Shipley Do-Nuts — Restaurant in Texas

This will be long. It will also be more about the state of things then just this one incident, but, this incident does epitomize the state of things so well.

I just finished a 12 hour shift. As I was driving I see that Shipley’s is open. I think kolaches(sp) for my family. A half dozen donuts and kolaches for when they wake up as I will be asleep.

As I pull in another car pulls in too. They must not know these particular locations have microphones and speakers on the menus. This of course is not uniform across all locations. Many locations handle the order at the window.

I have made this mistake before at an adjacent location on Timberwood and 1960. I had not ordered at a menu on the side of the building before at any shipley’s location and I made the mistake of driving up to the window.

He refused to serve me because I didn’t stop at the menu and order. He told me to go around and wait in line again. I said nothing and drove across the street where I got my son breakfast.

So this morning watching another human make the same mistake at this location I figured they had never ordered from signage on the side of the building.

I watched them tap the window as whomever was inside ignoring them. I immediately understood this was a reoccurring frustration for the employees and they were taking it out on customers.

A voice spoke from the lit box sporting the haphazard menu and asked for my order. I told her the person in front, still tapping, was before me and just take their order. They clearly didn’t understand how innocuous menus hung on walls work. I agree they should starve to death but maybe this time a little humanity is in order.

I see them sir can I take your order.

She refused and I acquiesced. 6 donuts and 3 kolaches. The kolaches were not ready. So 6 donuts it is.

Granted I’m stressed at this point. The kolaches were the point. The donuts were a sweet treat. She finally addresses and I’m sure reprimands the person in front of me for their transgression.

As I get to the window a see the disgruntled figure that didn’t have kolaches prepared at open. Or maybe it’s not her fault. Maybe in your business model it is customary to half open and I’m in the wrong.

Whatever the case I am paying $7.44 for 6 donuts and Im taken aback. I could have grabbed a bag of Ms. Bairads(sp) at the Exxon by my house for 5 dollars. They could have had 10 each. Not that they would.

I hand her my phone for payment because why have a hand held touch device like everyone else when you can risk 1000 dollar devices in a clumsy exchange.

When she returns it with the receipt the receipt fell. Thankfully not my phone. She then proclaimed,

“If your going to have a bad attitude I can give you your money back.”

This is where I lost it and where the state of things meets this moment.

Clearly the customer driving to the window at these locations is an issue. So much so, employees or maybe management has taken a hard stance.

Instead of remedying the issue with a couple 5 gallon buckets, cement, poles, a drill, screws with bolts(long enough to go through the poles), placard(blank sign), stencils and a dictionary; to which you could make it apparent the menu board speaks. The answer is to be crappy when people make the mistake.

So, when I said Go ** yourself I wasn’t saying it to her. I was saying it to the decrepitude of management that is eroding any semblance of self respect in business itself. Entropy is truly the law of the universe.

I didn’t get my 7.44 back...

I’m all for a good donut, and I was craving Shipley’s this morning. Pulled up, excited to get in, but as I approached the door, I found it locked—despite the "OPEN" sign flashing. Naturally, I thought maybe I was mistaken, so I called the store. No answer. At this point, I'm getting confused, so I take a look at the side window and see a sign that says "Drive Thru Open Only."

Now, I get that places have to adapt, but this was super frustrating. I love going into a donut shop, taking a moment to admire the selection, and choosing what looks good. The drive-thru experience? Just not the same, and I didn’t expect to be limited to it.

I drove up to the drive-thru window to confirm and was told, "No, the doors are closed. Drive-thru only." So, I turned around and left—what’s the point of having a physical store if you can’t even go inside?

Not sure if this is a one-time thing or a new policy, but it definitely killed my donut mood today. Shipley, please bring back the full experience. The case of donuts is part of the fun! I won’t be back unless I can...

I was there around 1:30 pm, they advertise that they close at 5. They only had 1 young lady working at the front, no one in back. It was the day before Valentine's Day and I stopped in hopes of buying the heart shaped donuts that they were advertising. But they did not have any. I bought a small pepsi cola soda from the fountain. The 'small', and I emphasize SMALL, was served in the small Shipley's coffee cup. The small fountain drink cost me $2.64 cents, without taxes applied. I was in shock when I saw how much that small drink cost!!!! I started to send it back but didn't. Shame on you Shilpleys Donuts for charging $2.64 cents for a small fountain drink that is served in a small coffee cup. Needless to say, the donuts did not taste fresh either. They tasted as though they had been sitting there all day and tasted day old, they were on the hard side, not the typical melt in your mouth donut that Shirley's is known for!!! Lesson learned, never again...