Tropical Smoothie Cafe — Restaurant in Raleigh

Ever since Neal and Broderick left, this location has transitioned from my favorite to “will only stop as a LAST resort, if then!”. I didn’t leave a review then because I was still in my feelings so I waited a while to see if things would change/be better. Nope!

Back in December 2024, I ordered via the app and the location did not have my smoothies ready upon arrival for the time allotted in the app nor after waiting for an additional 10 minutes inside the location. I made a request for a refund the say day, that never happened. Almost two weeks later, I was still waiting for my refund after calling day after day during Christmas break and bank closures for the holiday season. Finally, I received my money 11 days later and an offer for a free smoothie. Not interested!

Today, April 5, my husband and I decided to go inside the location to take another chance. Two female employees were working. One on food and one on making smoothies/front counter. I greeted the employee with a hello and she gave a less than enthusiastic hello response. She took the order and walked away. There were several other families and patrons waiting. At no time during our wait, did the employee in the back leave her post nor work at a fast pace to fill orders nor did either of the employees provide a thank you to any patron served. Not a smile or essence of happiness to be at work. Not to mention one of the employees had their child with them sitting at the front counter.

The chocolate powder clear plastic container was busted and was taped up with some kind of tape like it was from the ER.

The only good statement I have is that the smoothies we received were...

Honestly the WEIRDEST encounter I have EVER had at tropical smoothie (on capital between Aldi and Panera Bread). I came in and two males working Saturday at 8pm on 10/19/2024 were the only employees on duty. The store was absolutely silent. They did not greet us, they did not smile, the one person that took our order was as monotone as possible and only spoke when directly asked a question. Very robotic and low volume so you could barely hear him. As soon as we ordered they randomly started playing music at the loudest volume possible. Very odd and off putting behavior. He rang up the order and walked off leaving me to tap and take my own receipt from the register. He worked at sloth speed to make the order, at one point going in the back with the other guy leaving the store front unattended. After i ordered and forced him to use his vocal cords to answer a question regarding what particular smoothie contained, he never spoke again. When he eventually finished, he put the smoothies on the counter in our general direction with a blank face and walked off like a zombie. Didn’t say here is your order, have a nice night, nothing! Either this generation is completely lacking of social skills, or he was upset to have to work while at work, or maybe he is deranged, who knows but it was extremely awkward and uncomfortable to be in there with blaring music and miserable looking, silent, dead eyed workers. If I come back it will be when the bubbly lady employees are in there. Not the weird zombie guy employees from last night. At least not until they develop some semblance of...

Do Not come to this location. They lock doors before closing, & will deny orders whn too busy . Today I ordered a Nutella bowl get all the way home and it’s just Honey a lot of Honey. I drove all the way back and NICELY asked if it could be remade. It’s hot out & had already began to melt. The guy with a lisp (Myles Clinton GM) takes the same container tht I clearly replaced contents back into packaging after dumping out to return, because they made it wrong. I always add almond butter & into bigger bowl. He doesn’t knw if container was in trash & removed once I realized it was a HONEY BOWL ONLY NO NUTELLA, if my home is clean etc. He put it back onto the counter where they prepare food. I asked again if he can remake it…he replied 2xs very sassy & rude “I can add the Nutella”😳. I said I could have a mild allergen to honey…he thn wanted to debate tht all the bowls have some honey & outright asked me “do you have an allergy?”😤😳 Wht he did 1 is unsanitary & only God knws wht else they may do🤢 he doesn’t knw where I just came frm or where the containers been & 2 the bowl had already began to melt & would’ve been completely melted once home. So I asked for a refund conveniently there was no receipt paper At which point I asked for something in writing stating my refund was issued. This is not about $$ it’s about doing the right thing. I wasn’t rude regardless how irritated I am & having to drive back before they closed on a Sunday evening😤he was nasty for putting tht container bck on the prep station, sassy & rude for no reason. I’ll be making my own moving forward. DO...