ML
Makayla Larry
3 days ago
Very Disappointing Experience – Food Safety and Poor Customer Service
My brother and I visited this Chipotle location in Independence, and I was extremely disappointed with both the food handling and the customer service.
I understand how stressful a rush can be. I’ve worked in the restaurant industry myself, and I’m currently a private chef, so I know firsthand how demanding food service can get. However, being busy is never an excuse to disregard cleanliness, food safety, or basic customer service.
While preparing our food, the employee was not changing his gloves between handling different ingredients. Guacamole, salsa, sour cream, and other ingredients were getting mixed onto my bowl and the outside of my containers. My sides of sour cream and guacamole were covered in food residue that I had to wipe off myself. I asked the employee to change his gloves, and I genuinely appreciated that he complied.
However, by the time I was leaving, I was frustrated that I had paid for food packaged so messily that I had to clean the containers before I could comfortably eat or even put them in my refrigerator.
I asked to speak with a manager. The young lady at the register was very sweet and helpful, and I appreciated her professionalism. Unfortunately, the situation went downhill from there.
Instead of properly addressing my concerns, the manager allowed another employee to speak to me. This employee was argumentative, dismissive, and disrespectful. He repeatedly used the fact that they were busy as an excuse and told me that the employee had already done what I asked. That completely missed the point.
Asking an employee to change their gloves should not result in a customer being argued with or made to feel unreasonable for raising a legitimate concern.
As a private chef, I take food safety and cross-contact seriously. Customers may have food allergies or dietary restrictions, and carelessly transferring ingredients between orders can create unnecessary risks. I have food allergies myself, and although the ingredients involved did not cause an issue for me this time, that may not be the case for another customer.
What bothered me most was the lack of accountability from management. A manager should be able to listen to a customer’s concerns respectfully and ensure their employees do the same, regardless of how busy the restaurant is.
I wasn’t asking for special treatment. I was asking for clean food handling, basic professionalism, and respect as a paying customer.
I hope this location takes food safety, employee training, and customer service more seriously moving forward. This experience was unacceptable and has made me hesitant to return.