Perkins American Food Co. — Restaurant in Sedalia

On the first day they were serving pumpkin muffins i went up there at aproxmently 9 am. I was greeted by the manager ( later known as Louis) and asked for some pumpkin muffins. He looked in the front case and there wasn't not a single muffin nor cookie in there. He turned to me said no we don't have any.( This whole time I felt he was judging me because I wasn't wear a polo and slacks. I wasn't dirty I was just wearing tshirt and jeans. But I felt he was treating me like I haven't showered in a month or something.) So I asked him if he would mind to check in the back. He sighed and went came back out with in a minute or so and said there was none back there and the baker doesn't report to work until 11. I respond that is an odd time to report to work for a baker especially for a breakfast baker. He gave me look like he wanted to punch me. "He replied well its just who ever you can get hear at the time you know." I'm not sure if that was his exact quote but it was close to that. I went back approx week week and half later around 9 or 10 pm because I figured the gm wasn't there. I told the assistant manager what happened she was not surprised. She apologized to me but I understand she can't do anything. How can perkins keep this guy around if he had so many customers complain about him! Fast forward to this past Friday. I decided to give perkins one more chance and took my wife to breakfast. We'll the gm Louis was there and I almost decided to walk out but wife really wanted to eat there and their breakfast is really good. Louis seated us and left 30 seconds later our waiter came by what we like to drink considering we haven't even open our menus yet we just ordered water. Waiter brought the water. We figured out what we wanted, but after 7 minutes and the waiter walked by us 4 times my wife and I decided to get up and leave. Perkins used to have great service but now, I don't know what happened but my family or I won't be back until alot changes happen with management. Even then I don't know. This gm and service my wife and I got Friday was and...

I understand that being short-staffed is a challenge many businesses are facing right now. However, one thing that should never be overlooked is customer service. During my recent visit, our server spent a lot of time sharing personal frustrations about working the late shift and being overwhelmed. While I sympathize, most customers are simply looking for a pleasant dining experience. A polite and brief acknowledgment like, “I’m sorry for the inconvenience, we’re a little short-staffed today. What can I get started for you?” would go a long way.

As for the food, I ordered two over-easy eggs, but they were undercooked — the whites weren’t fully set, and the yolk was surprisingly cold. The sausage also appeared undercooked, and when I raised my concern, the response was, “That’s how it’s supposed to look.” While the server did eventually offer to bring a new one, telling a customer they’re wrong is never the right approach. A better response would have been, “I’m sorry it didn’t come out the way you expected — let me take care of that for you.” Respect and flexibility go a long way in the service industry.

Lastly, the bill came to $45 for two meals, which felt steep considering the food quality and overall experience. I fully understand that dining out includes paying for service, but at that price point, both food and service should reflect it.

If there’s one takeaway I hope management hears, it’s this: teach your staff the importance of professionalism and respect. And never forget the golden rule in hospitality — the customer is...

Racist Servers Here

This was my second and last visit to Perkins. The first time, I came with my light-skinned son and was treated well. This time, I brought my darker-skinned daughter, and the difference in how we were treated was impossible to ignore.

The hostess was rude from the start, pretending not to hear us. Our assigned server completely ignored us—never came to the table once. Only after I asked another server did we get help.

Huge thank you to Drea (apologies if I spelled your name wrong), who immediately stepped in and took care of us with genuine kindness and professionalism. She was the only reason we stayed and the only bright spot in an otherwise infuriating visit. I believe she may also be the reason a manager (or someone in charge) eventually came over and offered us a discounted whole pie. While I appreciate the gesture, it doesn’t excuse the blatant discrimination.

Here’s the bottom line: If your staff is willing to blatantly ignore customers based on their race or appearance, and if everyone in the restaurant seems to recognize what's happening and lets it slide, then the problem is far deeper than just one or two bad employees. If you know your servers are discriminating, why are they still employed?

Shame on you,...