Bad hygiene and rude response
annapurnacafe.co.uk linked from their Instagram annapurnacafe
I had a question about bringing my own egg packaging without having to take returned egg boxes that other customers used at home. This was refused and I inquired about it on Instagram.
Part of the Annapurna Cafe response (on Instagram), quote:
“Typically we won’t accept the boxes back if they are in bad condition, but please note that the eggs don’t come cleaned, so will sometimes have feathers etc on the shells which can transfer to the boxes.”
My response was that the boxes were stained which was gross and that there is no issue if there are feathers on the eggs, that is expected and not an issue. But I do not wish to have other people's coffee or chocolate stains or god knows what else that was on the cardboard boxes. That's why I brought my own boxes but the staff declined to fill my boxes giving me their stained boxes.
Hygiene has to be their priority! And with prices, do better!
Further in Annapurna Cafe's response, quote:
“If staff are busy, their priority isn’t transferring eggs into customers own containers, so if you don’t want to use our boxes, please let us know when you order and we can let you transfer the eggs to your own box.”
Here is when I decided to leave a review and stop giving my custom! To tell the customer to transfer eggs themselves because they don't want egg boxes that went through several customer hands and homes, paper boxes unable to wash and with stains on, is right out rude and bad customer service! It's like you sulk because a customer raises hygiene issues that you neglect, and then you sulk by letting the customer do the transfer, which by the way I even offered, but was refused and then given 2 stained boxes.
Secondly, to say that “if staff are busy”, I'm sorry but, I am a customer buying 6 eggs for over £3 and your staff would be busy with that serving me. You are taking the mick, sulking about the issue raised.
I am not a Karen trying to make a scene here, and I didn't want to leave a review, but your response is unacceptable. I worked all my life in hospitality and with food, hygiene is THE number 1 priority.
You could have simply and quickly solved the issue by simply saying, “oops, the boxes have stains, sorry, give us your box to fill or we give you new boxes etc. Simple and without any fuss. But instead, you are sulking with “transfer your own eggs because we are busy”.
You lost a customer and gained this review.
Big chains can afford treating customers like this, but not a small business.
Charging the high prices, which understandably is because the eggs come from a good farm, but then have the standards in place to sell food in CLEAN packaging or transfer the eggs into the customer's own packaging.
Customers returning boxes with their finger stains all over, by god knows how many customers is unacceptable. We had a pandemic recently and regular hygiene issues prevail.
Best wishes, but keep your eggs and I keep my money.