When getting a cup of coffee turns into a masterclass in how to lose customers:
After a prior disastrous experience at Dunkin’ Donuts on Solano Road, Ponte Vedra Beach (including shocking disrespect toward my elderly father and a level of insolence toward a long-term customer that reportedly resulted in at least one employee being fired), I had originally decided I was done with this location.
Over a year later, there appeared to be a new group of commendable employees—Mia, Alex, Norman, and others—all of whom I have always treated with kindness and respect—as with every employee—but who at least could competently do their jobs. Regrettably, different crew today. Here's what happened:
My order is always a large iced vanilla latte. As simple as exists. I received the drink, added a tip, and left without even a basic thank you. Guess tips are expected, not appreciated. No problem.
One sip and the drink was so bitter it was completely undrinkable. As it was so unexpected, my gut reaction was to actually spit it out! Coffee splattered across my steering wheel and clothes. I had to drive back around, park, go inside.
Here comes the Raggedy-Ann red, waist-long dreadlocks employee who made the drink: "I may have forgotten to add the sugar.” Ya think? Obviously she recognized she'd omitted the sweetener. With absolutely not a single other customer present—in the drive-through or inside—the employee is so absentminded and unconcerned about doing her job properly she couldn't even get straight a mere three-ingredient drink: milk, sweetener, coffee.
Dreadlocks agrees to remake the drink. No apology, nothing. About to leave with the corrected drink, it occurred to me to just give the original to my father instead of throwing it out, as he usually prefers to avoid this location after previously being treated so rudely here at age 99.
Incredibly, I was accused of fabricating the issue to obtain an extra drink. Yes! "I can't give you this drink because I made a new one, and the owners will then grill me when watching the video and asking why i let you leave with another drink. How do I know the other drink wasn't made right?" For real? Instead, she throws it out as to eliminate the proof!
Over a $6 drink, it’s apparently more important to accuse the customer of fabricating some coffee cabal deception than to perhaps compensate her for the unnecessary waste of her time and now having to clean her car! Never mind that this employee was well aware I am a regular customer, and one who spends some $100 every two weeks in gift cards at this very location. That's right! Apparently this carries no weight in terms of credibility.
That ownership would “review video footage,” as if a basic coffee correction required scrutiny, investigation, and internal review? Shall we convene a plenary session of Congress?
At some point, Dunkin' Donuts franchise owners, “customer service” is supposed to mean resolving a clear mistake in good faith—not escalating into accusations and questioning intent.
Rather than conducting a “video review” of my clearly criminal activity—the shocking act of bringing a drink to my father because mine was made wrong—why not try instructing your employees in basic competence and common sense? There’s a reason the phrase “the customer is always right” exists.
This interaction has now cost Dunkin' Donuts my business, for good—over a single coffee, when I spent here more than $4,000 per year. I expect a refund of the sizeable balance on my latest $100 gift card, as I will never patronize this brand again.
Rather than wasting my time further with a written review, I attempted calling Dunkin’ Donuts customer service. After a 20-minute wait (seems the DD complaint dept. is on overload, not surprised...) I was told ownership would call me. I give that zero chance of happening from other reviews here reporting the identical poor customer service, and no such call from ownership. And sure enough, the "promised call" by day's end never happened.
What an incredibly poorly run business.