1 /5 Cassidy Wagler: I spent a few nights at the Delta Hotels Guelph Conference Centre and had two terrible experiences at Cafe Mason.
The first was on the morning of my friend’s wedding. We waited more than an hour to get our food, even though the restaurant wasn’t very busy. When we finally asked what was going on, we were told the chef was having issues in the kitchen — but no one had notified us during that entire time. After we finished eating, it also took far too long to get our bills. I eventually had to go up to our waitress behind the counter to ask for them, since our hair and makeup appointments were waiting. When I mentioned that a few of us would be splitting the bride’s bill four ways, she looked at me like it was going to be a hassle and that it would take a while.
The second time was the morning after the wedding. We ordered drinks, and it took more than half an hour for our iced coffees to arrive — closer to 45 minutes, if I remember correctly. Yes, you read that right: 45 minutes for iced coffees. When the food finally came, it was sloppy and nowhere near as good as the first day. The service was terrible again, and once more, the restaurant wasn’t even that busy (I’ve seen much busier).
When it came time to get our bills, we were all ready to pay — only for our waitress to tell us she’d forgotten to add the mandatory 18% gratuity since we were a group of seven. There had been no mention of this ahead of time, nor was there any signage indicating it. So, we had to wait yet again while she corrected the bills. We were there around 9:30 AM and didn’t end up leaving until around 11 — right when I needed to be checked out of my hotel room. I honestly didn’t expect the experience to be just as frustrating as the day before, but unfortunately, it was.
While the restaurant is convenient, it could be a lot better, and I wouldn’t recommend it if you have a tight schedule.
