Handel's Homemade Ice Cream — Restaurant in Santee

The franchise owner of this Handel's is doing something that no other Handel's is doing. We go to Handel's all the time, but we recently visited the Santee location and we were surprised with what this owner is doing.

Normally when a customer goes to Handel's they see the prices listed, and then pick the flavors they want from all available flavors. If we want a banana split, then we pick the flavors we want from all flavors listed. But at this location, if you don't take the flavors they offer, vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry, then they charge you an extra $1 for the ice cream change.

When I was told about this extra charge, I talked to the store manager to complain about it, but after talking to her I told her that I would just change my order from a banana split to a sundae, but the manager said that the same $1 charge applied to sundae's as well if I didn't take one of the basic ice creams offered, so I decided to leave.

I talked to the owner through FB and he did clarify that this additional $1 policy only applies to banana splits, and so his manager was wrong when she said it also applied to sundaes. But his explanation for the extra charge is still ridiculous.

He says it takes more time to make the banana split if you don't take the three basic choices because they have to walk to a different coolers to get the chosen flavors. So his explanation is that adding an extra 15 - 20 seconds of walking time means there should be an extra charge.

He also said that flavors other than the three basics are more expensive. I understand that is probably true, but then why does every other Handel's let the customer pick the flavors they want without charging extra?! And since that's the case, why isn't every ice cream product they have listed more expensive if you pick flavors other than the three basics; why is the banana split being set apart for this charge.

This is the ONLY Handel's franchise I've come across that does this, and It's all ridiculous.

Customers expect everything to be the same from franchise to franchise. Pricing for each item may be different due to different costs at each location, but how things are done is always the same. We all expect that the price shown for banana splits will be the cost regardless of flavors, just like every franchise does it. That's consistency, and it's important across the different franchises.

If this Santee location wants to charge more then they should list that the cost of the banana split only includes the three basic flavors and that there is an additional $1 charge if any other...

So, I was excited to try this place since our of ice cream place closed down last year. I ordered 2 things, a double scoop in a cup and an banana split. The only toppings they have for the banana split are strawberry, cherry and pineapple - so no real variety. I got it anyways, but it took them so long to get the ice cream. After you order they have you stand at the window until your order is ready so it's not like they can get backed up once the orders are placed or have too many at once. But for just the 2 things I stood by the window for over 20 minutes. It wasn't just me either. The people at the window next to me ordered a double scoop and a milkshake and they were there for about the same amount of time waiting. When we got there there was only 1 person in line, by the time they finished our 2 orders taken by 2 different employees the line was forming around the side of the building. If you're in a hurry or are ordering for a family I wouldn't recommend going here. Baskin Robbins isn't far and is way faster. The ice cream was good, but again I didn't have a choice of flavors or toppings so it is something I could have gotten anywhere.

Terry- I went on a Wednesday at 4pm there was no line when I got there. And there were no online orders being picked up while I was there, I was at the window right by the side of the building where they get picked up and no one came while I was there. Also, I ASKED the person what my options were for the banana split she told me you ONLY do Chocolate, Vanilla and Strawberry ice cream and ONLY have cherries, strawberries and pineapple as toppings. I asked if I could sub Chocolate chip cookie dough and was told no, asked if you had other berries as a topping or peaches and was told no. So if that's not the case then you need to talk to the girl that was working. It was a young girl I didn't get her name. I'd be willing to try again, but if the customer service is still this bad my family and I won't be back. I just bought but my husband and I this time, but we have a 7 person family in my home, plus family in all over Santee and we usually do large ice cream family dates once a week. Sometimes more...

Ordered a small ice cream in a cup, and 2 small ice cream in a peanut dipped cone. The counter girl was really nice, made a recommendation because it was our first time there. Not knowing what the serving sizes were ( thinking to change the order from smalls to medium) The counter girl said a small is three scoops. We were like oh wow. We'll just leave it as a small. We made our orders, told to wait at the window for our order. They were pretty busy. They ended us the first ice cream cone. We waited another 5 minutes for the other two orders ( One small cone and one small cup). By the time we received the other two, the the first person 's ice cream was melting so fast that she had barely a scoop left. While we were waiting for the other two ice creams to come, she asked for a lid to put her melting ice cream in. Then came the other two ice creams. Mine was served and a "lid" smaller than the one they gave her. That was really strange. I'm thinking is that what they call a small? They just said it was three scoops. Mine was barely a full scoop in comparison to their ice creams. I can only guess it's because I ordered a cup but it wasn't even served in a cup. It was served in a lid.. We paid just over $20 for the three ice creams. That was a disappointment. The ice cream tasted nice. It was really good but the serving size for the cup I could have purchased two half gallon tillamooks for that cost. Flavor was good. The counter person was really sweet and kind. The service was so slow and as an ice cream shop, they should not serve one person in the group and then serve other customers orders before they finished serving the first order. It's ice cream. It melts fast, especially on a hot day. Who wants to eat their ice cream all by themselves while their friends are waiting for the rest of the order? I rarely rarely ever write reviews that aren't positive, but this was a big disappointment. And a big...