Harvester Reviews

Emailed a complaint on 19th June, i received a reply promising that I'd be contacted within 3 days.
No contact made.
I emailed again on 29th and received a reply promising that I'd receive contact from the Operations Manager within 3 days.
No contact made.
I emailed again on 11th July and guess what... promised to be contacted within 3 days.
NO CONTACT MADE!...
I then took to Twitter and Facebook and the 3day contact promise striked again.

The award for dire customer care/customer service goes to.....

Upon arrival (Saturday 16th July approx 9:30am) we were greeted and asked where we'd like to sit. We were sat in one of the booths at the far end of the restaurant, and it felt like we were forgotten - my wife had to go and ask Amy to take our order.

We've been going to Harvester for breakfast for many years. The value has eroded severely over time - initially it was pretty much an all inclusive price, with a breakfast buffet included. The buffet has gone (it was also like this last couple of times we went).

But the worst part on this visit was that when you look at the menu, it appears that the fruit juices are unlimited, as they are alongside the unlimited tea/coffee on the menu (and have been unlimited in the past). But when the bill came I got charged for multiple glasses of fruit juice.

Beth, the server who took the payment, said that she gets this complaint very frequently, so clearly the way the menu is presented is very confusing. And I would go as far to say that it could be deliberate - especially as

(a) Beth said she gets this complaint frequently, and
(b) if you have been many times before like us, and this has previously been an unlimited option, so based on the menu presentation you assume it is still the case

When we first started coming to Harvester, the breakfast was a very good value treat. But we've been getting more frustrated with the erosion of value and this deliberate confusion ploy on the menu re the drinks is the last straw for us - we will not be back.

There are other places to get breakfasts and they have caught up and overtaken Harvester in terms of offering a good value treat.

Polgate Harvester
I’ve been to four Harvester pubs: this is the worst by some distance. We booked an outside table because we had a dog with us. No dogs allowed inside although there’s lots of wooden flooring and our dog does not shed. When we arrived I was told that one cannot in fact reserve outside tables, and that I should just choose one. That could have been explained by email, but wasn’t. I was then informed that we did not have waiter service outside but had to order drinks and food at the bar. Food was brought out to us and was reasonable but trailing in for drinks was a pain.
We had imagined something like a terrace with decent seating under an awning. This was more scrubland with grubby, old picnic benches and a table with planks so warped that plates would not sit on it without rocking under the pressure of a knife and fork. Ours looked about the best! There were approximately 6 parasols for around 15 tables on what was a hot evening. We had evening shade so that didn’t really concern us but it’s indicative of how run down this pub is externally. .
This is a multi million pound business. Spend some money on making the outside area attractive; replace the rubbish you call garden furniture and tell people before they arrive that if they wish to dine accompanied by their dog then they will get a decidedly second class service

Haven't actually been yet but booking online has been a nightmare. The website is clearly designed for use on a 'phone and is 100% unuseable on a laptop which is my preferred device. Come on Harvester, sort out your website!

Edit 1: So I tried the website using Edge and it worked but it still fails to scroll in my preferred browser which is Firefox.

Edit 2: Great staff! Beer expensive. Food OK. Two out of three of our choices for mains were "off" and we weren't told until the point of order. They had run out of bread at the salad bar and there was no coleslaw. The link in their email requesting we take a survey did not work in Firefox and I had to copy and paste it into Edge to complete the survey. Unlikely we will go back.

Harvester Monkspath - My son just turned 10 years old and the kids chose Harvester. I ordered the 10oz steak medium rare and it came out with all the other food for 10 people, but overdone and very tough. I sent it back and was advised it will be 8 minutes but just over 15 mins later it came out and it was raw! So with the occasion already ruined, I had desided to sit and try eat a raw steak which was extremely difficult to cut and pretty awful! Everyone was advising to send it back again but I didn't see the point as I was the only one left eating out of hunger after a long day at work. I fought to eat this poor quality food served almost alive (have never eaten rare). Id like to add chef has always let us down consistently as all the steaks I have ordered at the harvester have been cooked incorrectly in the hand full of times we have visited. Even when under no particular stress as today, the establishment was practically empty but the steaks were cooked at the extreme end of each scale! The Chefs skills leave a lot to be desired. I would advise a training course at Miller & Carter where consistent perfection comes as standard! Ps I don't normally complain but had to write this occasion as it has become a joke. On a positive point the service was excellent by the chap who was manager and serving, very hospitable and polite. Go there and eat but don't order steak!

Excellent service from Sharon. Very helpful and friendly, plus she had a great sense of humour! Main and desert were well presented we enjoyed them. Biggest highlight was the fact we could serve our own salad!

We drove out of our way to visit the trade mark salad bar only to be dissapointed Lack of choice , small portions & a no self service

Found hair in my scampi,steak was very tough not an enjoyable meal at all. Scampi didn't taste like scampi

One of the best parts used to be the self service salad bar, felt so embarrassed having to stand in queue and ask for each salad item to be served to us by a member of staff “three tomatoe chunks etc..” Ridiculous! Up your prices to accommodate the cost increase Harvester, l’d happily pay 10% extra on the cost of my main to cover this ridiculous practice. Your staff can also do without the extra work,please do your maths, Harvester, & focus on what your customers want, or like me, other customers will go elsewhere!

Had a table booked for 6:15pm got seated and then left in the corner ordered drink then 15 minutes before we even ordered food and the drinks were forgotten. Went to salad cart no one serving 4 members including managers laughing and joking at the till together and ignore customers service was so poor I will never step back in The plough again ordered cancelled I have been to The George at Morden and The one at Rayleigh weir and service was soo much better wouldn’t recommend The Plough to anyone.

Shirley - Monkspath restaurant. I was able to book a table for breakfast online for 11:15am - when I arrived just before 11:15am the server was dealing with other customers and so by the time he got to me, I was told breakfast had ended and I’d have to wait till 12pm to get food which would then be the lunch menu. I asked what time breakfast finished and he told me 11:15am. I’d explained I’d booked online for breakfast at 11:15am (why would it allow you to do this if they weren’t going to be serving?!) and that I arrived on time. I asked to speak to a manager, instead they told the server to ask the kitchen. He then came back out to tell me the kitchen had refused to serve myself and my 2 other guests as it was too late! I’d driven. This is unacceptable customer service. I would like to suggest the website prevents individuals from booking breakfast at 11:15am if customer are going to be refused service at your restaurants.

Several times, since re-opening after the lockdown, following covid-19, I have visited The Crown Harvester, Bath Road, Longwell Green, Bristol and can honestly say that everyone I have gone with, on the different occasions, have had enjoyable meals and a safe eating experience. The staff took the customers and their own safety seriously and provided a chef to manage the salad cart, where customers could ask the chef to get them the items that they wanted, which the chef put into the salad bowl - applied any dressings, got any bread rolls required too. These were then brought on a tray to your table by waiters/waitresses. Prices had increased slightly (as they had everywhere, to help recover losses occurred during the lockdown period), but the food, atmosphere and safety made this acceptable.

We Went to the Harvester recently to be very disappointed in the salad bar. To line up and ask a lady to dish out your salad just seemed awkward. Plus a few regular items missing. Not great Harvester!

Today we visited the Durley Inn on the seafront in Bournemouth. The front of the house was well managed and controlled by Lucy and without a booking, she found us a good couple of seats with a view. Lunchtime was bust and some new staff were having their first day on the job. However, we had Mike as our server and he was excellent. His timing and attention were perfect and we had our drinks, and food quickly. I have only given 4 stars, not for the service but the food. I went for the salmon fish cakes as the picture on the front door and menu looked very tasty. Shame the chef had not seen the picture, although edible then had been overcooked and was very dark in colour, but not quite cremated and I think someone had forgotten to add the salmon. So Service 10/10 food 7/10

Visited Rayleigh Harvester yesterday. Our server delivered excellent customer service.
However the fishcakes had no structure. After the first cut of the semi crispy coating the “cake” collapsed and the resulting bland filling could have been eaten with a spoon. The portion of peas was about the size of an egg cup. Chips were dry.