PizzaExpress (Bishopsgate)

I am a regular customer at the Bishopsgate branch of Pizza Express, eating there regularly once or twice a week. Because of this, the waiting staff know me and up until now I have always had a very positive experience. Usually, I take advantage of the offer Pizza Express runs with Taste London.

Today, I arrived at around 2.00pm and as usual, mentioned to the waiter who seated me that I would be using my Taste London discount card and he said that would be fine. I placed my order, received and ate my food, but when I asked for the bill and handed over my Taste London card a different waiter said that as I hadn’t booked the table in advance, I couldn’t use the card. I explained that I’d mentioned I’d be using the card to his colleague when I arrived, so he fetched the Restaurant Manager. I explained the situation to him and asked if, as I was a regular customer and I had mentioned the Taste London card before I ordered, it was possible to allow me to use the card on this occasion and I’d phone ahead in future. He said that wasn’t possible, and I explained that I was very disappointed at such poor customer service and as such was unlikely to return – even though I’ve visited this particular branch at least once a week for the last year.

At this point, he stood up, and raising his voice, shouted that I was threatening him so he wasn’t prepared to listen to me any further. At this stage, I should probably point out that I’m a softly spoken woman, and at just 5’2” tall, felt somewhat intimidated by this big burly man standing over me and shouting in front of a restaurant full of customers. At no point in my discussion with him had I raised my voice, moved from my seat or threatened him – I had simply pointed out that his poor customer service would destroy the long standing and positive customer relationship I had with his establishment. I was so intimidated by him that I handed over a £10 note for my £8.75 bill and made a run for it without my change.

I felt compelled to write a review because I left the restaurant genuinely shaken and in tears and as a result, I wont be visiting ever again.
Comment on this reader review

4 Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 4
Tuesday, January 12, 2010