Terrible visit to patisserie Valerie today Saturday march 9th 2024 at the Cheshire oaks Ellesmere Port branch.
I took my partner for a breakfast for two including two pots of earl grey. It was our first time ever and I thought I’d treat my partner. If this hasn’t of happened in way it had I would of bought some cakes but not after this experience
To begin with I ordered small all day breakfast and a large all day breakfast for myself including two lots of earl grey. It came to £36.60( overpriced in my view). My partner and I are hard working people and to pay that amount of money is obscene. It would have been better to go to a proper cafe and pay much less for a lot better. During the ordering of the breakfast I asked who I know is the branch manager if they do fried egg and scrambled egg to which he replied no. I was gobsmacked. To me a breakfast isn’t a proper breakfast without a fried egg and a scrambled egg. Very strange. I said to this manager are you telling me you don’t have a frying pan. He said we only do poached egg. He failed to mention they use water and vinegar. Gross. Why would anyone want vinegar in a poached egg. It’ll be because the kitchen doesn’t have a poacher to cook them in. Unbelievable.
I said to this manager I’m paying an exorbitant amount for an over priced breakfast and you don’t do scrambled egg and a fried egg. No frying pan that’s why or patisserie valiere chef can’t be bothered.
When our breakfasts arrived they were both stone cold. Not even lukewarm. Nowhere near. So they were obviously either using stone cold sausages and bacon beans the potatoes etc that came with the breakfast or they just didn’t cook everything piping hot. Would patisserie valiere staff eat a stone cold breakfast. I doubt it but patisserie valiere think it’s acceptable
My partner and I took a sip out of over priced earl grey and it was nearly cold. It just beggars belief.
I decided to complain. I asked the waitress and the manager came to chat. I pointed out both breakfasts are stone cold including the earl grey. He then walked of took both our ridiculous over priced breakfasts away. I thought I heard him say I’ll bring you both a complimentary breakfasts as well as refund the full amount of £36.60. He had no intention of giving us two complimentary breakfasts. Instead when he returned he said he’ll do the refund. To which I asked we are getting two complimentary breakfasts. He replied no. At this point I was even more annoyed. I pointed out to him you are lowering your standards because it’s certain not at my standards. I pointed out to him I haven’t eaten now. He clearly wasn’t bothered our experience was ruined. A manager should go out of his way to provide a better service. He could have even offered free cakes to same value I paid instead of two complimentary breakfasts. He didn’t even offer. He knew my partner had our experience ruined and all I got was an apology. I don’t even think he would have offered an apology. I doubt his apology was sincere. It’s like he felt he had to apologise. If he had of sincerely apologised and offered two complimentary breakfasts or cakes to same value including full refund that would of been the end of the matter
This experience has put my partner and I off from visiting patisserie Valerie permanently
I don’t have an order number to proof I visited patisserie valiere but I do have proof I paid on a credit card. If patisserie valiere have any consideration for their customers they would offer my partner and I monetary goodwill gesture of the same amount. Patisserie valiere will never see us return to your establishment. I won’t be holding my breath at receiving a monetary gesture of goodwill to back up the apology from your branch manger. No I’d rather go without than deal with a company that has let us down. I just hope your happy you’ve ruined our day
Update today march 9th. Having noticed I couldn’t complain to patisserie Valerie head office as they are closed. I rung the branch at Cheshire oaks and spoke to the branch manager. An extremely rude individual who kept talking over me and accused me of talking down to him. I said you deserve it the way you treated my partner and I. I pointed out to him you ruined our day at your establishment and you could of offered a complimentary breakfasts he saud I’m sorry and I gave you a refund. That makes it ok doesn’t it? He said sausages are put in a programmable oven and cooked to right temperature. What about the bacon poached eggs beans etc? I said breakfasts if cooked at right temperature would all come out piping hot. He said it must of been an exception. What!!!! An exception. I pointed out to him all your breakfasts would come out piping hot. Yes piping hot not stone cold. Why don’t these places seem to get that simple fact. I pointed out to him he should act in a professional way. I then put phone down. Rightly so!!!