Maybe I just haven't researched enough yet, but there are not enough places with good soup near my home (in South Bay LA). I would LOVE for Café Zupas to come to my 'hood!
My Mommy brought me here when I was visiting her a year or so ago. She already knew what she wanted so I felt kind of bad for her because as soon as I saw the options for soups and salads and sammiches AND learned I could try all of the soups, I knew we would be there for a while.
I've been to this and another location in Vegas a couple of times each (usually in the evening) and there's never been an especially long line or wait even though it's always pretty busy.
Service has always been on point except the first time I came. There was a young man who seemed irritated that I had so many questions. I'm a curious person! He seemed fine with giving me samples of almost literally every soup they had to offer, but he didn't seem to want to answer questions about them. Once he saw I wasn't going to give up, he chilled and then seemed to become my best friend!
I like that the soups are so full of flavor! My Mommy said she finds some of them too salty but sista likes salt so that doesn't bother me - I didn't find anything too salty. I went once when I was partial (Daniel) fasting and the veggie soup with quinoa HIT THE SPOT! It was delicious! I didn't feel like I was skimping on good taste at all! I also like that there are a plethora of toppings I can add to my soups and salads to make my own creations.
All in all, there is nothing I have ordered on the menu I didn't like. Everything tastes fresh and well made. No complaints there. You get a roll and a chocolate-covered strawberry with your purchase. This is nice, in theory, but let me tell you my gripe with this... the roll is just okay. Sista loves bread but I don't have to have this particular bread. And most people adore chocolate-covered strawberries. I don't. So this leads to my two complaints...
1) Café Zupas charges extra for EVERYthing you add to ANYthing!
2) And they will not do
I TOTALLY get that they are a for-profit entity and that it costs to be in business. And I get that I can be a pain in the rear as I modify their selections by adding and taking away. BUT they encourage me to add all kinds of stuff, and I think the cost of those additions is a little steep for as much as you get. And to charge me for onions on half a sandwich (not even grilled onions or special color onions) is ridiculous. Plus they said they said they couldn't add the onions to the sandwich for me. They ended up putting some on the side so I could add it myself, but really?!?
I don't know... I'd rather add something like onions for free than have okay bread or a chocolate-covered strawberry. But I could be the minority.
And this won't stop me from returning! And wishing Café Zupas would open locations in California!
2018 Challenge - 18 of 100