a much greater volume. I never had a problem when they pulled my smoothie out of the cooler when i got there, it was still a smoothie & not melted.

The Manager remade mine because she could even see how bad it was melted. Unless this is changed, I wont go there anymore & I can promise you my coworkers are...

If I could give "ZERO"(0) stars, I would...I am livid right now, literally the 2nd time ordering "DELIVERY " from this location and EACH time was a HORRIBLE experience, this time around being WORSE than the last(FIRST) I use the SAME delivery address each time, however this time, for some odd reason, the delivery address was "HARD TO FIND", remind you....this address is a "STORE"....open and very easily seen, NEVER had an issue with this address for DELIVERY orders, the issue(s) are ALWAYS the actual order, this time it could have been both....being as my problem is I ordered a smoothie bowl and upon arrival it was a DRINK, like literally a bowl of LIQUID!!! the entire smoothie had melted!!!! I attempted to reach out to the restaurant (TROPICAL SMOOTHIE CAFE) numerous times, calling them over 20times with NO response, I tried sending a text to the number which had been sending delivery updates throughout this entire process, AGAIN, all to NO avail....I am at work and CANT just drive over to the store(CAFE) to return this slopp, by the time I'm off work they will be closed ...exactly how am I supposed to handle this situation when they won't even pick up the phone? This same thing happened with the last situation, however, I just sucked it up and took it as a lost....I WILL NOT ACCEPT THIS ONE AS A LOST!!! I paid , almost, $17 for this order, which included ONE SMOOTHIE BOWL, a bowl in which i can't even eat because it's not edible and can't even get anyone on the phone to fix the problem, I'm not quite sure of what's going on in this location but it needs to be SHUT DOWN, RETRAIN THE STAFF AND/OR GET NEW STAFF!!!! This is ridiculous and completely...

I tried this place for the first time today and wasn’t impressed. I try not to leave bad reviews but I felt this needed to be communicated. Here’s why:

Cons: The area to place an order is not clearly marked. I stood in front of the door for about 2 mins and was not acknowledged. Once another customer walked in and jumped in line, I figured it out but had to wait behind someone who came in after me. Once I was next in line, the cashier did NOT make eye contact with me or say anything. So I awkwardly stood there. Eventually she said “what do you need?” and I was able to place my order. I waited 12 mins for my Hummus Veggie Bowl. When I opened it, there was chicken in it. (I am vegetarian) When I brought the bowl to the counter to inform the cashier, she was combative and said it comes with chicken in a tone that made me feel like she thought I was stupid. Finally she reviewed the menu and figured out that it does not include chicken. I did not have time to wait for it to be prepared for another 12 mins (lunch break) so I asked if I could exchange it for a smoothie instead. The smoothie cost $4.99 vs the bowl for $6.99. I was not offered a refund in what I paid for the bowl. The restaurant was DIRTY.

Pros: Another employee who prepared the food apologized although the cashier did not. The smoothie was made right away and I got it quickly.

Conclusion: This was a terrible first impression as I had a $2 upcharge on a $4.99 smoothie and had to deal with a moody cashier. I feel like the staff may have been stressed out and that was the reason for the attitude but there’s no excuse for the...