Marvel Ranch — Restaurant in Reading

If Gordon Ramsey was here at all this morning he must've walked out because just yikes. Something tells me he probably gave up on this place. So my friend, her boyfriend, and I showed up and it looks really nice! We tried to catch someone's eye to see if we're seating ourselves but we were ignored so we sat ourselves. It took awhile but eventually some dude basically threw napkins and silverware down on the table but no menus. Another maybe ten, fifteen minutes later a server comes to take our order. We didn't have menus and didn't even know what drinks they had. She quick handed us menus and we skimmed it but yeah no drinks listed. We ordered three waters and an orange juice. They brought us three waters and two orange juices. Whatever I drank it. We all got our waters and I like orange juice so hey I'm good with a free orange juice. It was weird though no glasses. It was plastic throw away cups for the water and styrofoam cups for the orange juice. We all ordered pancakes and waited forever. I got plain just syrup, butter, and powdered sugar. My friend's boyfriend got bananas on his and my friend got plain just butter. Her boyfriend and I got ours right away but my friend didn't get hers. Well they forgot my powdered sugar but maybe I didn't ask loud enough I don't know. They said they'd bring me some they never did. Waited for awhile again and they bring her pancakes with pecans. I flag down the waitress and they get her the right ones. Thankfully those came quick. They're lucky she's not allergic to nuts because that could've gone super bad if she was. She went and asked where the bathroom is. They ignored her and were arguing with each other about her pancakes. She finally got an answer although it was with attitude. When they took our plates they took my friend's half full cup of water. She had briefly stepped away to look at the muffins and they just took away her water. They're like oh she's doesn't need this right and put another cup in it and took it away before we could say anything! They only brought us the check when my friend stood up. To be fair she was going to go up to the counter to attempt to pay but hey at least it hurried them up. But yeah servers barely payed attention to us, didn't ask how our food was even once. At one point my friend is literally saying how terrible this is going and how she hasn't even been able to ask for a refill of her water within earshot of our server and our server comes over says oh you got your pancakes great! Walks away without asking us how our food is or we can say anything. Not all the menu items were even listed on the menu. Apparently they had muffins and stuff. Wasn't listed anywhere and no one mentioned it we only knew because we just happened to see the case with them. They also didn't even tell us what drinks they had we just guessed. The owner or manager whoever he was was talking to all his friends or regulars but ignored all the other customers. The people he likes definitely got priority. So final review. It looks nice, food wasnt bad espcially for the price. Not even $20 for all three of us. However, maybe fix up the menu, and get way better service. I guess Gordon Ramsey couldn't...

I honestly wish I could give no stars. I’ve been coming here for years and I’ve never once been treated the way I was treated today. I ordered online because I know the morning rush can be crazy and the phone number online said it was disconnected. When ordering online, I was asked to put in my email address to Google, and immediately began placing my order, Google auto filled everything even my credit card information so once I was done ordering, the only thing I needed to input was my CVV to my credit card. It literally did not ask me my name or anything. I arrive to Marvel Ranch I’m waiting patiently in line when it’s my turn I’m not even greeted or spoken to. I’m just looked at by the woman at the front counter. I politely let her know that I ordered online and she responds. “What’s the name?” I tell her my name and the shortened version of it assuming that’s what the order is under since it was auto filled from my email account, which is under my full name. She looks at the orders on the counter and tells me “well I don’t have that order” and proceeds to walk away NOT EVEN ATTEMPTING to find out the online order details. I’m picking this food up for my husband who has to be at work in 15 minutes so it’s really frustrating that her attitude and aura all around was just not good. She proceeds to tell me “it always asks for a name” as I continue to try to explain to her that everything was auto filled so I’m not sure what name it had if not my full name or the shorter version of my full name. So I tell her what I ordered and of course my order is RIGHT in front of her. As she goes to hand me the order she again said “it OBVIOUSLY asked you for your name” so again I tell her it didn’t… like why would I lie about that?! As I’m walking out she says to CUSTOMERS SITTING AT THE COUNTER “She’s dumb” so she’s lucky the only thing I did and responded was that no she in fact was dumb!

I’m not one to do reviews, but I will NEVER spend a dollar at this establishment again due to her poor customer service and I will make sure to let my friends and families know about my encounter there. Posting this on Facebook instagram and Twitter so people know the kind of people they have to deal with at the front counter first thing in...

Marvel Ranch is a good place nestled in an otherwise less than pleasant side of Berks County. Before mentioning the food itself I want to remind folks that Greater Reading has had its fair share of fallout even for the locals. I know because (as of writing this) I'm near it and ask anyone about Reading's history and there will most certainly be many positives mixed with disappointments about how the municipality and governance of Reading has let the streets become somewhat unmaintained, spiced with smirks about gentrification and much more. My point is that Reading has a history, and Marvel Ranch is very much a part of it. Despite this, Marvel Ranch has remained in operation through it all, and many agree that it has fallen from grace from what it used to be, much like Reading itself. But I don't come from these parts and I'm here to offer that perspective. In my many visits there I can't remember once being disappointed outright. Not every dine in will be perfect, but when I see the workers here I understand they make low wages and do the best they can, and in that way its so much like a true American Traditional Diner, it has the spirit of shared struggle. I dont normally forgive percieved rudeness but ive been here before and recieved bad service from a waitress that on any other day was flawless for me. Just know that in a place like this its easy for someone to lose focus on a bad day. It never bothered me, especially since the prices on the menu are so low in today's market you might think you stepped in a time machine and it's 1995, that's always a plus in my book. You can tell this place operates on passion, sure I don't know its inner workings, yet it can only be this way with pricing as low as it is. Expect to pay around 5 - 7 dollars for most things on the menu, and thats plenty and more for one person. Portion sizes are perfectly reasonable. Sometimes I think the home fries are a little underdone but they are never bad. This place gets a win from me. Despite its many problems, none of them I feel are caused by the restaurant, rather the surrounding area that suffers from those problems the same.

Come and visit one of the few restaurants that feels like a little home community in a...