1 star only because I can't give them less than that! Let me explain why...
We thought it would be nice to have a laid back breakfast at the station and as there wasn't too many places open in the station, decided on The Sir John Hawkshaw Wetherspoons. We've eaten at many Wetherspoons all over London knew what we would be buying and it wasn't very busy (maybe 15 - 20 people already there - not even close to being full (maybe half full?). Most of the customers were all doing the "I'm not sitting next to anyone else, cause I'm in London!" thing. So one table was occupied, the next was empty and so on). We had over an hour before we needed to catch our train, so thought "Cool, we get to relax and have breakfast before we get on the train. And can just make our way to the gate in a leisurely way".
We sat down on a corner table, we had a suitcase and wanted to keep out of the way of other customers. We tried to use the App, which is available at most Wetherspoons, but alas the pub wasn't connected to the Wetherspoons App. That's fine we thought we'll just order at the bar.
Elle ordered; I asked for sliced fruit (yep, basically exactly that....bananas and strawberries cut up.) and coffee. Elle chose eggs benedict and orange juice. The coffee was free refills and self service, so I thought "Yay, bring it on!", we may even be out of here within 30 minutes! I poured myself some coffee and Elle sat with her juice.......and we sat......and we sat....
At 15 minutes, we started thinking the kitchen must be very busy. Although they weren't full, there wasn't loads of people ordering!...In this time, maybe five or six people left and about five or six people came in....if that. We're looking at the time....'cause we've got to catch a train in 45 minutes....I say, "I'm going to get more coffee..." and I did and came back....
And we wait.....At 25 minutes Elle gets up and talks to one of the bar staff if they can tell us when our food will be ready. Usually in Wetherspoons they have a monitor they look at and can tell you an ETA....But they said "soon, it should be out in a minute...."
The minute turned into 10....
At 35 minutes I went up to the bar this time to asked where our food was! Especially as we were told we were just about to get it, and we'd been waiting 30 minutes......Yeah.....the food came...
At 40 minutes waiting, my food, the sliced bananas and strawberries came! Yeah, it took them 40 minutes to slice some bananas and strawberries up! And still no Eggs benedict!
At 45 minutes.....I stopped one of the staff and asked where Elle's food was and when would it be out? To which I was told...."It's just coming...." And it was...But it was cold! Wonderful...Thanks....
We called over the staff member who was serving a different table, and served Elle her food. Told him it was cold, to which they apologised...And took the food away...
Now we're sweating...Will we even have the time to eat and go! We wait for the food and call over the staff member (sounded like he had an Eastern European accent.) and asked to speak with the manager and told him that we had waited 45 minutes for our food, and we had to catch a train to which he said "The kitchen is really busy today...." OK I said "Does it really take 30 minutes to slice some strawberries and bananas though?" And "....serving the eggs benedict cold!! Is this acceptable?" To which is kept saying "It's not my fault!" and arguing with us!
Ok....So we waited another 6 or 7 minutes while they microwaved the eggs and the hollandaise sauce. She got her food. To the staff who delivered the food I asked to speak with the manager again! Because we hadn't yet, and we'd been waiting to talk with him......
Suddenly....All the staff left the bar and there was no staff to be seen! Funny that! Yeah we were not happy.....Elle rushed to eat her food as we had less than 10 minutes to get our train now! We knew weren't going to see a manager, there wasn't even any staff members behind the bar! She managed to eat the eggs, the ham and that was about it! We left and ran for the train....
So let me be more exact with my ratings.....
Customer service.....0
Staff attitude.....0
Manager attitude.....0
Food preparation.....0
Food temperature....0
Likelihood of returning.....0
Likelihood of recommending to friends, family or even enemies....0
This is supposed to be a meal provider, and one within a Station (Cannon Street), people are sitting waiting for their trains to leave! 50 minutes between ordering and recieving food is unacceptable in such an environment. And not being told how long it would take, just fobbed off with lies "it'll be along in a minute!" We won't ever be back, literally anything would have been better!
Bottom line is avoid this place at all costs if you like food, drink or good service or friendly and helpful atmosphere! Eat on the train, take sandwiches, or just eat when you arrive! read more