"Upon arrival, we found ourselves waiting at the desk without acknowledgment of our open table booking, making the reservation pointless. The staff seemed disinterested in our confirmation and instead directed us to sit and wait in the bar before rushing outside. This strange first impression continued as the restaurant appeared half full yet we were left waiting at the bar. The barman neglected to take our drink orders, which would have improved our experience. After 10 minutes, one staff member informed us that a table was being cleared for us at the front, only for another staff member to seat us at a different table in the back. This made us feel like an inconvenience rather than valued customers. Despite representing over £100 in revenue as a group of four, we felt like a low priority. However, once seated, the typical service experience at a Chiquito chain restaurant was good, with drinks, orders, and food served promptly. We had no complaints about the food and were pleased to be able to use a student discount, saving 25%. In the future, I believe more attention should be paid to first impressions, as my companion was initially tempted to leave but I convinced them to stay."
