A&W Restaurant — Restaurant in San Leandro

Anything with root beer in it was very good, though the blended root beer shake is significantly sweeter than the root beer float, probably because the blended shake contains more soft serve while the float has more soda. The Cap'n Crunch cereal shake tastes exactly as promised.

The chili is surprisingly weak -- I ordered the chili dog and I could only kind of taste the chili flavor; the texture did a lot more to remind me that there's chili here than the flavor, even while being very salty. This coming from me, who's been accused many, many times of having overly sensitive nose and taste buds.

Fried cheese curds do taste very good, but again, almost too salty.

The customer service was hit-or-miss. Went there two Saturdays in a row -- one cashier was quite helpful while the other talked like she wishes no one was here right now so she can just go home even though it was only a little past 10am.

The A&W side of the restaurant felt really quite nostalgic and had that 50's diner decor look down pat while the KFC side was just... generic, basically. One side offers comfy, multi-colored diner booths with cushioned seats and laminate tables, milk glass pendant lights, quilted pressed aluminum walls and an early 60's style chrome clock, while the other has yellow everything -- hard, injection-molded tables and booth seats, paint job, wall sconces, etc., while the cobalt pendant lights feel very 90's dated. If you take an average between the two sides, you get = average. All the customers end up on the A&W side anyway because it's just far more welcoming, though it can get a little loud when...

Service:

The cashier (Jessica M, per the receipt) greeted with a disgruntled and seemingly jaded “hello” — a little disingenuous in tone, but maybe that’s the nature of overworked, underpaid fast food employees in the unaffordable Bay Area these days.

What struck me as the oddest was that when I asked for a cup for water at the counter right after I gave her my order, she told me I’d have to wait (presumably until she helped the customer behind me). There was only one other person in line behind me. He seemed as caught off-guard as I was, and said to the cashier, “go ahead and help him with his request first.” Small things, but you’d think a cashier point-person would have been taught to finish helping the customer they’re dealing with before moving on to the next one.

Food:

The onion rings were fresh. The chicken sandwich tasted crispy, yet dry. Not the worst I’ve had, but nothing to write home about.

Atmosphere:

Cashier was on her break and was chatting on speakerphone while at a dining booth — not very professional when off the clock.

The soda machine sounds like it’s going to explode — perhaps regional management can help fix it?

Summary:

This place feels like any other crumbling American fast food place on its way into oblivion. Makes you wonder why they even have dining rooms anymore when they’re this...

I will say this to start, the manager is dealing with a sub par, drugged out crew of people. He is trying to get is job done.

The first major problem is the Cashier was visibly high on something, pot, xanax bar who knows. He barely knew the menu and took a very long time to place an order. He seemed disassociated being there to say the least.

I placed 2 small orders which were wrong, I asked for an A4, a chili cheese dog, and got a chili dog with no cheese or onions which they advertise.

Second I came with others who ordered, in which the staff again I believe high, literally packed their order up and didnt give them the right amounts!

They ordered 20 chicken tenders and received 14 and scraps from the tray, thats not 20 pieces!

Then we had to wait over 45 mins to get that, and the cashier left the register to clean tables! While 10 customers piled up, and the manager, busy working, had to take the register, The cashier Nick was high or on some sort of pills he didn't realize what he was doing!!!

I watched the manager literally shove tongs in his hand to start packing orders.

This location has gone down hill and the workers are poor, there is a younger Latino gentlemen who gives out orders who doesn't check them and a black cashier "Nick" who is very un-attentive and seems like he is on some...