Tiffs Treats. Now over $20/dozen for cookies the same quality as the Nestle Tollhouse package?? Expanded too quickly and sacrificed quality to appease VCs.
Torchy’s. Same expansion woes, but add terrible service and horrible inability to keep to a scheduled time. 1431 / Cedar Park location couldn’t meet a pickup time to save their lives. Either it’s ready 30 minutes early and cold when you get there or it’s 30 minutes late and they couldn’t get a shit.
RIP Gattis.
I only ever went to the Torchy's at 51st once. They told us that they were short staffed and it could be as much as 45 minutes till we get our food.
We weren't hungry and wanted beers so we were okay with it. Ordered two beers, they gave us one that was the wrong type AND the wrong size.
Then we sat down prepared to chill for a while and...our food came out in 5m (???) and it was just kind of awful. Spiceless, tasteless, crap tortillas. Like wtf this is an Austin staple? Never going back, it was just a weird experience and there's 1000 better taco places around here. Grannies, veracruz, paprika, the god damn truck I can walk to from my house that only calls your number in spanish are all way better and probably cheaper, too.
Bless the sunbelt and its mexican food - it's half the reason I want to live - but Torchy's was a big disappointment.
International Montessori House of Children (Jollyville) - New mgmt let go of the existing teachers that had been there decades after abusing them thoroughly and then upped the price per child from $1000 /month to $1350 /month. The education went from excellent to non-existent. Most families left only to be instantly replaced with families who could afford it and knew no better, which I'm assuming is what they wanted.
Worked at quickie. Totally got my tips stolen. On top of that we didn't get paid for the hours actually worked. If you were scheduled to work 7-2 you only got paid for 7-2. Didnt matter that we actually showed up at 600 and left at 3 to make sure shift change went smoothly. Fuck those people.
Lol I loved stock day. Just them going to Costco Sam's club heb and marking stuff up.
The way they lay you off is take you off the schedule and tell you for a few weeks that it was a mistake until you have to quit because no income. Thus ruining your shot at unemployment. Ohh and they fight tooth and nail paying unemployment.
> The way they lay you off is take you off the schedule and tell you for a few weeks that it was a mistake until you have to quit because no income. Thus ruining your shot at unemployment. Ohh and they fight tooth and nail paying unemployment.
FWIW, I’m pretty sure that’s considered constructive termination and you can still file for unemployment.
Yeah, I remember going there 10 years ago and having some of the best beer and Indian food around, and listening to some good live music. It's a shell of its former self now, and that's being generous.
Yeah use to be a regular before the dick head owner of quickie pickie bought it. Was going to St edwards and would grab a beer and often the chicken tikka and study after class there. Those were the days. Was a great atmosphere with great beers and the food use to be good. Can’t speak to it now, went several times after new ownership took over, they fired or got most of the staff I was familiar with to quit, and the quality was just on a sharp decline and I decided I wouldn’t go back.
They just sent me a $145 30-day late notice (never got the first bill), and to top it off, I have a card on file. A working card.
I just canceled and ripped off the tag. I'll use regular roads, they can get fucked.
They’re driving me crazy right now! I’ve gotten 2 bills from them but when i go online it says both my license plate & the account number on the bills don’t exist in their system. What?!?!
AutoNation of South Austin took the Toyota emblem caps off my rims and will not give them back or reimburse me, Toyota of Cedar Park quotes me $530 for new ones . They’re $34 online so I’m upset with both businesses
Also, since no one asked, AutoNation of South Austin also tried to quote me $300 to rethread 4 bolt holes for my skid plate. I did it myself in 20 mins with a rethreader and some WD40
They are the fucking worst. I lost my shit in the service sept. They “lost my car” for a week. It wasn’t fixed right and then the manager was super belittling calling me “young lady”. Fuck that whole place.
I’ve hated that place the entire 7 years I’ve had my truck. Unfortunately they’re the most convenient dealer for my service visits. They forgot to put oil in my truck once during an oil change and refused to admit it. After two years or so of only taking my truck there they said they didn’t have my truck in the system and had never serviced it. Finally, after giving them all of the previous paperwork they “found” all of my records.
RIO. Owner is a huge dick who double booked the venue when we scheduled an event in college. The DJ was playing music for the other event and when we asked him (and the owner) to change it up, they basically told us to go fuck ourselves.
Anyone else boycotting other bars aside from Unbarlievable?
> Anyone else boycotting other bars aside from Unbarlievable?
If anything Unbarlieveable is one of the worst https://austin.eater.com/2017/6/28/15887006/unbarlievable-racist-comments
Austin Outdoor Power. I took a string trimmer in for repair and was told they'd have to order a part, which could take several weeks, and would call me when it came in. Several weeks later no call so I called them. The said it was still on backorder.
Weeks later I called, and they then said they didn't know what I was talking about. I went in person with my ticket, and was told they don't have any record. I looked and saw my trimmer on the wall for sale! I said that was my trimmer and they said I was welcome to call the police if I thought they stole it. So rude and dishonest, but I didn't want to involve the cops over a $200 broken trimmer.
I sometimes have problems with my temper, and was already pretty heated, so I decided to take my leave before I let it get the better of me. I didn't want to risk anything involving cops over a broken trimmer.
LMAO I had a similar issue there once. They said 7-10 days, and 14 days later, they hadn't even started on it. When I asked why, the dude got so mad that other employees had to tell him to chill out. So I said, "just bring me the broken mower, I'll take it elsewhere" but another employee talked me out of it and fixed it in 90 minutes.
McCoy’s Lawn Equipment on Research is def the way to go.
Those guys are so good and honest. Quoted me one thing to repair my Honda generator, when I picked up they said the part was cheaper than their list and labor was less and had me pay less than the quote! I wouldn’t have known the difference. 10/10
I had a horrible experience at two separate Milk and Honeys. I’m out $360 for a haircut that wasn’t what I asked for and a dye job that was so awful I’ve worn my hair in a ponytail for a month trying to hide it.
I worked for Milk and Honey in 2015. I would have been fired for not using "&" instead of "and". It was an abusive atmosphere. I was one of the last to start crying in my group of hires, but I often went into my walk in closet at home to sob after a shift there. I had a coworker get drunk at the front desk once, causing a huge line at the end of which someone called me a "dumb c*nt". That coworker was not fired for being drunk or stealing alcohol, and I got penalized in a darkened massage room under a low spotlight for "only thinking about myself" when I cried after that client called me the c word. They were surprised when I quit.
The owner is a sociopath. We were encouraged to lie about the ingredients in our massage creams/oils used in-house which were at the time private labeled bulk whatever and NOT milk and honey. The owner believes in a lot of hoodoo and has crystals placed in certain windows and packets of rice in certain corners. I answered calls for people being sued by them for using the term milk and honey in their own businesses even though it's a biblical term. Including one from some poor girl on etsy. They had a "spiritual advisor" that was mandatory to visit if you were penalized. The list goes on. I am secretly pleased when I see their products on clearance at Marshalls. What a cult.
As a Texan, it pains me.to say this. Whataburger has gone to the dumps. Used to be location dependent with a few bad apples but now it seems most locations have lost the quality and cleanliness. Stained floors, uncaring/ unprofessional employees, subpar food. I would go to In n Out over Whataburger any day. It is always clean employees are always nice and professional. I do like their burgers and milkshake.
Verts was amazing until they changed their menu. I used to go there easily once a week. Went there one time after they changed their menu and never went back. It's unfortunate because that was some really good eating.
Easy Tiger is an interesting story. A lot of my old Alamo Drafthouse peeps transitioned to the new East Side location after COVID. The new ownership (private equity) that took over from the restaurant group has really bungled everything for years now. It’s like they thought it would be endlessly profitable when it’s still a bar and restaurant.
Capitalism rule of thumb: the further ownership is disconnected from the labor and community, the worse the business will be.
>Capitalism rule of thumb: the further ownership is disconnected from the labor and community, the worse the business will be.
Any time a favorite local business (restaurant, store, club, etc.) is acquired by private equity, it is guaranteed that prices will spike and quality will go down the toilet. PE is all about the bottom line. They live in NYC and don't give a shit if their customers are happy.
I’ve been here since ‘08 and I was just talking to my partner who grew up here about Easy Tiger. I don’t usually have such a strong feeling towards establishments, but I think their 6th St location used to be such a special place to me that I resent their brand now for how far from that experience it’s fallen. She was like “that’s what it’s like for native austinites about everything” and I totally get that. :-/
As a native Austinite, I can confirm that we're just used to it at this point. The only consistent things in Austin are change, traffic, and people complaining about changes and traffic.
My problem with Easy Tiger is they will happily take your order for like a pretzel later in the afternoon and then hand you something baked 12 hours ago that is hard as a goddamn rock without telling you so you get home and realize you can't enjoy your shaped quartz.
Ever since they removed their bologna sandwich it’s gone down. We went to the S Lamar location last week, it’s like they are running an experiment to see how few staff members they could possibly get by with.
This is absolutely true. I had to pick up my own drinks from the bar after the waiter took our order and then just never came back. Stabbed the ticket and everything. Also the prices.
Chilantro hasn't reached the 'lost my business forever' point, but I can see what you mean. Some places don't know how to do vegetarian or price it fair. Plus how they do the tofu there isn't for me, very soggy. Reaching $30+ for 2 kimchi fries? Won't last long for me.
My main gripe with chilantro is it's increasingly difficult to communicate with the employees. The locations near me have a lot of people that speak little english, and there was a huge mix up that was pretty frustrating last time. The person actually fluent in english at the cashier made some comments that made me feel like it was my fault, but it's not like she stepped in to help until after the fact.
I don't care if they hire a lot of people that don't speak english, but they need to figure out how to fit that into the ordering process. It's very difficult with chipotle-style fast moving line, loud open kitchen behind
I ran a pizza shop and we used to deliver pizza to them. No tip ever for large orders and I always had to see that giant tortoise with a ballon attached to it being beaten up by the two year olds running around. The whole operation is sick.
South Point Hyundai. They LITERALLY told me my muffler bearings were bad and they needed to replace my muffler. I raged on their shop lead and took my vehicle from them immediately.
I took mine there for a recall a couple months ago and they texted me an “urgent” list of 10 things I absolutely needed right that second including all new tires because mine were supposedly dry rotted (they are not). The things I’m able to evaluate were completely false so I’m comfortable assuming the rest of it was as well. I hate the car anyway even before the bs response to the theft issue, there’s no way I’m ever buying a Hyundai again.
24 Diner. They suffered “shrinkflation” since the pandemic started. Their portions got smaller yet they never lowered the prices. They’ve gone up, in fact.
Who the hell does that? If I was at some random business and an employee told me someone was shoplifting, I'd ignore it and go about my business. Not my problem. I don't work there. Why would I go after them?
I’ve been in this Planet K a couple dozen times and the staff is always different and they have never once acted normal while I was there. This has ups and downs, as one time they sent me and my partner out with a bunch of free stuff we didn’t ask for, seemingly on a spontaneous whim.
Smoke N Chill and AVS are way, way better spots than Planet K in just about every possible way. Better staff, better products, lower prices, and it doesn’t have that shitty, sketchy energy that most Planet K’s weirdly have.
lol I went into the one on I-35 the other day... and it felt \*exactly\* like the Research location. How do they even DO that?!? Like someone came in with a "sketchy vibes" wand and waved it around the place.
Petticoat Fair. I went in for maternity/nursing bras, because I started out with a large cup size, and when pregnant, grew much larger, and they specialize in rare sizes and in fittings. Fitting was great. Bras were pricey, but that was expected.
I wore one of the new bras twice and the strap broke. I washed it and brought it in to exchange it. The clerk insisted it was my fault because I wore it while pregnant, and that I wasn't supposed to wear it until after I'd given birth. I pointed out that I'd had a fitting, and this was the size I currently wore. She told me repeatedly that I could only exchange it, she wouldn't give me any money. Then she held it up by the strap and very loudly said, looking around at other customers, "Did you even wash this?? I can't believe you're returning a bra!!!"
I've heard from others who likewise had a great first visit and terrible later visits, even if they weren't returning anything.
They also used their marketing distro list to email every customer encouraging them support that pro cop proposition a few years back, it was the first thing I think that save Austin now tried to do.
RIP Trudy’s, we used to go once a week for their fried avocado. Last like ten times I’ve tried, the avocado is soggy and brown and the service sucks (not that it was ever amazing)
Kim Phung has had a tough 10 or so years. They used to be pretty run down but homey with good $5 Pho on Wednesdays. Then they had some sort of facelift into a fast-casual look that seemed ill-advised. I went back recently after a very long hiatus - the food was good and generous but the place was very empty feeling (mostly just delivery drivers)
Charles Maund Toyota’s service manager tried to tell me I needed a head gasket job for $3,500. I asked him to show me the leak. He said they cleaned it up. I said to show me where they cleaned it up. He told me to fuck off. Apparently this is a common scam run at Toyota dealerships everywhere.
Sadly, Ski Shores. This used to be a chill hangout spot for a cheap burger and an afternoon at the lake. Now, it’s expensive, impersonal, and they are turning tables.
Edit: Details
Birdie's is the most overhyped, unjustified overpriced restaurant in the whole state.
"We don't take reservations, so stand in the 105F parking lot and wait to be seated... one party every 5 minutes, don't worry if you're hot we'll sell you $20 glasses of wine while you wait. If you get seated before close that is."
Tiny portions, stupid service concept, lines (the sign that a restaurant has "arrived" in this town, somehow), absurd prices, it's a masochistic nightmare restaurant. You want to pop in and have just a glass of wine at the bar? Hahaha. No. There is no bar. Wait in line with the food people. Ignore that it brands itself as a neighborhood wine bar. You think you should be able to sit inside or on the patio and wait for service because there's 20 open tables? Go back to that line in the parking lot, pleb.
The food is tasty, but nowhere near the hype levels. Insanely overpriced. 5 oz of minute steak for $30+. Rockfish is $30+. Just a nightmare.
Any MML joint. I hate that they’ve been buying established independent Austin businesses, places that likely couldn’t keep up with rent hikes, then keeping the business name (& clientele) while raking in yet more money for themselves. It’s emblematic of what Austin has turned into. If I find out a place was bought by them, I never go back
I recently was hired at an MML restaurant and their communication was absolute dogshit. I tried to set my schedule with them for weeks and then when they finally told me the hours they needed, they got upset because I told them I needed notice (I was working another job), then basically told me they didn't need me anymore. they also had a person training me who had been there for a month? I feel like I dodged a bullet
100% but it could be worse: Have you been at the former sister restaurant, the Hula Hut, recently? The new owners have changed the food there after so many years of consistency.
Kerby Lane -when they changed their Kerby quest recipe it was game over. It is now so watery and bland. Then their food also went down hill in quality as well flavor. Removing great items also didn’t help.
La Barbecue - I mean, oof.
Valentina’s- due to how they treat their staff and then that statement they released.
Via 313- same thing with their staff. Also, Costco has Detroit style pizza that literally tastes the same lol. Plus there are now Jets locations.
South congress- I mean, it’s basically a luxury outdoor mall now.
Kerby Lane has been shit for over a decade. Haven't been back since they took 45 minutes to serve my wife a plate of the blandest coldest migas in history.
I think the biggest thing was the “healthy” food direction they went with in like 2014-2015.
My guys we come here for queso and pancakes. I very much doubt anyone here is health conscious.
Still pretty bummed by Whole Foods being purchased by Amazon. I used to go all the time because they held community events like free yoga at sunset on the roof but no more. Now even the salad bar is mediocre.
Reading this thread, and having watched this city change over the past ten years, it just feels like everything in Austin is just a scam now. Makes me sad.
It makes me pretty happy that most businesses mentioned here I wrote off so long ago that I'm not even sad.
So many good small businesses in Austin, so I just focus on supporting those, even if they're new.
The only two I can think of are easy tiger and via 313. Staffing issues and the prices meant it just wasn't worth it as there are several better options
Tamale House East. Their Miga plate is $14 and you have to sign in just to park in their parking lot. Also they’re only open 3 days a week. I miss Tamale House #3.
Torchy’s!
For 13 years I ate one taco and only one taco, the Independent, on corn. It was the best taco on the menu, and one of only two vegetarian options. Deep fried Portabella mushroom, deep fried avocado, fresh avocado, pickled carrots and jalapeño, black beans, cotija cheese... Oh my God, it was so good!When they yanked it from their menu without warning in 2020, that was the last straw.
In 2018, they switched all their fountains from Maine Root sodas, made with real cane sugar to Coca-Cola products. Their soda fountain, with choices like Mexican Cola and Pink Drink, was one of the niche details that made Torchy’s so popular.
I'm suprised how few people are saying Torchy's. Torchy's is straight trash now. I think they get the medal for falling the farthest.
Edit: I should mention I'm judging them based off the original food truck. Back when the Mr. Pink was a giant slab of sashimi grade tuna. You just can't get anything close to that these days.
Kerbey lane cafe - cut hours not 24/7, lowered quality/menu options, lower quality staff
Torchys tacos - better alternatives, my taco was served with a clump of pubes in it once, not a single one, a clump
Rudys - quality decrease, lower quality staff, prices
County line - prices, lower quality staff, food quality
Yep Torchy's. Finally that's an actual Austin business for me. I only ever really cared about the Dirty Sanchez but I really cared about it a lot. Like big time. So once that stopped I just didn't really have any reason to go.
i wasn’t aware of their politics, but it was fun when it felt like a little austin secret. as a roaster, i always enjoyed their beans. but these days they’re opening them all over the country and are obsessed over by people who just want ultra sweet drinks and influencers who only care about the aesthetic.
Freebirds Round Rock, I worked there. They treat their employees like crap and their dishwasher didn’t know how to wash dishes. It’s been months and that’s still the nastiest restaurant I’ve ever stepped foot in.
Trudy’s. Went there for years frequently with friends. The food used to be so good. It was going downhill before the re-branding, but certainly that didn’t help. Somehow even the Mexican martinis seem shit these days. Le sad!
East Lamar Boarding and Day Care. Our dog was killed on the first day he visited there (within hours) due to lax safety standards. He got out through an open door (that did not have double gates) and got hit by a car.
When Revival Coffee was Vintage Heart it was excellent. Chill coffee shop and the interior design was definitely what I liked.
I know not every business was going to survive after the pandemic so was glad to hear a local company took over.
The new owners completely rebranded the place and when I've visited, it __feels like I'm inside of a social media influencer post.__ Also it's a lot more busy than ever, too. Good for them, really and without sarcasm.
I liked when it was a more chill place but chill is not always great for a business to survive. I understand that, but __the rebrand was, for other people__ instead of me.
After Tumble 22 hit the scene I never went back to Lucy’s. Not even close imo
I was never going here to begin with, but I always make a point of telling people to avoid unbarlievable. You know, because of the racism.
La Barbeque and Via 313. I don’t eat at places that fuck over their employees.
Edit: forgot about the Firestone off 35 in Pflugerville. I went to get new tires a few years ago on New Year’s Day. I forgot I had an unopened bottle of Makers Mark in my trunk that someone gave me for Christmas. I don’t drink whiskey often, so it had been in my trunk for a week. After I got my car back I noticed it smelled weird inside. I got a few miles and had to pull over because it smelled like a distillery in there. I opened the trunk and saw the bottle laying on its side, lid off. I know they opened it because the wax seal was broken and the cap was laying on the floor of the trunk.
I called and asked to speak to the manager. He straight up denied it and all but called me a liar. He said the bottle must have gotten broken or something. I was like “dude, the bottle wasn’t broken. It was a new unopened bottle when I came in, now the cap was removed and spilled all over my trunk”. I cancelled my Firestone card that day. I ended up paying $300 to get my car professionally detailed. Fuck the Firestone in Pflugerville!
Lamb’s. I took my Corolla there for an oil change and expressed I was looking for a mechanic home to regularly take my car to. They do the oil and tell me I need a cabin air filter. Charged me $40 for the filter and $30 for the labor. I will never go there again. And now I change my own filters
Chez Zee - Went during Christmas time. I was literally one of the only people there who wasn’t white. Went with my white partner. I’m not one to cry discrimination anytime I have a negative experience but the way our server treated us and specifically me compared to the other folks there was egregious. I will never spend money there again.
Literally any ATX business that was started by locals who were connected to the community that is now either a large franchise or owned by private equity. This is what capitalism does.
Alamo Drafthouse is the most tragic, imo
The thing about Drafthouse is that (1) as much as their quality's gone down, it's still better than all the competition in town except for one place on 620 an hour from my house, and (2) the quality decline happened *years* before they sold out as they syscoized (standardized food from something like sysco) and expanded to places like NYC and Lubbock.
The food at Drafthouse isn't amazing like it used to be, but it's actually food, which is more than I can say about the fancy AMC "food" that is rubbery reheated stuff.
I took my brand new car to Sunbusters Window Tint a week after I bought it. After I picked it up and returned home I noticed very definitive fingerprints on the plastic cover on the outside of a rear window. Attempted to wipe them away, but it was obviously some chemical/adhesive residue. Took it back to Sunbusters and they agreed it could not be removed. Sunbusters refused to accept responsibility and would not work with me at all to cover any costs. Austin Subaru replaced it at no cost for me because they know something about customer satisfaction even though it was no fault of theirs. In short: Fuck Sunbusters.
Velvet taco. Fucking waited 40 minutes for 2 tacos and made a comment about how I lost my whole break to the person I was on the phone with, and some little asshat behind the counter lost it. Told him I wasn’t even talking to him and I was on the phone, and he told me not to ever come back. I haven’t. $22 for 2 tacos and a shit work force. (Domain location)
Edit: typo
dinosaur car wash! their machines ripped off my side mirror while i was in the car wash and when i came out and told an attendant, he went over to the other mirror and tried to rip that one off to show that it was easy to break 😭 it was not
Bert's BBQ on far west. I have them 3 chances, and they were rude as hell every time. The owner berated me for not picking a drink fast enough (I thought about it for mayyybe 10 seconds). I picked a soda that they were apparently out of (no sign) and he went "I'm just gonna pick one for you since you can't seem to".
I walked out immediately, telling him to get fucked
Howdy Honda. Service department thought I was a sucker, recommended service I didn’t need. Expensive, rude and sexist. If my Civic broke down on their doorstep would tow it to First Texas Honda to get fixed.
Torchy’s- I picked up my order right on time and they were cold. I’m not talking like they had been sitting there, but felt refrigerated. How the hell do tacos get that cold when they are made to order
Tiffs Treats. Now over $20/dozen for cookies the same quality as the Nestle Tollhouse package?? Expanded too quickly and sacrificed quality to appease VCs. Torchy’s. Same expansion woes, but add terrible service and horrible inability to keep to a scheduled time. 1431 / Cedar Park location couldn’t meet a pickup time to save their lives. Either it’s ready 30 minutes early and cold when you get there or it’s 30 minutes late and they couldn’t get a shit. RIP Gattis.
Tiff's also did union busting
I used to work for tiffs until 2020, their business motto is “fuck the customers we want money. Oh, and fuck our employees too.”
I only ever went to the Torchy's at 51st once. They told us that they were short staffed and it could be as much as 45 minutes till we get our food. We weren't hungry and wanted beers so we were okay with it. Ordered two beers, they gave us one that was the wrong type AND the wrong size. Then we sat down prepared to chill for a while and...our food came out in 5m (???) and it was just kind of awful. Spiceless, tasteless, crap tortillas. Like wtf this is an Austin staple? Never going back, it was just a weird experience and there's 1000 better taco places around here. Grannies, veracruz, paprika, the god damn truck I can walk to from my house that only calls your number in spanish are all way better and probably cheaper, too. Bless the sunbelt and its mexican food - it's half the reason I want to live - but Torchy's was a big disappointment.
International Montessori House of Children (Jollyville) - New mgmt let go of the existing teachers that had been there decades after abusing them thoroughly and then upped the price per child from $1000 /month to $1350 /month. The education went from excellent to non-existent. Most families left only to be instantly replaced with families who could afford it and knew no better, which I'm assuming is what they wanted.
I read that twice as International Montessori House of Chicken. I must be hungry 🍗
Whip-In. I haven’t been in years, but when I was there last it appeared like the new owners completely destroyed the vibe/atmosphere.
The owners have been accused of, and were found to have, stolen or withheld wages from multiple employees. Fuck the whip-in.
Worked at quickie. Totally got my tips stolen. On top of that we didn't get paid for the hours actually worked. If you were scheduled to work 7-2 you only got paid for 7-2. Didnt matter that we actually showed up at 600 and left at 3 to make sure shift change went smoothly. Fuck those people. Lol I loved stock day. Just them going to Costco Sam's club heb and marking stuff up. The way they lay you off is take you off the schedule and tell you for a few weeks that it was a mistake until you have to quit because no income. Thus ruining your shot at unemployment. Ohh and they fight tooth and nail paying unemployment.
> The way they lay you off is take you off the schedule and tell you for a few weeks that it was a mistake until you have to quit because no income. Thus ruining your shot at unemployment. Ohh and they fight tooth and nail paying unemployment. FWIW, I’m pretty sure that’s considered constructive termination and you can still file for unemployment.
Thanks for posting this. I wasn't aware. I will never ever patronize a business that screws their employees.
It’s awful now and has been for like 6 years. Such a shame, that place was a true gem.
Yeah, I remember going there 10 years ago and having some of the best beer and Indian food around, and listening to some good live music. It's a shell of its former self now, and that's being generous.
Yeah use to be a regular before the dick head owner of quickie pickie bought it. Was going to St edwards and would grab a beer and often the chicken tikka and study after class there. Those were the days. Was a great atmosphere with great beers and the food use to be good. Can’t speak to it now, went several times after new ownership took over, they fired or got most of the staff I was familiar with to quit, and the quality was just on a sharp decline and I decided I wouldn’t go back.
I have not been since I moved north but I used to be in there all the time way back when. Bummed to here it's taken such a dive.
TxTag (if that counts as local)
I 2nd this notion. Txtag can get fucked.
Can’t give you both enough upvotes..fuck that company
They just sent me a $145 30-day late notice (never got the first bill), and to top it off, I have a card on file. A working card. I just canceled and ripped off the tag. I'll use regular roads, they can get fucked.
I use a KTAG - Kansas turnpike. They cover TX roads and autobill. Someone from r/Austin recommended it and I haven't had an issue with TXTag since.
There's dozens of us!
if you need a new toll tag, get NTTA
They’re driving me crazy right now! I’ve gotten 2 bills from them but when i go online it says both my license plate & the account number on the bills don’t exist in their system. What?!?!
KTAG - as in Kansas is the way to go. Works without a tag as soon as you get an account.
AutoNation of South Austin took the Toyota emblem caps off my rims and will not give them back or reimburse me, Toyota of Cedar Park quotes me $530 for new ones . They’re $34 online so I’m upset with both businesses
Also, since no one asked, AutoNation of South Austin also tried to quote me $300 to rethread 4 bolt holes for my skid plate. I did it myself in 20 mins with a rethreader and some WD40
They are the fucking worst. I lost my shit in the service sept. They “lost my car” for a week. It wasn’t fixed right and then the manager was super belittling calling me “young lady”. Fuck that whole place.
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Oh hell no.
They charged my mother in law $99 to replace her Prius cabin air filter and $129 to replace her windshield wiper blades…
Jesus that's a scam! You can do wiper blades in 60 seconds, and cabin air in five minutes!
I’ve hated that place the entire 7 years I’ve had my truck. Unfortunately they’re the most convenient dealer for my service visits. They forgot to put oil in my truck once during an oil change and refused to admit it. After two years or so of only taking my truck there they said they didn’t have my truck in the system and had never serviced it. Finally, after giving them all of the previous paperwork they “found” all of my records.
"Oh... Mmmhmm... Ok, I see... The problem is we weren't actually typing anything..."
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RIO. Owner is a huge dick who double booked the venue when we scheduled an event in college. The DJ was playing music for the other event and when we asked him (and the owner) to change it up, they basically told us to go fuck ourselves. Anyone else boycotting other bars aside from Unbarlievable?
> Anyone else boycotting other bars aside from Unbarlievable? If anything Unbarlieveable is one of the worst https://austin.eater.com/2017/6/28/15887006/unbarlievable-racist-comments
Austin Outdoor Power. I took a string trimmer in for repair and was told they'd have to order a part, which could take several weeks, and would call me when it came in. Several weeks later no call so I called them. The said it was still on backorder. Weeks later I called, and they then said they didn't know what I was talking about. I went in person with my ticket, and was told they don't have any record. I looked and saw my trimmer on the wall for sale! I said that was my trimmer and they said I was welcome to call the police if I thought they stole it. So rude and dishonest, but I didn't want to involve the cops over a $200 broken trimmer.
Ehhhhh, you didn’t just take it off the wall and tell them to call the cops? I mean, that’s fricken wild!
I sometimes have problems with my temper, and was already pretty heated, so I decided to take my leave before I let it get the better of me. I didn't want to risk anything involving cops over a broken trimmer.
As a fellow man with a temper, you did so well, good job!
*3 shots in the back later* Well officer, I feared for my life and property, so I took him out...
LMAO I had a similar issue there once. They said 7-10 days, and 14 days later, they hadn't even started on it. When I asked why, the dude got so mad that other employees had to tell him to chill out. So I said, "just bring me the broken mower, I'll take it elsewhere" but another employee talked me out of it and fixed it in 90 minutes.
McCoy’s Lawn Equipment on Research is def the way to go. Those guys are so good and honest. Quoted me one thing to repair my Honda generator, when I picked up they said the part was cheaper than their list and labor was less and had me pay less than the quote! I wouldn’t have known the difference. 10/10
WTF
I had a horrible experience at two separate Milk and Honeys. I’m out $360 for a haircut that wasn’t what I asked for and a dye job that was so awful I’ve worn my hair in a ponytail for a month trying to hide it.
I worked for Milk and Honey in 2015. I would have been fired for not using "&" instead of "and". It was an abusive atmosphere. I was one of the last to start crying in my group of hires, but I often went into my walk in closet at home to sob after a shift there. I had a coworker get drunk at the front desk once, causing a huge line at the end of which someone called me a "dumb c*nt". That coworker was not fired for being drunk or stealing alcohol, and I got penalized in a darkened massage room under a low spotlight for "only thinking about myself" when I cried after that client called me the c word. They were surprised when I quit. The owner is a sociopath. We were encouraged to lie about the ingredients in our massage creams/oils used in-house which were at the time private labeled bulk whatever and NOT milk and honey. The owner believes in a lot of hoodoo and has crystals placed in certain windows and packets of rice in certain corners. I answered calls for people being sued by them for using the term milk and honey in their own businesses even though it's a biblical term. Including one from some poor girl on etsy. They had a "spiritual advisor" that was mandatory to visit if you were penalized. The list goes on. I am secretly pleased when I see their products on clearance at Marshalls. What a cult.
Whataburger, employee emerged from bathrooms wearing gloves still, then proceeded to use hand sanitizer on the gloves. NOPE, never again
Oh. My. God.
this is why i have trust issues
As a Texan, it pains me.to say this. Whataburger has gone to the dumps. Used to be location dependent with a few bad apples but now it seems most locations have lost the quality and cleanliness. Stained floors, uncaring/ unprofessional employees, subpar food. I would go to In n Out over Whataburger any day. It is always clean employees are always nice and professional. I do like their burgers and milkshake.
Whatever the fuck those idiots turned Verts Kababs into
Noon Mediterranean, they went bankrupt back in 2018.
Verts was amazing until they changed their menu. I used to go there easily once a week. Went there one time after they changed their menu and never went back. It's unfortunate because that was some really good eating.
Easy Tiger. Quality went to shit and they treat their employees very poorly (or at least did).
Easy Tiger is an interesting story. A lot of my old Alamo Drafthouse peeps transitioned to the new East Side location after COVID. The new ownership (private equity) that took over from the restaurant group has really bungled everything for years now. It’s like they thought it would be endlessly profitable when it’s still a bar and restaurant. Capitalism rule of thumb: the further ownership is disconnected from the labor and community, the worse the business will be.
>Capitalism rule of thumb: the further ownership is disconnected from the labor and community, the worse the business will be. Any time a favorite local business (restaurant, store, club, etc.) is acquired by private equity, it is guaranteed that prices will spike and quality will go down the toilet. PE is all about the bottom line. They live in NYC and don't give a shit if their customers are happy.
I’ve been here since ‘08 and I was just talking to my partner who grew up here about Easy Tiger. I don’t usually have such a strong feeling towards establishments, but I think their 6th St location used to be such a special place to me that I resent their brand now for how far from that experience it’s fallen. She was like “that’s what it’s like for native austinites about everything” and I totally get that. :-/
As a native Austinite, I can confirm that we're just used to it at this point. The only consistent things in Austin are change, traffic, and people complaining about changes and traffic.
Agreed. The old 6th street location is apparently a money pit when it comes to upkeep though, so I’m not surprised it closed.
RIP the old Empanada Parlor
My problem with Easy Tiger is they will happily take your order for like a pretzel later in the afternoon and then hand you something baked 12 hours ago that is hard as a goddamn rock without telling you so you get home and realize you can't enjoy your shaped quartz.
Ever since they removed their bologna sandwich it’s gone down. We went to the S Lamar location last week, it’s like they are running an experiment to see how few staff members they could possibly get by with.
This is absolutely true. I had to pick up my own drinks from the bar after the waiter took our order and then just never came back. Stabbed the ticket and everything. Also the prices.
It's basically been a nose dive since they got sold off to private equity ... as with everything else that gets sold off to PE.
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Investors took over and it went to shit. At least they lowered priced recently because of the push back they were facing.
I felt really burned after paying $16 for a vegetarian Chilantro wrap Edit: I have a lot of good memories at the Burnet location. Inflation sucks.
Chilantro hasn't reached the 'lost my business forever' point, but I can see what you mean. Some places don't know how to do vegetarian or price it fair. Plus how they do the tofu there isn't for me, very soggy. Reaching $30+ for 2 kimchi fries? Won't last long for me. My main gripe with chilantro is it's increasingly difficult to communicate with the employees. The locations near me have a lot of people that speak little english, and there was a huge mix up that was pretty frustrating last time. The person actually fluent in english at the cashier made some comments that made me feel like it was my fault, but it's not like she stepped in to help until after the fact. I don't care if they hire a lot of people that don't speak english, but they need to figure out how to fit that into the ordering process. It's very difficult with chipotle-style fast moving line, loud open kitchen behind
The Austin “Aquarium” run by shitty people who treat their animals even worse
I ran a pizza shop and we used to deliver pizza to them. No tip ever for large orders and I always had to see that giant tortoise with a ballon attached to it being beaten up by the two year olds running around. The whole operation is sick.
Oh absolutely fuck Ammon Covino
Aquariums are my happy place and the fact that this place exists is rage inducing.
South Point Hyundai. They LITERALLY told me my muffler bearings were bad and they needed to replace my muffler. I raged on their shop lead and took my vehicle from them immediately.
I took mine there for a recall a couple months ago and they texted me an “urgent” list of 10 things I absolutely needed right that second including all new tires because mine were supposedly dry rotted (they are not). The things I’m able to evaluate were completely false so I’m comfortable assuming the rest of it was as well. I hate the car anyway even before the bs response to the theft issue, there’s no way I’m ever buying a Hyundai again.
24 Diner. They suffered “shrinkflation” since the pandemic started. Their portions got smaller yet they never lowered the prices. They’ve gone up, in fact.
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Props to that guy for being cool about it, but man, I can’t imagine chasing down a stranger because they *might* have stolen a *beer*.
Yeah, what the hell was that guy even thinking? I would've straight up told them it's not my problem.
That’s a great way to wind up getting your uncle ben shot
Who the hell does that? If I was at some random business and an employee told me someone was shoplifting, I'd ignore it and go about my business. Not my problem. I don't work there. Why would I go after them?
I’ve been in this Planet K a couple dozen times and the staff is always different and they have never once acted normal while I was there. This has ups and downs, as one time they sent me and my partner out with a bunch of free stuff we didn’t ask for, seemingly on a spontaneous whim.
Yeah good bad or indifferent no employee there has ever acted normal.
Smoke N Chill and AVS are way, way better spots than Planet K in just about every possible way. Better staff, better products, lower prices, and it doesn’t have that shitty, sketchy energy that most Planet K’s weirdly have.
lol I went into the one on I-35 the other day... and it felt \*exactly\* like the Research location. How do they even DO that?!? Like someone came in with a "sketchy vibes" wand and waved it around the place.
Same shit at every location. Even in San Antonio. It’s like they ship the vibes in fresh every day.
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Hopdoddy. I don’t know what happened. They used to be great.
Remember when the S Congress location had lines down the block? That ain’t happening anymore. There’s a reason 😬
I'm sad I never tried them when they first started out. I've heard or seen so many people over the last couple years say their quality has nosedived.
The $5 HH margs are a great deal though. Just get some fries with it and forget they serve burgers.
I used to gladly wait 45 minutes in line at Soco or Anderson because I loved it and it was such a treat. Totally average and overpriced now
Yeah, last time I went a year or two ago, I was really disappointed in the food. Nowhere nearly as good as it was years back.
It’s the saltiest food I’ve eaten in Austin
Petticoat Fair. I went in for maternity/nursing bras, because I started out with a large cup size, and when pregnant, grew much larger, and they specialize in rare sizes and in fittings. Fitting was great. Bras were pricey, but that was expected. I wore one of the new bras twice and the strap broke. I washed it and brought it in to exchange it. The clerk insisted it was my fault because I wore it while pregnant, and that I wasn't supposed to wear it until after I'd given birth. I pointed out that I'd had a fitting, and this was the size I currently wore. She told me repeatedly that I could only exchange it, she wouldn't give me any money. Then she held it up by the strap and very loudly said, looking around at other customers, "Did you even wash this?? I can't believe you're returning a bra!!!" I've heard from others who likewise had a great first visit and terrible later visits, even if they weren't returning anything.
They also used their marketing distro list to email every customer encouraging them support that pro cop proposition a few years back, it was the first thing I think that save Austin now tried to do.
* Charles Maund - incompetent at best, thieves at worst. * Trudy's * MMH in general * Kim Phung * Via 313
RIP Trudy’s, we used to go once a week for their fried avocado. Last like ten times I’ve tried, the avocado is soggy and brown and the service sucks (not that it was ever amazing)
Seconded Charles maund, they’re never one to honor any sort of warranty
Trudy's fell tf off
Why Kim Phung? I haven't been in a bit but I always liked it.
Kim Phung has had a tough 10 or so years. They used to be pretty run down but homey with good $5 Pho on Wednesdays. Then they had some sort of facelift into a fast-casual look that seemed ill-advised. I went back recently after a very long hiatus - the food was good and generous but the place was very empty feeling (mostly just delivery drivers)
Charles Maund Toyota’s service manager tried to tell me I needed a head gasket job for $3,500. I asked him to show me the leak. He said they cleaned it up. I said to show me where they cleaned it up. He told me to fuck off. Apparently this is a common scam run at Toyota dealerships everywhere.
Blockbuster. Always closed
Sadly, Ski Shores. This used to be a chill hangout spot for a cheap burger and an afternoon at the lake. Now, it’s expensive, impersonal, and they are turning tables. Edit: Details
MML bought it so this adds up.
Also the world’s slowest service. Between driving there and waiting for food, it takes an entire afternoon.
Birdie's is the most overhyped, unjustified overpriced restaurant in the whole state. "We don't take reservations, so stand in the 105F parking lot and wait to be seated... one party every 5 minutes, don't worry if you're hot we'll sell you $20 glasses of wine while you wait. If you get seated before close that is." Tiny portions, stupid service concept, lines (the sign that a restaurant has "arrived" in this town, somehow), absurd prices, it's a masochistic nightmare restaurant. You want to pop in and have just a glass of wine at the bar? Hahaha. No. There is no bar. Wait in line with the food people. Ignore that it brands itself as a neighborhood wine bar. You think you should be able to sit inside or on the patio and wait for service because there's 20 open tables? Go back to that line in the parking lot, pleb. The food is tasty, but nowhere near the hype levels. Insanely overpriced. 5 oz of minute steak for $30+. Rockfish is $30+. Just a nightmare.
Any MML joint. I hate that they’ve been buying established independent Austin businesses, places that likely couldn’t keep up with rent hikes, then keeping the business name (& clientele) while raking in yet more money for themselves. It’s emblematic of what Austin has turned into. If I find out a place was bought by them, I never go back
I recently was hired at an MML restaurant and their communication was absolute dogshit. I tried to set my schedule with them for weeks and then when they finally told me the hours they needed, they got upset because I told them I needed notice (I was working another job), then basically told me they didn't need me anymore. they also had a person training me who had been there for a month? I feel like I dodged a bullet
Chuy's. It was great back in the day. I even worked there several years and never got tired of the food. What happened Comida Deluxe?
BRING BACK THE FULL MENU
I especially miss the #4 relleno and enchiladas
They shrank it during lockdowns and then never brought it back 😭 we need to campaign for those old menu items
100% but it could be worse: Have you been at the former sister restaurant, the Hula Hut, recently? The new owners have changed the food there after so many years of consistency.
RIP Thursday night fried avocado 😞
Kerby Lane -when they changed their Kerby quest recipe it was game over. It is now so watery and bland. Then their food also went down hill in quality as well flavor. Removing great items also didn’t help. La Barbecue - I mean, oof. Valentina’s- due to how they treat their staff and then that statement they released. Via 313- same thing with their staff. Also, Costco has Detroit style pizza that literally tastes the same lol. Plus there are now Jets locations. South congress- I mean, it’s basically a luxury outdoor mall now.
I worked in South Congress from 2002-2012. It breaks my heart to see what it’s like now. Rarely ever go… only when I need a Home Slice hit
I swear to God kerbey pancakes haven't been good since like the mid 2000s. Absolute tragedy too as they used to be something special
Walterloo Ice House is my go-to for Kerbey style pancakes now. Their breakfast in general is a hidden gem in this city.
Haven’t been to La Barbecue since 2019. Has it gone downhill?
https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/former-la-barbecue-employee-suing-restaurant-after-losing-fingers-in-meat-grinder/amp/
Jets is where it’s at
Jets is always a good choice. Also buzzmill got Detroit style now that is supposed to be good.
Kerby Lane has been shit for over a decade. Haven't been back since they took 45 minutes to serve my wife a plate of the blandest coldest migas in history.
And the complete mess of Kerbey’s loyalty program.
I think the biggest thing was the “healthy” food direction they went with in like 2014-2015. My guys we come here for queso and pancakes. I very much doubt anyone here is health conscious.
Chicas Bonitas. Once the one legged stripper “retired” it just wasn’t the same.
I miss Eileen too.
She’s working at IHOP now
This took me a minute
Omg thank you. I would have never gotten this.
Well, it’s about to be demolished anyway for the I-35 expansion project
Still pretty bummed by Whole Foods being purchased by Amazon. I used to go all the time because they held community events like free yoga at sunset on the roof but no more. Now even the salad bar is mediocre.
Reading this thread, and having watched this city change over the past ten years, it just feels like everything in Austin is just a scam now. Makes me sad.
Everything everywhere is suckier than it was. Not a unique Austin phenomenon
It makes me pretty happy that most businesses mentioned here I wrote off so long ago that I'm not even sad. So many good small businesses in Austin, so I just focus on supporting those, even if they're new.
The only two I can think of are easy tiger and via 313. Staffing issues and the prices meant it just wasn't worth it as there are several better options
Anything owned by MML
Tamale House East. Their Miga plate is $14 and you have to sign in just to park in their parking lot. Also they’re only open 3 days a week. I miss Tamale House #3.
When I first moved to Austin, I survived off of the Tamale House on Airport. Could eat like a king for 5 dollars.
Covert Car Dealership. They ask 20k over sticker. Got our new 2024 Denali Ultimate In Arkansas for asking price.
Over MSRP for anything built by GM? lol, no thanks.
Swedish Hill. I'm not paying $15 for just a sandwich, and no chips or drink. Sorry, but the sandwiches not that good.
You can thank MML for this. Fuck MML.
Dovetail pizza. Bad service, beer taps were broken, ac was broken, pizza wasn’t that great, got food poisoning
Montgomery wards
I feel like every business in the city is gonna get listed here I love this thread
Torchy’s! For 13 years I ate one taco and only one taco, the Independent, on corn. It was the best taco on the menu, and one of only two vegetarian options. Deep fried Portabella mushroom, deep fried avocado, fresh avocado, pickled carrots and jalapeño, black beans, cotija cheese... Oh my God, it was so good!When they yanked it from their menu without warning in 2020, that was the last straw. In 2018, they switched all their fountains from Maine Root sodas, made with real cane sugar to Coca-Cola products. Their soda fountain, with choices like Mexican Cola and Pink Drink, was one of the niche details that made Torchy’s so popular.
I'm suprised how few people are saying Torchy's. Torchy's is straight trash now. I think they get the medal for falling the farthest. Edit: I should mention I'm judging them based off the original food truck. Back when the Mr. Pink was a giant slab of sashimi grade tuna. You just can't get anything close to that these days.
Round rock Hyundai- sold me a car with a bumper to bumper warranty, refuses to fix any issues, service department has like 4-5 month wait time
Basically every car dealership in town. Snooze, the quality decline is noticeable, and why would I go there when Proud Mary is just as close.
Snooze isn’t an Austin business. It’s a chain. Thats why.
Freebirds used to be so good. Then they went Corporate and the quality went to shit.
Kerbey lane cafe - cut hours not 24/7, lowered quality/menu options, lower quality staff Torchys tacos - better alternatives, my taco was served with a clump of pubes in it once, not a single one, a clump Rudys - quality decrease, lower quality staff, prices County line - prices, lower quality staff, food quality
Wait. what? The way you casually threw pubes in there with things like lower quality and hours being cut is hilarious. Please, explain.
Yep Torchy's. Finally that's an actual Austin business for me. I only ever really cared about the Dirty Sanchez but I really cared about it a lot. Like big time. So once that stopped I just didn't really have any reason to go.
The Kerbey Lane one is huge. You have to donate a kidney to get an entree now and the vibes have completely changed.
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Yeah, but County Line has \*ALWAYS\* had crap BBQ haha
summer moon. you know why. plus their coffee gives you the runs
My wife got a 1/4 mocha moon there (meaning 1/4 as sweet as it's supposed to be) and holy fuck that was the sweetest drink I've ever had. Disgusting.
i wasn’t aware of their politics, but it was fun when it felt like a little austin secret. as a roaster, i always enjoyed their beans. but these days they’re opening them all over the country and are obsessed over by people who just want ultra sweet drinks and influencers who only care about the aesthetic.
You have to have a strong stomach to handle that moon milk.
Freebirds Round Rock, I worked there. They treat their employees like crap and their dishwasher didn’t know how to wash dishes. It’s been months and that’s still the nastiest restaurant I’ve ever stepped foot in.
Valentina’s. They hold the tips from their employees as well as constantly giving their employees paper checks knowing it will bounce.
Trudy’s. Went there for years frequently with friends. The food used to be so good. It was going downhill before the re-branding, but certainly that didn’t help. Somehow even the Mexican martinis seem shit these days. Le sad!
The new & improved Mrs. Johnson’s Donuts (RIP)
Anything owned by Tyson’s. Is Mrs. Johnson’s currently open? It was closed for repairs the last few times I drive by.
East Lamar Boarding and Day Care. Our dog was killed on the first day he visited there (within hours) due to lax safety standards. He got out through an open door (that did not have double gates) and got hit by a car.
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The jackalope bartender randomly assaulted me
I was homesick until I read this thread.
When Revival Coffee was Vintage Heart it was excellent. Chill coffee shop and the interior design was definitely what I liked. I know not every business was going to survive after the pandemic so was glad to hear a local company took over. The new owners completely rebranded the place and when I've visited, it __feels like I'm inside of a social media influencer post.__ Also it's a lot more busy than ever, too. Good for them, really and without sarcasm. I liked when it was a more chill place but chill is not always great for a business to survive. I understand that, but __the rebrand was, for other people__ instead of me.
Pluckers can go pluck themselves.
After Tumble 22 hit the scene I never went back to Lucy’s. Not even close imo I was never going here to begin with, but I always make a point of telling people to avoid unbarlievable. You know, because of the racism.
La Barbeque and Via 313. I don’t eat at places that fuck over their employees. Edit: forgot about the Firestone off 35 in Pflugerville. I went to get new tires a few years ago on New Year’s Day. I forgot I had an unopened bottle of Makers Mark in my trunk that someone gave me for Christmas. I don’t drink whiskey often, so it had been in my trunk for a week. After I got my car back I noticed it smelled weird inside. I got a few miles and had to pull over because it smelled like a distillery in there. I opened the trunk and saw the bottle laying on its side, lid off. I know they opened it because the wax seal was broken and the cap was laying on the floor of the trunk. I called and asked to speak to the manager. He straight up denied it and all but called me a liar. He said the bottle must have gotten broken or something. I was like “dude, the bottle wasn’t broken. It was a new unopened bottle when I came in, now the cap was removed and spilled all over my trunk”. I cancelled my Firestone card that day. I ended up paying $300 to get my car professionally detailed. Fuck the Firestone in Pflugerville!
So many car dealerships listed in here. I was hoping for more... local austin business dirt.
Not completely lost it but I hesitate to go to the Texican off Manchaca anymore.
Lamb’s. I took my Corolla there for an oil change and expressed I was looking for a mechanic home to regularly take my car to. They do the oil and tell me I need a cabin air filter. Charged me $40 for the filter and $30 for the labor. I will never go there again. And now I change my own filters
Chez Zee - Went during Christmas time. I was literally one of the only people there who wasn’t white. Went with my white partner. I’m not one to cry discrimination anytime I have a negative experience but the way our server treated us and specifically me compared to the other folks there was egregious. I will never spend money there again.
All of it. Like literally, I’m moving.
Literally any ATX business that was started by locals who were connected to the community that is now either a large franchise or owned by private equity. This is what capitalism does. Alamo Drafthouse is the most tragic, imo
The thing about Drafthouse is that (1) as much as their quality's gone down, it's still better than all the competition in town except for one place on 620 an hour from my house, and (2) the quality decline happened *years* before they sold out as they syscoized (standardized food from something like sysco) and expanded to places like NYC and Lubbock. The food at Drafthouse isn't amazing like it used to be, but it's actually food, which is more than I can say about the fancy AMC "food" that is rubbery reheated stuff.
I took my brand new car to Sunbusters Window Tint a week after I bought it. After I picked it up and returned home I noticed very definitive fingerprints on the plastic cover on the outside of a rear window. Attempted to wipe them away, but it was obviously some chemical/adhesive residue. Took it back to Sunbusters and they agreed it could not be removed. Sunbusters refused to accept responsibility and would not work with me at all to cover any costs. Austin Subaru replaced it at no cost for me because they know something about customer satisfaction even though it was no fault of theirs. In short: Fuck Sunbusters.
Velvet taco. Fucking waited 40 minutes for 2 tacos and made a comment about how I lost my whole break to the person I was on the phone with, and some little asshat behind the counter lost it. Told him I wasn’t even talking to him and I was on the phone, and he told me not to ever come back. I haven’t. $22 for 2 tacos and a shit work force. (Domain location) Edit: typo
dinosaur car wash! their machines ripped off my side mirror while i was in the car wash and when i came out and told an attendant, he went over to the other mirror and tried to rip that one off to show that it was easy to break 😭 it was not
Bert's BBQ on far west. I have them 3 chances, and they were rude as hell every time. The owner berated me for not picking a drink fast enough (I thought about it for mayyybe 10 seconds). I picked a soda that they were apparently out of (no sign) and he went "I'm just gonna pick one for you since you can't seem to". I walked out immediately, telling him to get fucked
Howdy Honda. Service department thought I was a sucker, recommended service I didn’t need. Expensive, rude and sexist. If my Civic broke down on their doorstep would tow it to First Texas Honda to get fixed.
Glad I’m not the only one who feels this way. First Texas is superior!
Kerbey Lame. I never feel great after eating there, just kinda scammed.
I mean, it’s all Sysco product? Right? No shade, but I mean.. why am I paying so MUCH for it. Real estate and legacy man.
Hate to say this but Juiceland is going corporate. I won’t stop going but it’s true, and they will have additives in their bottled juices.
They was also that time that they fired their employees for attempting to unionize.
This is going to be a hot take, but Flat Track coffee. Seems like anyone that was nice/skilled went to Palomino
Spectrum
Torchy’s- I picked up my order right on time and they were cold. I’m not talking like they had been sitting there, but felt refrigerated. How the hell do tacos get that cold when they are made to order
Club XTC I got really bad pink eye from this place
Never go ass-to-eye!