I have been going to Antigoni's, in Turner, for 9 years, at least a couple of times a month. It is an easy and convenient location to grab a pizza, and I think their pizza is very good. The service has fluctuated up and down, over the years, but has become absolutely intolerable.
I went to eat the evening of June 10, 2018, along with 7 other people. We had just been to my daughter's graduation and just came to relax and have good pizza and beer.
We did 3 different orders. They were extremely busy, however the person working up front never even acknowledged us waiting at the counter to place our orders for exactly 12 minutes. Finally, he took my order, which was for a pizza, 2 beers, a soda, and mozzarella sticks. The guy rang us up, we paid, and sat down with our two beers. Our next order was for a pizza, a glass of wine, and a beer. The worker poured the wine, but not the beer, and this part of our group sat down. The last of our group to order, waited another 10 minutes before being acknowledged. They ordered 1 pizza, 1 beer, and 2 waters. This beer also was not poured and they sat down.
About another 10 minutes goes by and the 2nd and 3rd orders still do not have their beers, so I proceed to go up to the counter and ask for them. The guy who was working was extremely rude and told that "beer comes last" and that they have "19 orders to get out" and our beers will come "once they are done with food orders". Really, they ALWAYS pour the beer as soon as an order is taken so that customers can enjoy this while waiting for their food. On what planet does a restaurant fill every food order, before they will pour any drinks? So, we wait. After another 10 minutes, another person in our party goes up to request the beers for the last 2 orders, and they are rudely told the same thing (I mean REALLY RUDELY).
At this point, I am getting upset at the treatment we are getting. Oh, let me mention that the tap beer is directly behind the ordering counter, so the guy literally just has to pivot to pour any beer. So, I go back up once again and ask for my beers. This time the man says "I don't remember you ordering any beers" and basically tells us we didn't and that they will not be coming at all. Of course, none of us were given receipts, so had no proof. I asked for the manager/owner (Sharon). Now, Sharon sees me in Antigoni's all of the time, so knows my family and I are "regulars". She first states that beers can't be poured until "all the food is out". Then, the guy taking the orders tells her we did not order beer. Sharon then basically tells us to pound sand (she used many swear words) and that we would not be getting our beers because "people are always coming in and ripping her off, saying that they ordered beers when they did not". In front of everyone, she is YELLING and pretty much accusing us of trying to get 2 free beers.
First of all, we are regulars. Second, we always order beers with our meal. How dare she accuse me in front of my kids, grandsons, and other family members of trying to steal from her? One of my grandsons, who is 8 years old, started crying as she was yelling at me. It was absolutely unreal. We wanted to leave, but we had already spent close to $100 for food and drinks, and were not about to leave without them. We got our pizzas and still no beers. One of my daughters went up and politely asked for them again and was told "no". One of the workers finally, at one point, took pity on us and sneaked the beers out to us. We gave this person a large tip.
Then, as we are eating, Sharon starts arguing with another customer who is picking up a takeout order. Again, their are swear words exchanged. This customer was pissed off and told Sharon "how dare she treat customers in that way" and that she was an "f....ing b". Then the customer balled up her receipt and threw it at Sharon. We shouldn't have, but we all clapped!
Anyway, not sure what was up, but that night was appalling, and I have no understanding of how an owner can run a business that way. She has always been somewhat "gruff" with customers, but with people like that, I generally go out of my way to "kill them with kindness" and eventually, in the past, I could get her to break a smile. Customers tend to go back, as it is a small town with 1 pizza place...Antigoni's. But, I know a lot of customers who don't just dislike her, but hate her, and her employees do as well. read more
