Tropical Smoothie Cafe — Restaurant in Springfield

The family and I stopped here after going to the Aquarium because they had vegetarian options for my wife and one of my sons. Upon arrival, there was no one to greet us but I could hear a few employees talking in the kitchen area. At that point, it wasn't a big deal, to me because we had not figured out what we were ordering yet. When myself and a party of 6 people had decided what we wanted to eat, no one had came to even acknowledge our presence, even though I could still hear multiple employees chatting in the back area. All told, we were probably there at least a minute, and we had a long way to travel still. I wanted to let the employees know that we were there and ready to order. I called out "Hello." as a way to let someone know that we were there. I wasn't rude or mean, I just simply wanted someone to acknowledge our existence, which had not been done still.

A few employees finally peeked their heads out and one of them greeted us, while I heard another employee say to another one in hushed tones that I was "Ignorant". I asked both my wife and her sister if I heard that correctly, and they both informed me that they heard the same thing. One employee came out and began to service us, but at that point, my appetite for eating at this establishment was gone. I did not trust that I would be granted decent customer service, and questioned if I would be given decent food. I took my youngest child and waited in the car while my sister in law ordered food.

I think my wife bought my daughter a smoothie, but they also were out of the vegetarian options in terms of sandwiches and wraps, so we had to eat elsewhere anyways.

I understand that establishments get busy every now and then, but a simple acknowledgement when we arrived would have sufficed in terms of customer service. I recommend you give your employees better training or just hire better employees. I did not appreciate being called "Ignorant" (which is improper usage of the word for what she was intending, but that's a different story.) for simply wanting to be serviced at your...

*08.25.15 Tropical Smoothie Cafe smoothies are good but ridiculous service sometime, so GO TO SUNSHINE LOCATION!!! Customer Service is excellent there and they fully warm and toast taco shells and flatbreads.

This group of franchises has the best smoothies. Great daily specials but watch for up charges and/or being berated for ordering specials without proof that you have a child in your party.

*Fall 2014. Had to amend my 5 star and take two stars away due to horrible service with my past three visits. Service has been incredibly rude three times now by an employee named Brittany, everything from being accused of trying to get free food by ordering a special over the phone for the first time (which I did because they were closing in 20 minutes and I was trying to be polite to the staff), to being overcharged, leaving transactions incomplete to close the restaurant early, etc.. FYI, retired low-fat smoothies are no longer considered low-fat options because they are retired. Smoothies remain great, but looking forward to the new location opening near Sunshine Sam's Club to avoid poor service.

• 08.25.15 Had to remove 2 more stars… SUNSHINE LOCATION = Much Better Customer Service. Went to Campbell location to utilize punch cards saved up for free smoothie. Bought the new "unbeetable berry," card was used and I payed $2+ for difference as it was a $6 smoothie. Awesome so far. Went to scan my belly up card for check-in, and the cashier removed the iPad stating (in front of a long line of customers) that I would not get to check-in, as I had gotten a "free" ($2+) smoothie. What do they do to these people in staff meetings?? Trust me… GO TO SUNSHINE LOCATION across from Sam's!!! There they are friendly, professional, and the smoothies...

There's a difference between the online ordering menu and the menu offered when you go in. It had been some time since we had eaten there (pre-Covid)& we knew exactly what we can wanted and it was on the online menu. The problem was that I was also ordering for my daughter who wanted an item not on the menu but she assured me that if I ordered in person I could get it. That worked for her but apparently not if you want a "Bowl" meal rather than a wrap. When I asked about getting a bowl, the response was "I guess we don't have them". Sorry Tropical Smoothie, but when you dropped your Rockin' Raspberry Smoothie & don't have anything that begins to resemble it in your line up, that began your fall. Now to drop the Bowls from the menu in store without any warning (I had begun to place an online order until I realized that my daughter's item was not on the menu and the Bowl meals we wanted were there) is enough to send me somewhere else. Adding insult to injury: if you insist that people who come into the store wear masks, at least do them the courtesy of wearing the cursed things correctly. Just as a condom poked full of holes does no good, neither does a mask worn with the top of the mask riding below or across the lower lip and inch long fingernails have no place in a food preparation establishment even if gloves are worn. It is impossible to adequately reduce the bacterial contamination and gloves can tear. The food was decent, a little dry my husband thought. The smoothies were...