Pizza Cucina North Merrick — Restaurant in Town of Hempstead

I must express my profound disappointment over recent events that have drastically changed my perspective toward a business I once held in high regard. It pains me to write this, but after spending approximately $10,000 at this establishment in less than a year—a significant sum that any mom-and-pop restaurant would value—I feel compelled to voice my frustrations. My loyalty as a thrice-weekly patron, ordering from the confines of a nursing home, was met with shocking disregard.

Up until now, my complaints were few—merely a handful in almost a year, with only one order ever needing to be remade. This minimal history of complaints makes the recent accusation by the owner that I frequently complain not only baseless but deeply offensive. What exactly am I supposed to be complaining about regularly? That I didn’t get the extra sauce that you always charge me for, the sheet of aluminum foil that I was charged $3 one time and $1 on other times but I never complained about that or the missing plates because I’m confined to a nursing home? I'm surprised you didn't charge me for the plates! The suggestion is absurd and insulting.

The catalyst for this outburst was a severely mishandled pizza delivery by a driver who seemed unaware of how to properly handle food. When I called to address the issue, the response from Dorene was dismissive at best, and it only worsened when I was asked to send pictures which I suggested due to her disbelief to prove the poor state of my order. The situation escalated when the same driver returned, rudely denying any fault, and blaming me for the mishap. His unprofessionalism was starkly evident to the security staff who witnessed our exchange, yet when I spoke to Dorene’s husband, the owner, he sided with the driver, dismissing my concerns and shouting over my attempts to explain, claiming a headache from our conversation.

This lack of respect and basic customer service has left me not just unheard, but actively in shock. More than two hours passed without any clear resolution— just empty promises of a return call that never materialized. I had to call, ask for my money back but Dorene said that the pie is on the way. It's appalling to realize that "The customer is always right" is merely a hollow mantra here when loyalty is met with such blatant indifference.

This incident has unveiled a harsh truth about a business I once trusted, highlighting a lack of integrity and a disregard for loyal customers. The owner exaggerated the facts, insisting he had to see the pizza himself to believe my complaint, questioning why I would lie when I had never asked for anything free in the year of my patronage—except once being credited for a spaghetti with meat sauce when I received a pasta bolognese with cream sauce instead. Yet the night before I asked for the same thing and got it right but then wrong the next day!

Dorene claimed the first photo of the mishandled pizza "looked like a slice was out of place," the driver said the whole pie by looked fine when he came back to pick it up, despite the visible evidence and the shock of the security guards. This kind of treatment is unacceptable, and I am compelled to take my business elsewhere. "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me." Here is the photo of the pizza as it arrived. Does this look fine? For a customer that never asked you for anything free and only had one meal remade in one year? I bet you're scratching your heads trying to remember if there were other times....

We moved to Bellmore a few years ago and are lucky that Pizza Cucina delivers to us (if we can't make it in). We first enjoyed a great spread they catered at a friends backyard/summer party in Merrick and we then crossed our fingers, hoping were in range when we first called for delivery. Everything is delicious and everyone is such a pleasure! Two things I want to mention.. the first is a very unusual order for me but I was off carbs for a diet- the cauliflower pizza (I got meat lovers) is sooo good. Crispy, savory, a liiittle spicy, which I love. Second.. If Darlene doesn't kill me.. I went off menu tonight and requested a "shrimp marsala w/mozz on a hero." It was a 10. Some of the best brown sauce I've ever had. The shrimp Roberto I think they call it ; ) Between the hero tonight and my experience with Darlene, I had to post. I never post reviews. We...

If you order your food from here make sure you speak to the owner directly the workers and manager have a hard time getting address and order correct I put in for a $50 order just to have it delivered to wrong address after I repeated my correct address 4 times they said they called my # but I never recieved a call & this is after waiting 2 hours just saying food is good but service has diminished and after I told them I was handicapped I couldn't travel to the store manager said oh well nothing she can do I asked to speak to owner but she said she was the manager that anything I said to him wouldn't make a difference take that for what is worth I use to order from this place weekly until now message to owner hire a manager that knows how to take orders correctly and doesn't blame customers for her mistakes and...