I really do despair of this bistro in the heart of Brigg. Having given it a second chance after a disappointing first visit (a bacon bap so dry and salty it could’ve doubled as a packet of pork scratchings), I returned hoping for a simple coffee and a better experience. Sadly, it fell flat – again.
I approached the counter and asked for a decaf cappuccino and a flat white. The barista, who at least acknowledged me, asked if I needed a menu. I declined and stated my order. So far, so good – or so I thought.
She gestured to a younger colleague, standing directly in front of me at the order screen, tapping away with no sense of urgency or awareness of her surroundings. I waited. And waited. No eye contact, no greeting, not even a polite “I’ll be with you in a moment.” Just silence and a glowing screen. Then, without a word, she wandered off into the back, leaving me standing there like an unwelcome interruption.
When she eventually returned, I asked – perhaps a little too pointedly – “Oh, you are taking orders then?” This was met with the sort of blank expression usually reserved for slow broadband connections.
If Pantry 80-20 insists on employing young staff, they might want to spend a little more time on basic customer service training – things like eye contact, manners, and not walking away mid-interaction.
After two underwhelming visits, this place has firmly earned a spot on my “never again” list. There are far better spots in Brigg that understand hospitality doesn’t begin and end with pulling a decent espresso.
The Willoughton Wanderer 
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