Saravanaa Bhavan — Restaurant in Richardson

We are regular customers of Sarvana Bhavan and usually opt for takeout. However, this time we decided to dine in, and I'm glad we did because it gave us insight into the poor management at this branch.

There is a manager named Subramanyam who treats the workers disrespectfully, almost like slaves. This is not an exaggeration. Despite the restaurant being relatively quiet, he forced employees who were resting to repeatedly clean already clean tables. He micromanaged them excessively, demonstrating over and over how to clean the same surfaces.

Such micromanagement is unacceptable. Managers like Subramanyam should not be in positions of authority. They seem to believe that employees should never rest during working hours, even when there is no work to be done. This attitude was especially evident when he unnecessarily and publicly forced a young woman and man to clean in front of us. The young woman, in particular, seemed unwilling, and it felt like the manager was exploiting their need for employment.

While some might not view this as a significant issue, any business that mistreats its employees cannot expect to thrive. This mentality, unfortunately, is common in many Indian restaurants where managers believe that constant, unnecessary activity is the only way to get things done.

Please reconsider how you treat your employees. Respect and fair treatment are essential for the growth and success of any business. Lastly, I believe that people working there are all young and all they need is some income, they too have their own file to concentrate on, please don't make them stressed out...

I visited Saravana Bhavan in Richardson on a Tuesday, having had great experiences at their other locations—this chain has always been one of my favorites. Unfortunately, this particular branch was a huge letdown. Despite the restaurant being only moderately busy during weekday lunch hours, we had to wait nearly 20 minutes just for someone to take our order. There were only two staff members handling orders, which made service painfully slow.

After placing our order, we waited another 20–25 minutes, repeatedly following up with the staff. Finally, we were told that the main items we ordered—including idli and sambar—were not available. It was incredibly frustrating to be kept waiting for so long, only to find out that the food wasn’t even being prepared.

To make things worse, when I asked for just sambar, they made me wait an additional 5 minutes—only to serve something that clearly wasn’t fresh or worth the wait. This location is clearly mismanaged, and the service was extremely disappointing. I strongly recommend avoiding the Richardson branch and visiting other Saravana Bhavan locations instead—they’re far better run and actually respect their...

I used to be a regular customer here and genuinely loved the food, especially their veg biryani and parottas. However, over the past 6 months, the quality has gone down drastically. I’ve given it multiple chances hoping it was just a one-off bad experience, but sadly, that hasn’t been the case.

Most of the time, the dishes are undercooked. The parottas, which used to be a favorite, now look completely different and often taste raw on the inside—like plain flour layers that haven’t been fully cooked. The veg biryani used to be beautifully balanced with a hint of hing, with all ingredients cooked together harmoniously. Now, it feels like the veggies are just tossed in a pan and added as an afterthought—the onions were nearly raw, and the vegetables were far too crunchy for a biryani.

Even the vada was extremely oily and not properly cooked inside. It’s disappointing because the restaurant used to be so consistent.

Though the menu has expanded, it seems like there has been a major shift in the kitchen—perhaps a new chef? The taste has changed across the board, and even the recipes don’t feel the...