Disappointing experience - staff unprofessional & unkind : Lina Stores in Marylebone, London
I had a very disappointing experience today at Lina Stores Italian Restaurant & Deli Marylebone, and unfortunately it left me feeling uncomfortable and unwelcome.
I visited this morning with a simple plan, to have a mint tea and possibly order breakfast afterward. I wasn’t in a rush and wanted to take my time to decide. When I arrived, I was greeted by a lady who appears to be assigned to welcome guests at the entrance and seat them at a table. She showed me to my seat and everything started well. I sat down, felt comfortable, and began looking through the menu.
I ordered a mint tea, which was served without any issues. At that point, everything was fine.
However, things quickly changed. The same lady who welcomed and seated me came back to my table and told me that if I was not going to order a breakfast meal, she would need the table at 9am. The way this was communicated made me feel like I was being pushed out, even though I had just arrived and was already a paying customer.
As a customer, I believe I should be allowed to take my time. I had every intention of possibly ordering food, but I didn’t appreciate being rushed or pressured into making a decision. It made me feel like I was obligated to order more just to justify sitting there, which is not how a customer should feel.
The situation became even more uncomfortable. I spoke to another waitress and asked for the name of the lady, but she refused to give it. Then the same lady approached me again and said she did not want to share her name. This made the situation worse and felt unprofessional.
I explained calmly that I was disappointed with how I was being treated. I told her that her behavior and the way she spoke to me were unacceptable. Instead of acknowledging this, she continued to justify herself by saying it gets busy at 9am and that she needed the table because I had not ordered breakfast.
I understand that restaurants get busy, but that does not excuse making a customer feel rushed, uncomfortable, or unwelcome. I repeated that I am still a paying customer and I should be treated with respect, regardless of whether I order food immediately or take my time to decide.
When I asked for the bill so I could pay, the waitress told me that it was “on the house” and that I did not need to pay. Again, I made it clear that I did not want to leave without paying, as I had the money and was willing to pay. My concern was never about the cost, it was about how I was treated. I simply did not want to feel rushed or pushed out while I was still having my tea. I was there as a paying customer and expected to be treated as one. Though I appreciate the gesture of having my bill “on the house”. I hope that the lady should always practice and show kindness to all customers regardless of the situation. Her behaviour is not a good reflection to the restaurant.
Overall, the experience felt awkward, unnecessary, and disappointing. Good customer service is not just about serving food/drinks, it is about how you treat people. Today, I did not feel respected or valued as a customer.
I hope the management takes this feedback seriously and improves how they communicate with customers in the future. No one should feel pressured or pushed out while simply trying to enjoy a quiet moment with a tea.
