Chili's Grill & Bar — Restaurant in Stonecrest

Let me preface this by saying that I never write reviews, even for top-notch service, but feel compelled to write a review after visiting this location today.

I have lived 10 minutes from the Stonecrest/Lithonia Chili’s for 34 years now. I have patronized this Chili’s since it opened ages ago. Now, I have two young children who also love Chili’s, so I have patronized this location even more over the past couple of years. Though today is a Saturday, when we walked in around 2pm the place had only a few tables with customers. We were greeted and seated.

The waitress – I did not get her name, but she has a chin-length bob with a part down the middle – comes to take our drink orders. She brings the drinks, then gets “ghost” and takes forever to come take our food order.

My children ordered meals off the kid’s menu. She writes our orders down as I relay. I ordered the 3 for $10 deal, with chips and salsa as an appetizer. We always order Chili's chips and salsa because it’s one of our favorites. 5 minutes go by. Then 10... 15. I tried making eye-contact with our waitress to ask about the appetizer. At least chips and salsa have always come out quickly but… not this time.

A table of 8 comes in and I see her taking their drink order. I tell my kids “Guys, let’s leave,” and was going to put down $10 cash on the table for the beverages we consumed. However, my kids wanted to stay, so I gave it 5 more minutes.

By this time, 20 minutes have gone by. I see the manager, so I go ask, “My kids and I have been waiting on our chips and salsa. It’s been a while since our server came by. I don’t want to get her into any trouble.” He was kind and said “No problem! Where is your table?” I pointed and again said, “Please, I am not trying to get her into trouble.”

He goes towards the kitchen and begins talking to another server, I guess asking her to bring us chips and salsa. Our waitress sees this and comes to our table to ask, “What’s wrong?” This is the first time she’d visited our table in over 20 minutes. I was cool-headed and said, “Yes, could we have the chips and salsa, please." She looked puzzled and replied, “You ordered chips and salsa?” I said “Yes, I ordered the 3 for $10.” She replies “Oh,” and turns to walk to the kitchen. As she walks away, she says in a LOUD voice to the other server the manager has spoken with, “You can have this table, I don’t want it.”

With that, I promptly got up from the table and escorted my kids out to leave, into the 95+ degree heat with empty bellies. With travel and the wait, this cost us about an hour.

I decided to head to the Chili’s in Conyers. Once I got settled and where I could talk without my kids overhearing me, I called back and asked to speak with the manager. He said “Ma’am, I came to look for you, why did you leave?" I told him what happened. He was not aware of what she had said.

He was apologetic and told me that he’d pulled her from servicing tables because he she was “overwhelmed.” Again, it was not crowded inside, but that’s beside the point. I said “Sir, I understand. I used to be a server. But there is a BIG difference in being ‘overwhelmed’ vs. rude.”

Kenny asked me to come back. I said “No, I found food for my children. And why would I come back and chance the waitress doing something to sabotage to our food in revenge?” He understood. He shared that one of the reasons he wanted to manage that location is because a few years ago, it had some of the lowest ratings among the franchise across the country. I had already known this, and still, I kept patronizing.

It's been frustrating seeing many businesses in this area close and relocate to Conyers or another area. Sam's Club. Target. Best Buy. The list goes on and on. I always patronize in my community but the fact of the matter is: I don’t have these problems when visiting the Chili’s (or other businesses) in Conyers or Snellville. It’s a shame that we have to drive 20+ minutes to find decent service, but I must, as far as this Chili's is concerned.

I will never patronize the Stonecrest/Lithonia...

Terrible service and manager was worse! I guess the saying" Apple doesn't fall far from the tree" works for businesses too. This was my first visit there and we were there because it's where my son was going to propose marriage to my soon to be daughter in law! I asked for the manager after waiting 30+mins for drinks and appetizers that came out wrong twice (the drinks). I waited for over another hour to speak with the manager whose name was Angela. I Asked two different staff members at two different times and each time I was told that they told her and don't know why she hasn't come. I finally got my meal but still not my appetizers. While eating my meal my lips began itching I just thought that it was because of the spices. While eating my second to last rib is when I pulled a piece of shrimp fins or tail out of my mouth. I asked for the manager again and again I was told that they told her and don't know why she hasn't come out. I got up and walked to the back of the store and that's when she decided to come out. I had explained to her how terrible the service was and to top it off I now have to rush home to get my medicine due to the shrimp. I told her that I requested to see her over an hour ago and her response to me was what do you want me to do I was placing product orders. While speaking to her my son said mom we have to go because now your eyes are swelling too. I was so upset by her lack of customer service and told her that I would be contacting her cooperate office and she politely gave me her first and last name Angela Terry like she just didn't care. My son winded up doing his proposal at home with his mother looking like the Elephant Man instead of at the restaurant that he thought would be romantic. Although Benadryl works for me what about the customers who have high allergic reaction to shrimp like my youngest son who would have needed an epipen because his throat would have swollen...

I call in my order and was told to pick up in 15 minutes which I arrived in 15 minutes and order was not ready I waited an addition 20 minutes which I didn't mind thinking my food will be fresh and hot which when I got my food the fries were so cold and over cook like Potatoe chips, I told the girl at register that my fries was cold which she said it will take another three minutes which I didn't mind but all I said to the girl as long as my hamburger still fresh she walk away and rolled her eyes she went into the back and said something the girl in the back the other came out to just basically eyeball me to see who I was and went back to the back and laughed so I ask for a refund not knowing they were going to spit or play in my food because that's how childish they were so she said I had to wait to speak to an manager which I did , the manager came to and said it will take 5 days to get my refund back, Which I was upset and told Brittney the manager How i felt with the fries and how the two girls that were laughing in the back so she went to the back and ask were fresh fries cooking and one said yes, she try justifying something saying we cook our food to order and we are not like McDonald's which that was stupid to say when you gave me cold hard fries that's supposed to be cook to order =, I polity too my hot fries and prayed that the hamburger was good, when I got home I felt they gave me the same cold hard fries which I end up throwing it away. the overall experience going to a place like that is having immature young kids working there with no respect and a stupid manager who didn't seem as if she care, I'm sure I'm not the only one that has experience this but this one chilis was lucky to get two stars for the burnt hamburger but it was eatable, I refused to come back to that location until you trainee your kids respect and a manger...