Cold Stone Creamery — Restaurant in Tampa

Through this email I want to inform the new owners of this business. I have been going to this same place for more than 20 years. And lately I have realized that things have changed for the worse. If it was so-so before, it is worse now. I thought that when a new owner buys the business it is for the better. The prices have gone up very high. The customer service is terrible. Today I had one of those experiences of which... What can I say? The employee was not happy at all. He told me he didn't want to be there. Then I ask myself. A place that is too crowded. Today. There were 3 customers in front of me and I was waiting for almost 45 minutes.I've been noticing for 3 months. That every time they have a new employee they don't tell you things like they are. Every time I go I buy ice cream for myself and my family. We always ask for something for our pet. Which is always small and they've never charged for it. Well. I don't know if that's something new, that they're charging for it. But they have a sign that says to ask for your dog. But they don't say if it's free. Or you have to pay for it. On several occasions with the previous owners. And with the new owner and management. I've always asked for it and they haven't charged me for it. I don't know. How is this business system working? If they want to charge for it that's fine, I know that nothing is free in this world. But also. There's terrible service. And a terrible wait. I don't know if it's because the kids don't feel comfortable working. I've seen many changes and that doesn't benefit at all. It's unfortunate to communicate this. And, I hope they don't take it the wrong way simply as a client of many years. I've seen those changes that are meant to affect, but I still know that there are other places. Where you can eat the same ice cream with better service. And no. They are explaining so many details. I hope this reaches the company where the owner should take a little better action if he wants to have a...

Walked in and waited for about 15 minutes because the woman in front of me decided to buy enough ice cream to feed the 5th Army Division. Luckily the two under-paid, sleep-deprived teenagers working that night took mercy on me and gave me my ice cream for free. For free! But more on that later. As I was ordering my ice cream, I started making conversation with the two workers, a boy named Zander and a girl named Sandra, and they told me their life stories. Zander’s dad moved to the US to play soccer, and Zander tried to follow in his footsteps after his dad abandoned him and his three sisters. He speaks surprisingly good English despite being from Manchester, UK. Sandra was the one who made the ice cream cup that I was getting for my mom. I told her to add apple slices, to which Zander said “No, only add one slice.” Sandra listened to him instead of me and only put one. We’ll see what my mom thinks. Sandra didn’t say a word the entire time I was there, rather communicating to me through nods and grunts. But the brawn it took to scoop and break up all that rock-hard ice into something edible certainly makes up the lack of brain it takes to form even the most basic sentence.

When they told me my food was free I almost cried. They were so kind and caring, I would go back any time. Only complaints were that I had to literally beg them for a spoon (they refused to give me one until I gave them a valid reason), and that they let a woman be manager. Other than...

Came in around 10:30 PM. There was a tall kid working there and a short kid with braces working there.

I asked for a container (I don't remember what the size called but it's about $17.90 and is called ''everybody's on the receipt'').

Short kid sighs really loudly and I thought he was trying to be funny so I said ''do you really not want to take this order?'' and he says ''yes, I actually don't want to take this order.'' Super rude, but whatever. The tall kid offers to do it instead.

I go to pay at the register and I tip him 20% (honestly, I didn't want to tip the short kid anything because he was kind of a douchebag, but I wanted the taller kid to get tipped). He said something afterward and I couldn't quite hear him but my girlfriend heard him and apparently he wasn't happy I only tipped him 20% (remember, he wasn't even happy about taking the order).

I was so busy paying and dealing with the unhappy kid who was only making a 20% tip and not even taking my order that I didn't even notice that the tall kid put in the wrong ice cream until we got home to eat it.

Worst experience I have ever had at a Cold Stone Creamery ever.

Giving this place a 2/5 because at least the tall...