We went to the Bloor and Bay "flagship" store to look at engagement rings. The only flagship thing about that store was the attitude: noone greeted us at the entrance, even though there were no customers at the store. The sales woman (I think her name was Monique) acted like she didn't want to be bothered. She was very standoffish and didn't even introduce herself until we were leaving, when she needed our contact information for the mailing list.
On top of everything, the saleswoman asked me if I was Turkish (which I am not even close). I like Turkish people and don't care but I can see how it can be offensive for some people.
For the outrageous prices Birks charges for their diamond rings I expected much more polished customer service. We got a much better GIA-certified diamond from BlueNile for half the price!
Birks sells diamonds that are certified by Birks, haha!