I have been going to Amsterdam annually for the better part of this decade, and having stayed at the Centraal district, Jennifer's was always a go-to place. In my recent trip, I had several bad experiences and the entire trip only lasted three days!
1.) day 1: I was fresh off the plane and excited to go to my then-favorite bakeshop in Amsterdam. I was charged 8.50 euro for a plain chocolate Belgian waffle with no toppings and a single shot of espresso. When I came back and told the manager, he gave me a free coffee drink of my choice, but that didn't give me the 3 Euros I was overcharged.
2.) day 2: In the morning, I walk into the café to order and a deranged woman grabs me and says "I am here to do something, you order," and then she pushed me. She was conversing with the man behind the counter and tensions were heating up. Outside on the sidewalk, there were about six men in leather jackets, and two of them had tried to sell me street drugs. A fight broke out between a couple of those guys as soon as I crossed the street to get away from them.
3.) day 3: I walk into the café and ask the man behind the counter how much is a donut (different from the two previous people who had been there when I ordered food on day 1 and 2). He was angry and hostile, and responded: "three euro. 3.50 for a filled donut." That seems at least a euro or two above the going rate. So I ask him to warm it up (commonly done to give flavor to donuts) and he falls short of throwing it the plate at me. This, after he likely pockets a cool one or two Euros that exceeded the price I should have been charged.
So, in summary, in one brief 3 day trip to Amsterdam, Jennifer's went from being my favorite bakeshop in the world, to one that I will always tell people to AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE! Horrible service, inconsistent prices, terrible attitudes, and they are a RIP OFF! I get the feeling that some of the guys who work there (like the very rude rip off artist I encountered on Day 3) does not like Americans. I had even written a review on this place which had been favorable, because in my past trips, service had always been good. NEVER AGAIN. Me and Jennifer's Croissanterie are finished forever. I doubt they will even read this because they don't seem like the computer saavy types. read more