Complaint Review: Mellow Mushroom - Asheville North Carolina

I lived in Asheville for most of the last 7 years, and in that time I've grown to enjoy the Mellow Mushroom there as one of my favorite bars. I think a lot of the above complaining is misplaced, whiney, and wrong. Not entirely, but I'm clearly imagining an old touristy lady who is scared by facial piercings. Yes, sometimes they're slow on the food. That would be my only complaint, but quite frankly, I don't think they do bad - they just get overwhelmed. They are a very popular restaurant in the heart of a city - and sometimes I've been served rather fast. However, to the complain that the people there look nasty - it's true that they hire punks and hippies. And they let those people wear some of their own clothes and keep their own look. But those people show up to work clean, their hands are clean, and they make good food with good ingredients. The tip for larger parties is very clearly on the menu. You don't have to add any other tip, because yes, they do take 18% once a party hits a certain size. Not the only restaurant that does that, and it's not a secret or a rip-off. The mellow mushroom is a franchise, and quite frankly, this one is the best. The bar is rather fun, the people treat you great so long as you aren't an obnoxious snob who judges others by their appearance. If you complained to the actual manager, which I'm seriously doubting because they are neither young nor punks, he would have made things right by you, I'm quite sure. These are honorable people running a good restaurant. They hire a lot of the most flavorful characters in town, but a lot of people stay with them for years, because they treat their employees fairly, and this franchise is owned by good people. I've heard employees whine over the years, but at the end of the day, they all had positive thoughts about their job and employers.

The Mellow Mushroom is not a quick-service nor fine dining establishment. It is extremely casual, laid-back, and NOT fancy by any means. This is not a place to go with your yuppy girlfriends, order salads and water with lemon, and complain because the waitstaff does not meet up to your materialistic apperance standards. This IS a place to go when you want to enjoy great pizza, and relax and unwind with good conversation with friends.

I love this restraunt, it displays the chill atmosphere of ashville....and 99% of people who go there are repeat customers and love the mushroom..... sorry your not relaxed

Corey I wish more customers had been like you in my server career. As far as the Melow Mushroom is concerned, I have to defend it to an extent. It has the kind of atmosphere that the name suggests, so I can understand the appearance of the server and workers. That is sort of the charm of the restaurant, kind of a laid back college kind of atmosphere. This isn't fine dining folks. The pizza is outrageously good and that is why it is such a popular establishment. That said, bad service is bad service and is not acceptable even at a laid back place like the Mellow Mushroom. No, I am not an ex- employee but I have been going there for twenty years, I just happen to go to one with good service.

Why in the world would you wait 1.5 hours to get your salads? I'm not saying it your fault. When I go into a place to eat, little things usually tell me how the meal is going to progress by the first impressions. You said the server looked unkept#1. After 15 or 20 minutes without a salad that should have clued you in#2. The manager wasn't good at his job#3. 5 or more sounds like a rip, usually it's 7 or 8#4. But larger parties do have the tip added on automatically. I would think the name, Mellow Mushroom should have been the first warning. I tip good, usually 30 to 50%, but I like good service. If I get bad service, I still tip, 15 to 20%, but I tell the manager how I feel and don't go back. I wait for my usually servers, even if I have to wait 15 or 20 minutes, they take good care of us and I show my appreciation. They have a hard job.

You wil find that it is policy at almost any restaurant you go to to add gratuity on tables of large parties. The amount of people will vary but it is usually stated on the menu.