I was expecting a lot more from First Watch after my mother raved about this place. My boyfriend and I decided to get brunch around 1pm on a Tuesday. We walked in and the restaurant was fairly dead. No one greeted us and we then stood around at the front for five minutes, along with another lady, before being addressed. No one said "hello be right with you" and no one apologized for keeping us waiting. I work at a high traffic brunch spot and we ALWAYS find time to acknowledge guests who walk into the restaurant.
We were taken to our seats by a very spacey, awkward server. He seemed flustered, not in an overwhelmed way, but just completely unsure. We asked to sit outside and after being seated the guy says "your server will be right with you." Moments after he returns and says "looks like ill be taking care of you, the other server didn't want the table." It was so uncomfortable and just a weird thing to say.
He was extremely slow on getting our drinks and by the time we ordered food, we had already been at the restaurant for 20minutes!! I placed my order, asking if it were possible to receive one pancake instead of a full order. Again, our server seemed confused, but said it was doable. I then also ordered a 1/2 ham & gruyere sandwich 1/2 cobb salad combo. I asked for no blue cheese in the salad. After the server went to put our order in, he runs outside to tell me that blue cheese doesn't come in my salad, but instead feta does.
When my food comes out, the server had rang us up for TWO pancakes and the wrong salad. He wasn't the one who delivered our food and never came by to check on us. Other tables were given condiment baskets, we were not. I was so hungry i just ate the salad given to me. I dont like black beans or avocado, so it was disappointing that i had to pick my way through that.
The server finally returned, drops our check and walks away. Never came back. I had to go inside to ask for a box. When i went to check out, I mentioned to the girl taking the payment that majority of my order was wrong. She had no sympathy or concern, and her reply was "oh he's training". IF HE'S TRAINING, WHY IS HE SERVING ALONE.
My "one" pancake costed the same amount for the 1/2 and 1/2 combo which was just totally unacceptable. The original price was $9 and only $2 was deducted to get one pancake??
Im really disappointed in this experience for several reasons. I bust my butt to give excellent customer service when I serve, so what i received today was just embarrassing. These servers are the reason that customers don't take waiters seriously and treat us like garbage. From working in the food industry I know that its not an easy job, so I try to be patient when things aren't great, but this was unreasonable.
Management should have apologized and either fixed the error or discounted my ticket for food i didn't even order. Not to mention, Management just needs to be present as a whole! Not once did I see a manager. But i saw two servers sitting in a booth chatting. Someone should also be training better. This was totally unacceptable and overpriced.
The food was good so i gave this place 2 stars, but the experience was horrendous.
Oh yeah, and i got bird crap all over the back of my arm and hand because no one wiped down their outside chairs!!