Booker Cash & Carry Reviews 190

Absolutely terrible service from Bookers Cash & Carry UK. For over 5 years, we’ve made it crystal clear that deliveries must be between 11 am and 12 pm. Instead, they consistently turn up during our busiest hours after 1 pm, causing chaos. We’ve had to keep extra staff waiting around just to take deliveries whenever they decide to show up.

We’ve raised this issue countless times and keep getting the same excuse, “sometimes it’s 1 pm, mostly after 11 am”, yet they keep doing the exact opposite. At this point, I’m starting to believe they’re doing it deliberately.

We spend a huge amount with them every week, and this is how we’re treated? Absolutely useless. Enough is enough! Time to look for another supplier!!!

10/10 for Steve and the Butchery Team at Booker Acton

Steve is incredibly helpful, knowledgeable, and genuinely supportive. He’s taken the time to guide us through different meats, cuts, and what works best for our menu, his advice has been invaluable.

What really stands out is how much he cares. He’s not just doing a job, he’s invested in seeing your business succeed. Every visit, we leave better informed and more confident, thanks to his wise words and expert knowledge.

I think I may have missed the official vote for Steve and his team, but if I could, I’d give them more than 10 out of 10. Absolute credit to Booker. From the Our Power Hub team.

Absolutely disappointing experience with Booker. Our account was deleted simply because we didn’t make a purchase for a month — no warning, no notice. That’s not just poor service, it’s absurd.

The entire customer experience is close to zero. It’s ironic how once you realise that everything you can get at Booker is also available at Nisbets (often for the same or even better price), you start to question why you ever bothered.

Congratulations, Booker — if this is how you treat your customers, you're well on your way to losing many more of them.

They run a rebate scam but don't pay up, they owe me over £300 but won't pay what is due,local branch very helpful but head office are either lazy, incompetent, indifferent or just downright dishonest

One of our managers visited the Chichester store today and couldnt log in. Girl behind the desk said the card hadnt been used for two years and was now deleted and refused to return it. Very strange as we used it two weeks ago. I phoned the branch and asked to speak to the manager and the lady who gave her name as Lisa point blank refused! What on earth is going on? I have been a customer for 30 years!! Unbelivable. My advice is go elsewhere

Leeds Booker which was previously Makro has always had a bad reputation for it's bad management, they are many Managers in the store and because they have that position name, they feel like it's acceptable to boss you around, belittle and bully you. I expressed that I had never felt welcomed in the workplace and that I didn't like how they treat me and other staff members, their reply was "You're acting like a child" and "If we are so terrible then don't work for us then" This is terrible Management as it's part of their job to help and support staff. They really don't care, everyone looks stressed and miserable most of the time and that's why many other staff members have left and they hire anyone straight away. It was sad to encounter staff members on their last shift at work from being loyal to the company for over 35 years and heading to retirement not have anything to thank or celebrate their achievements on working there for so many years.
Disappointing and wished I never wasted my time working there.

At this point the entire system at bookers needs to be reviewed. Seems like all the brown people get fully scanned but all others gain the benefit of the doubt. Either you scan everyone or you don’t but the legal ramifications of this system are psychologically far reaching. I’ve been subject to full scans and the removal of the scanning device without a reason. The scanning device was returned and no explanation provided as to why it was removed. The staff are as embarrassed about the situation and really have no way to rectify it. Yes the scanner is a privilege but for who?

Worst smoked salmon ever bought. Criagellachie. Have had it before and it was OK. This time bought 5 x 1kg packs. Every pack appeared to have suffered heat damage. Colour completely gone, ( looked like it had been in hot water for a while, possibly to bring it back from frozen), and resulted in tasteless smoked salmon that had to fork off in lumps rather than peel off in layers. Never again. Was very embarrassing to have to serve this .

Amazing staff at the Paignton branch.
Friendly helpful and knowledgeable.
Came in to show paper work for my new account at Booker. Staff and management couldn’t do enough to help.
Highly recommended

Not the obvious option for your shopping but a great range of meats and fresh products often passed over.
I've been shopping at the Wimbledon location for over 20 years. The butchery section in particular is great value and they do a lot of non std cuts like Bavette Pork Belly and Tomahawk steaks.
Staff friendly and easy check out

Do not buy anything from the meat section from this branch an incident occurred where butchery staff I believe Martin threw meat away Accidentley thinking it’s passed its sell by date after realising his mistake he/they went into the bin took that meat out and put it back on the shelf and sold it to customers this was witnessed by few staff members the management Dave Pitt & Aj realised the staff knew about this so they made petty reasons and sacked these members of staff also. Few customers who were regulars at the branch found out from staff members about this incident were banned using excuses like being rude to staff or stealing which they didn’t the retail development who was sacked by Parfetts and walked out by security who is now employed by bookers is involved these 3 management buddies ashfaq Dave and AJ back each other up and cover each others back avoid this place like a plague the assistant manger AJ mum got caught stealing sandwiches adding extra in one case was not banned but the management turned a blind eye to this so avoid this goes above the branch managers so avoid at all costs Saltley branch

Deliveries whenever.Can not believe they can carry on trading like they do.And need new cages.Think some people want sacking..Barnley.

I have retail business. And dealing with booker over 20 years.
They do delivery to. But last 6 month's the delivery service are very poor. If I expecting delivery they will call me in the mid morning they say sorry we can't make it today. It's over 600 items and over £6000
It's not only one's very often.
So my advice don't rely on only booker. Good to dealing with other wholesalers.

If the management team think it’s appropriate for a member of the general public to be verbally abused by another customer, I would query the Booker Policy on harassment and bullying.

Having been a twice weekly customer of the Taunton store for 10 years, the last thing I expected was to be verbally abused by a fellow customer and the following week, my car was blocked in by the same customer ! The Area Manager has been contacted but sadly a reply to my email has not been received.

Disappointed is how I feel.

I ordered Fresh Lamb Shank with my local Booker in Nuneaton. I told them I would collect the following week. They also said they would call when in. I then went back a week later to ask if it had come in as no phone call was made to me however the butcher at first seemed confused then checked and said it had not come in. I then called the Coventry Booker who had plenty in stock so I had to drive and get it from this store which is around 7 miles away.
I went again into Nuneaton store to order again when stocks were low and was told by staff that I did not collect my last order and if they order again will I collect this time. This was said to me by the same person who told me it had not come in the previous order and I had informed him I would get it from Coventry so as you can imagine I was stunned with this reply from him. I replied by saying that last time you did not have it come in so I had to collect from Coventry and I said this to you. I then lost confidence in even bothering to order again as I cannot keep being let down by items not coming in with absolutely no communication. It also is strange how Coventry on most occasions always seem to have the stock. It’s not like I am wanting a couple of packs. I normally order around £150 worth at a time.
All in all terrible service with no thought of customer needs and communication to the customer. I do not believe staff are aware that the customers are businesses and need the stock as part of the supply chain to the end user.
The one star is for Booker Nuneaton however top Marks for the Butcher at Coventry Booker who was brilliant and empathetic and guided me into making sure I get my Shanks for future orders.
I have a local booker who I find it difficult to get supply and I cannot sustain keep going to Coventry, I will start looking for an alternative supplier for the future if this does not improve.

I use Booker Skegness on a regular basis for my cafe but have been really frustrated over the past 2-3 years with the increase in prices and today this just stressed me out I went to the butchery and ordered 10 x 8oz rump steaks now what I’ve seen is that since November 2024 there’s been a gradual increase every time I’ve ordered and this has happened before November price for these steaks £26 and today £43 I’m sorry but this was unacceptable today and spoke to the Manager about this but as usual it’s out of there control the butchery manager has been off work for quite a while but don’t know who to approach has I only realised today that this person I see every time I shop there is actually the branch manager lots of big price increases and not by 50p or a pound but £3-£4 and this is supposed to be an wholesaler I think you understand how I am feeling with this place at a time when hospitality is really struggling and Booker is not helping

Bought mozzarella grated cheese for a small food truck business. When opened the following morning after bring kept chilled, it was mouldy. I applied or a refund but it was denied on the basis that I missed a number off the product code, even though I called the manager and he was aware of it. He told me it was denied due to missing the 0 off. Being pedantic as an excuse to do the wrong thing is bad business practice! The issue was never resolved as I was too unwell to deal with it further.

I went recently to the Burton branch, hadn’t been for a while, i approached a worker there and asked where something was. I then headed towards the till area, i noticed the store manager near me whist i was looking at the reduced shelf, he asked if i was ok, i replied yes thanks. After paying the same guy approached me just as i was leaving and asked if i had something concealed up my jumper, i was quite shocked at being approached, i then lifted up my jumper to reveal my ileostomy. I thought the shock value might be enough to show exactly what was under my jumper, but clearly not!. I complained via the website as no apology was forthcoming on the day, i then got a call from the store manager two days later, who apologised which for me was a little too late. It would seem the guy i asked for assistance much have alerted the manager, obviously they were both wrong. I feel they could have handled this better, done checks on cctv first, took me to the office so i wasn’t made to feel awkward in public but none of this happened. I wanted to reach out to higher management with a view to them receiving future training in how to handle the situation in future. I saw a complaint about Shane Wright on here by someone else, it would seem nothing has changed and only backs up his complaint also. All he said after he approached me was, we have to check, absolutely disgusting behaviour. I also posted about my experience on the Stoma group on facebook they were appalled by my experience and threatened to boycott Bookers, and got me to name and shame them. I will not set foot in Bookers ever again! despite Mr Wright’s comment on the phone saying, i hope we don’t loose you as a customer, well you have. I welcome upper management to approach me, but doubt they will. I can see why there’s so many bad reviews except one guy who praised them saying he’d been to multiple branches and boasting about free coffee. Well its the mirror opposite for me, seems as though regardless of poor reviews they don’t act upon this to make an effort to improve the situation, they don’t deserve the custom. In addition i emailed two email addresses i found via the internet but got no response from either. I would have thought the fact i have to sign in on entry, they have my details on their books should be enough for them to take any action if they really did suspect me of shop lifting. I’m a member after all shouldn’t that count for something? Clearly not.

Been using them for 2.5 years now weekly deliveries. Over the last few months they've managed to just completely disregard customers and become a nightmare.

They have changed everything and experimented with their quite laughable delivery process which makes no sense at all now since some pen pusher has got involved. (Should actually listen to their employees doing the work) I believe this has been ongoing but it's just reached my area. They come when they want basically and the poor drivers are left to deal with the fallout from us customers.

Tracking is pointless. No alternatives are offered to companies who NEED deliveries at certain times and days such as those serving fresh food and allocated staff times for deliveries.

Make a complaint and raise a claim if you get damaged food, wrong orders etc they just reject it. "Denied - Uplift not returned" was the last message. Drivers knew nothing about this. Emailed several times you're lucky if you get a reply. Never once met a sales rep, if it wasn't for the drivers who deliver id have sacked these off long ago and found an alternative. 30 - 50k a year and it means nothing to them. I am now seeking alternative suppliers, hope they start to listen to their employees who know how to do their job. Maybe throw in a touch of customer service by putting your sales rep to work too. 2.5 years and never met or heard from them. Think I got a box of chocolates once (not given personally) passed to the driver to give us.

Look for an alternative if I were you these are on mission to make more money and in the process sacrifice customer relations and service. I've only given two stars because the drivers are excellent and most in store staff are very helpful. As a company they get zero.

Booker has always had archaic technology and poor service. We stopped using them for a while and they sent out a rep to give the charm offensive and promised a change but they might be worse than ever.
Today their systems were apparently hacked so they don't know if deliveries are going out. Although, their payments system wasn't hacked because they took our money for the delivery. You would think a call to the depot could confirm if your delivery went out but the unhelpful staff there say they don't know! Ludicrous situation. They have drivers on the road but can't say where they are going or what deliveries they have. When suggested they call the usual driver the staff at the depot said that wasn't their role so would pass it to someone else - even though they work in the delivery department. I asked to speak to the manager but he isn't in today, on a day (yesterday too this was an issue) when it seems the system has collapsed.
A company in the Stone Age with staff drastically under trained.