Emily's Donuts and Café — Restaurant in Williamsburg

I used to love Emily's donuts until my daughter's birthday. I ordered over 4 dz ring donuts and 13 other donuts (no nuts) to include some specialty ones, 2 days ahead. I didn't realize that I wasn't allowed to order more than 3 dz online, because it let me order. Day of the drive thru we planned on giving out donuts to our guests. When my husband went to pick up the donuts, they said he could only have 2dz because more was not allowed. So if this was the case, why was I not notified so we could make other arrangements? I looked online and if you scroll down on the page it says 3 dz max for online orders, which is at the end after you already ordered everything. If they can make a note asking what kind of donuts would you prefer or a limit on the specialty ones, they can certainly put the max amount under the product vs at the bottom of the page that can easily be missed. The employee said I can cancel my order and get a refund or get refunded for what I didn't get. I pointed out to the employee that is said 3 dz and I apologized for not seeing it so she said my husband can come back to get 1 dz more. When he gets inside, he asks me what did I order. I'm like are you kidding me?! They should know what I ordered! We literally were having our drive thru in a couple of hours and we live in Newport News and it was snowing! Talked about stressed out. He comes home with 4dz (mind you 2 boxes had peanut butter donuts and my daughter is allergic). He said I guess they filled the order. No they didn't! We were missing 13 donuts..at this point I could not call back because I had to get ready for my daughter's 1st bday party. If all our guests ended up coming, we wouldn't have had enough. Next day, I called Emily's...no answer. Next day...no answer. I finally got to speak to an employee. The manager was in a meeting but he gave her my info. Days go by, no phone call. A week and a half later I drive up there. Manager happens to be sick. Employees are not allowed to give me my money back. So currently I am so upset by the lack of customer service and sad to say they will not receive anymore of my money. I WANT MY REFUND FOR THE 13 DONUTS I DID NOT RECEIVE. This is completely wrong on so many levels. I have 3 kids...I should not have to drive like 15 miles to try to track someone down for something they did wrong! All I wanted was a phone call and refunded what I didn't get. You use Square, you can do a refund right from your phone so at this point, there is absolutely no excuse! Update: after WEEKS of trying to get this sorted, I finally was contacted and they gave...

The donuts are good and the pre-made coffee is ready when you walk in, that about sums up what is right with Emily's I have walked out twice without anyone acknowledging I was even in the building. How many other people have done the same? Williamsburg is full of old people that ain’t got time to be waiting around; literally, the do not have the time. Typically there is one person serving the donuts and the same person is the Barista. God forbid someone order a specialty drink; go ahead add several minutes to your already long wait time. I hear people and music coming from the back and I see employees smoking in the front of the building. I don't know if nobody wants to help in front of the house or they are not allowed but adding one more person to work the front, especially in peak hours will help the backlog. Do not order a specialty coffee. On two occasions and from two different people, I ordered a cappuccino. It took a long time for the Barista to figure out how to work the machine (It’s probably Italian so, I get it) and neither knew the difference between a latte and a cappuccino (its subtle, but once you know, you will never forget). Is that nit-picking? Maybe but if you advertise you can make it, give me a reasonable facsimile of what I am asking for. The employees smoking on the traffic side of the building is: 1, kind of a turn-off. Make a place in the back of the building so they are out of sight. 2, why are they smoking if customers are waiting 5-10 minutes, or walking out, just to get some donuts, go in help out. I have never walked into Emily’s where more than two customers were in front of me; even then it takes entirely too long for this simple transaction. I have even factored in the indecisive customer time defined by “Ooh, so many donuts from which to choose” and “What does that one taste like it looks so cool.” Easy fixes: 1). More training for all employees on how to work the coffee machine and the difference between a latte and cappuccino. 2). Move the smoking pit to the back of the building: we know it happens; we just don’t need to see it as we are walking into the building. 3.) One more person in the front during peak...

DISCLOSURE: I did not buy or eat here.

Upon entering I immediately noticed several things:

The donuts were selling for $2.50 or more apiece. The employees appeared to be miserable. The clientele was the trendy middle class variety that will spend money on glitz rather than guts. The layout was dark and disjointed.

I review a lot of places, I’ve traveled all over the world, and I can immediately tell when a business has a successful model or not, and if I’d be willing to pay for their product. With this in mind here is my review.

This business is placing its bets on the quality horse. They sell a quality donut from an extreme amount of variety to be niche in their market. The problem is, donuts get cold and bread in general is not as good the longer it’s out.

When you sell a few at a time and make a decent profit but have only one or two employees trying to serve a line out the door because people can’t really see the menu or product so they get choosy and uncertain at the counter, it causes a line to form.

Second, instead of mass producing a solid 6 types and having them fresh and hot by the box, and go instead with about 40 different types with a million a la carte varieties, you limit your ability to expand your business and to offer a niche product down the road at a home location.

In conclusion, if you run a business that is top heavy, ie; wants more money for it’s believed quality, and light at the bottom, cramped space under paid employees, and heavy on social media or another medium for marketing; then the business will crumble or will stay in one place and be known as the best damn whatever in the area! But there’s no growth, room for improvement, or for upward mobility for its management or employees. It will stay a trendy craft operation that supports its owners vacations and lifestyles until they are audited by the IRS. Go by and enjoy two donuts though that won’t fill you, and will leave you $8 lighter after a...