Restaurant Reviews & Ratings

It has been a while, but I am still upset about the poor service from ChezMax Catering and Toss & Roll Salad Bar over a Gustazo they offered towards the end of last year.

ChezMax Catering

ChezMax offered $1299JMD for 2 Wraps (Wheat, Spinach, Tomato, Basil etc.) OR Caesar salads with your choice of meat + 2 Strawberry, Mocha or Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothies, Coconut Water or Sorrel with Ginger + 1 Banana Bread that expired December 2, 2016.

My experiences with both establishments were similar, besides the fact that communication with ChezMax was over the phone and that with Toss & Roll was face to face.

My coworker and I love to have something different on Fridays, so I called ChezMax two Fridays before the expiration date and was told they had no ingredients for the Smoothies. I was really looking forward to the Smoothies so I was assured that they should have some the following week. When I called back the following Friday I was told that they still could not offer any of the Smoothies because everything had finished with the large amount of Gustazos being used and it’s almost the final week.

I explained that whether or not it is the final week or day, they should be prepared for the demand, as persons have already spent their money expecting to get a choice from ALL of what was offered.

I already had plans for lunch the following Friday and with the staff’s nonchalant response on the phone and her still being adamant that it was because of the Gustazos, I was not going to wait another week where even less may have been available. I also told her not to argue with the Customer because the Customer is always right, especially since they are in the Customer Service business. I like value for my money so what they did could have been interpreted as false advertising, because as far as I know, persons buy Gustazos based on the guaranteed value of what they are getting at discounted rates.

They delivered the lunch on time for a $200JMD additional charge. I had the Spinach Wrap with Jerked Chicken, Coconut Water and Banana Bread. The Banana Bread was tasty but the Wrap had enough vegetables to feed a rabbit and the Chicken didn’t have a memorable taste so I wasn’t impressed and will never order from them again.

Toss & Roll Salad Bar

Toss & Roll offered $1399JMD for 2 Main Dishes with a choice of 12″ Wheat or Spinach Wrap with your choice of Meat (Grilled or Jerked Chicken); Sweet and Sour Grilled Chicken; Sweet Chili Chicken served with vegetables or pumpkin rice and toss salad + 2 Natural Juices or Cranwatas + 1 Granola Bar that expired on December 21, 2016.

Over the holidays I was busier than expected, but on one particular day I needed a Wrap that was convenient to eat while I had to drive and run errands. I remembered my Toss & Roll Gustazo expired that day so I went there about 3pm. No Wraps, Cranwatas or Granola Bars were available, all of which I wanted. I was not amused and more upset since this was the 2nd issue within 1 month involving not getting my value for money with a Gustazo and food. Not to mention, I was also very hungry. Take note that some persons may even forget they bought a Gustazo for food because they try to save it for the right moment so it almost feels like a free meal of your choice. When that illusion of a free meal is not granted after being so excited that the day has come to get it, no matter how cheap it is, if it isn’t available, people can become not only upset but disappointed. Gustazos are used to help market what places have to offer so they leave a bad impression when they have poor service and do not deliver what persons bought.

At Toss & Roll I was told I could only get the Chicken dishes and Natural juices. Perhaps they thought since food was still available then that was a sufficient substitute. It was not because that was not what I had in mind, even when I bought the Gustazo.

The cashier had quite a sour face and attitude. She did not check into a resolution since they owe me a granola bar and I could hear her complaining to the Chef. At least the Sweet Chili Chicken was spicy and flavourful and the Juneplum Juice was refreshing and not too sweet, but half of the rice and veggies were left on my car seat and floor mat dodging a pothole. So as simple as it may have seemed, the substitute dish was an inconvenience.

Both experiences were reported to Gustazos but no follow up with me was made. I am hoping that establishments in the future only offer what they can handle and Gustazos finds a way to ensure that is so.

● ChezMax Catering

Location: 2 College Green Avenue

Ph.: 876-585-5996; 876-977-3090

● Toss & Roll Salad Bar

Location: 75 Hope Road. Kingston 6.

Ph.: 876-879-3310; 876-539-6886

By: Gabrielle Burgess

If you liked this article, follow Suga Lifestyle or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.