I used to be a regular customer at this place years ago and went back hoping to treat myself. I ordered at the counter, paid directly at the register, and—as always—left a tip in the container next to the cashier. But when I got home, I realized they also charged me an 18% automatic gratuity on the receipt, without saying anything.
That’s not personalized service—that’s counter service, and in that model, tipping should be 100% optional.
If a server wants to charge mandatory gratuity, there should be full table service: bringing the menu to the table, taking the order personally, checking on the table, bringing the check, and processing payment at the table. None of that happened.
They just brought the food to the table, like any self-service or casual spot.
There’s no justification for adding mandatory tips as if it were a full-service restaurant. I felt misled and the lack of transparency left a bad taste. These kinds of practices push loyal customers away.
If you’re going to include gratuity at a counter-service place, the least you can do is inform the customer clearly—not sneak it in.
Nati
Colombian empanadas are my favorite of them all, I really like the Colombian gastronomy but they charged me 18% tip without asking me. I normally tip cash so that it goes directly to the staff. Seemed like another unnecessary charge. I always take food with me to go and it’d be like $66, this time it was like $95 for the same food. I’d probably just go back for the empanadas, if that. I get that times are tough but they should advertise the surcharge to avoid losing clients….
Isfa Didi
Two adults and a child had lunch. I understand that tipping is voluntary, and today it was included in the bill at the suggested rate for large groups of 18%. I don't understand how they can say a family of three is a large group. I'm not happy with this charge being made to the bill without asking the customer.
Cindy Velez
FOOD is Delicious and Fresh most Importantly Customer Service is Amazing everyone there the ladies working hard yet very sweet nice and friendly and very effiecient . i love that you can order breakfast at anytime . fresh self serve coffee at all times, as well as those yummy fresh breads and fresh cakes for occassions by the whole and slices of cakes too.
diego castt
The food is delicious, it's a pity, the waitresses serve superbly, the last time I went one of them was talking to her boyfriend all the time, and she didn't attend to us, and her partner unloaded her repressed feelings on us.
Evan Yearwood
Delicious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fernanda Rivera
Bad service at the premises
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
SHARNALI DAS
Ordered a 3 tier cake for y sweet sixteen and it was absolutely wonderful! When ordering, the woman who took our order was very kind and patient and always communicated with the chef (?) to make sure our order was possible. They got the specifics (I wanted very light buttercream and sent a specific design picture) correct and the guests also gave many compliments. Thank you!!
The food was very good but the service from the cashiers was very bad, the atmosphere was very heavy with the ladies, a little more human resources for the staff, remember that the customer asks for a service and pays, and the tip earns a lot ?
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Carne Asada Con Arepa Con Queso
Patty Quinones
Small, great place- food taste good and good service
I used to be a regular customer at this place years ago and went back hoping to treat myself. I ordered at the counter, paid directly at the register, and—as always—left a tip in the container next to the cashier. But when I got home, I realized they also charged me an 18% automatic gratuity on the receipt, without saying anything.
That’s not personalized service—that’s counter service, and in that model, tipping should be 100% optional.
If a server wants to charge mandatory gratuity, there should be full table service: bringing the menu to the table, taking the order personally, checking on the table, bringing the check, and processing payment at the table. None of that happened.
They just brought the food to the table, like any self-service or casual spot.
There’s no justification for adding mandatory tips as if it were a full-service restaurant. I felt misled and the lack of transparency left a bad taste. These kinds of practices push loyal customers away.
If you’re going to include gratuity at a counter-service place, the least you can do is inform the customer clearly—not sneak it in.
Colombian empanadas are my favorite of them all, I really like the Colombian gastronomy but they charged me 18% tip without asking me. I normally tip cash so that it goes directly to the staff. Seemed like another unnecessary charge. I always take food with me to go and it’d be like $66, this time it was like $95 for the same food. I’d probably just go back for the empanadas, if that. I get that times are tough but they should advertise the surcharge to avoid losing clients….
Two adults and a child had lunch. I understand that tipping is voluntary, and today it was included in the bill at the suggested rate for large groups of 18%. I don't understand how they can say a family of three is a large group. I'm not happy with this charge being made to the bill without asking the customer.
FOOD is Delicious and Fresh most Importantly Customer Service is Amazing everyone there the ladies working hard yet very sweet nice and friendly and very effiecient . i love that you can order breakfast at anytime . fresh self serve coffee at all times, as well as those yummy fresh breads and fresh cakes for occassions by the whole and slices of cakes too.
The food is delicious, it's a pity, the waitresses serve superbly, the last time I went one of them was talking to her boyfriend all the time, and she didn't attend to us, and her partner unloaded her repressed feelings on us.
Delicious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bad service at the premises
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
Ordered a 3 tier cake for y sweet sixteen and it was absolutely wonderful! When ordering, the woman who took our order was very kind and patient and always communicated with the chef (?) to make sure our order was possible. They got the specifics (I wanted very light buttercream and sent a specific design picture) correct and the guests also gave many compliments. Thank you!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Birthday Cake
Amazing food
Food: 5
Not a bad place for a quick bite
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Restaurantji Recommends
The food was very good but the service from the cashiers was very bad, the atmosphere was very heavy with the ladies, a little more human resources for the staff, remember that the customer asks for a service and pays, and the tip earns a lot ?
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: Carne Asada Con Arepa Con Queso
Small, great place- food taste good and good service
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Frijoles, Chicken Soup, Chicharron
Small place but they make it up with the good food and pastries I had this to go
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
good atmosphere. polite staff. very tasty. I recommend everyone to go to this place.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
good atmosphere. polite staff. very tasty. I recommend everyone to go to this place.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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