"Let me start this review by mentioning that I lived just down the street for over 20 years! My business office is still in Danville, so I still come around often. Having been a restaurant owner in Lafayette, I tend to be a bit more critical when dining out, but I try to be observant and fair in terms of my expectations. I’m generally easy to please and appreciate great customer service. When I receive excellent care, I'm more than willing to spend – I’ll gladly open my wallet! It’s a pleasure to spend money at a well-run restaurant.
When I arrived at Garlex Pizza around 5:50 pm on a Thursday, the restaurant was fairly empty, with just a group of about five people in a back corner. This was my first visit, and curiosity struck me after living in the area for so long. My business partner recommended this place since we both were craving pizza and needed to handle some business. We brought our laptops, expecting to find Wi-Fi, but it turns out this establishment is among the rare ones that does not offer it. To be honest, this wasn't a major issue for us, as I was able to grab my charger from my car and tether my phone without much fuss.
However, what did bother me—and this led to my critique—was the fact that I had to ask three different times about getting online. Each time, there was no follow-up from the staff to even acknowledge their attempts, and I had to repeatedly go into the kitchen where they seemed to be lounging, while customers waited to be served in the front. The lack of customer care was really the main issue here. If I’m in your restaurant and paying for a service, I believe I should have certain expectations, like common courtesy and simple acknowledgment. Is that too much to ask? I don’t think so.
Now, onto the pizza—it was just okay. A bit salty and not remarkable in any way, but I ate it because I was hungry and, let’s face it, who doesn’t love pizza? The young guy who brought it out seemed nice—probably a high school student; I’ve noticed that we Asians tend to look younger than we are.
But then there was the older man in the back who really stood out for his poor customer service. It was his attitude that prompted this critique. I rarely write negative reviews; a restaurant has to be truly awful for me to feel compelled to do so. In fact, I’ve deleted some of my harsher thoughts just to keep it as constructive as possible for my Yelp community and to adhere to their guidelines.
To sum up, brick-and-mortar restaurants have two main responsibilities: 1. Serve good, sanitary food and 2. Provide excellent customer service. The reality is that patrons have numerous options for spending their hard-earned money. A simple acknowledgment, like "Sorry, our Wi-Fi is down" after my third trip to the kitchen wouldn’t have been too difficult, right? Just a thought.
During my time as a restaurant owner, I made it a priority to advise my staff to acknowledge every customer who entered our establishment. Our industry does not discriminate based on skin color, class, or appearance; how we treat our customers should be universally consistent. I truly wish you success and hope you learn to extend great care to all customers. Trust me, it’s worth it in the long run and is a fundamental part of running a restaurant!"
