John Lewis coffee shop, Reading

That sounds awful. I have to say though that I have never had a good meal in a cafe/restaurant situated within a shop, although one would have thought with a reputation like John Lewis that it should have come up to scratch.

Nothing worse than coming out of somewhere having paid your money and thinking how bad it was. Why did you pay if it was so awful? I would have insisted on talking to the manager, and would have refused to pay.
Good you have posted a warning on here though.

Eeek! Sounds awful, it was ok before as well, why did it need to change?In Summer,we visited a lovely arburetum in the Cotswolds, where we watched a large greyhound ( on a lead with it's owner) bring it's nose up to the plate of scones on the counter, and give them all a good old sniff ( amazing it didn't take one).As you say, open to sniffs and sneezes etc when on an open counter.Yuk.

I have had a couple of meals served in restaurants that were utterly inedible. One was a Spag Bol in the Lake District and the other an unforgettable soup in Harrogate. I sent both back.

Auntieflo, do put this fiasco in writing to Customer Services with a copy to the store manager. They will take notice as they do value customers' comments and complaints.

www.johnlewis.com/contact-us

Oh dear ! Can anyone suggest an alternative venue for the Reading meet-up ?

I had a bad experience there once with my free coffee and cake.
I ordered a flavoured latte . I think she put a thimbleful in and charged me for it.
I complained by email, got a very polite and immediate response and another free coffee and cake.

Your experience sounds horrendous though Auntieflo

I have nothing but praise for the restaurant in John Lewis in Cambridge. I took 3 Australian friends for lunch there including one with very strict dietary requirements. Nothing was too much trouble for the staff who were very attentive throughout our Saturday lunch. Only the credit card machine decided to throw a wobbly when printing my transaction slip. I was very pleased with the high standard of service and said so to the Manager. Perhaps i was just lucky but I am surprised you fared so badly. I am sure customer services will sort out this problem with you to your satisfaction.

Thanks Annodomini, as soon as we got home I did fire off an email to John Lewis via their Contact-us site. I just really cannot understand why the changes have been made, unless it is to save on staff costs. Everything seemed to fine before, but some guru behind the scenes must have spoken. We didn't ask for a refund, as the staff that were on duty tried hard to please us bemused customers, and I knew that an email was imminent. Greenfinch, as to our Reading meet, I can't recommend anything as yet. Thinking caps on .

Does M&S in Reading have a coffee shop ?

We often stop off at John Lewis in High Wycombe for tea after a cinema trip. We have now given up asking for the scones, jam and cream as the scones were dry and when they had no proper cream they gave us squirty cream - Yuk.

So we now wait until they have the free drink and cake and have abandoned a cream tea all together.

Will steer clear of JL in Reading. Maybe M and S would be a better cafe.

I love John Lewis in every way, except their restaurants. I just don't think their food is great and their coffee is horrible, imo.

Gets worse and worse !!How about Patisserie Valerie? Has anyone been there?

I was in John Lewis Newcastle recently. They have an Italian restaurant called Rossopomodoro, (I don't now if it's in other branches too) -I was very pleasantly surprised.

M&S in Reading isn't too bad, I've had lunch there a couple of times.
I normally find JL ok for coffee, they used to use the same supplier as M&S, don't know if they still do.
I've been to Patisserie Valerie in Camberley, nice coffee and cake to die for!

Greenfinch, yes, M&S do have a cafe, and Patisserie Valerie looks very nice, oooh the cakes but I haven't been in there since they took over the premises. Used to quite like it when it was a different coffee shop though.

I complained about the lack of signage in John Lewis, Cheadle, when the 'place to eat' was closed for renovation. I hear that it has now reopened but haven't been there to try it. They are planning a new Lebanese restaurant near the entrance: for those who know the Cheadle store, it will be between JL and Sainsbury's where 'the Kitchen' is at present. I hope it's good because I do like Middle Eastern food.

Why do you have to wait so long to get a cup of coffee or tea in places like JL or M and S? I usually go to the Oxford St store, which is the flagship store and always busy, but they often only have one or two staff on duty on the counter , who quite often are involved in a long conversation while the queue builds up.

I think Patisserie Valerie gets our vote then. Can't resist a cake or a scone. Is it where Pret a Manger used to be ? My DS recommends it too.

I went in the café at John Lewis Nottingham. Disinterested staff, milk in plastic pots, uncleared tables. It was grim.

Hello Greenfinch, no Patisserie Valerie is almost next door to Pret. It is actually on the corner of the road that goes to the back of John Lewis. If you are facing Pret a Manger, it is to the left.

Thanks Auntieflo .Shows how observant I am!

I don't know JL in Reading but I have been in the JL cafe in Watford. The service was very slow at the counter, the food and drink was nothing special and I found it very expensive. I wouldn't go there again.