Back in October the HH and I were walking around Boston one afternoon when we happened to walk past Abigail’s Tea Room. I knew it was a total tourist attraction, but since I’m not one to miss an opportunity to check out a new tea room, we popped in for a quick look around.
We didn’t have time to stop and eat, but I figured hey since we were there, if we liked the place, we could always go back another time. The setting was beautiful. The place was super clean. The staff was in costume and it was drawing a decent crowd outside. It looked good to me and I told the HH I would like to go back sometime for tea and scones.
For $3.99 you can get a bottomless cup of tea and sample the 5 historic teas they offer: Singlo, Hylon Bohea, Congou, and Souchong. And for a few bucks more you can go home with your very own Abigail’s Tea room mug.
Feeling hungry? You can always go for the big pot of tea and two scones. The description stated the big pot of tea and 2 scones served up to 4 people, which I thought was kind of interesting. Maybe people in colonial times had smaller appetites and drank out of teeny tiny cups?
Now this is what I call a beautiful display of scones. Wouldn’t you agree? So many choices to choose from!
There was also a nice display of tea.
Have you ever tried a peppermint gibraltars?
Mrs. Abigail Adams.
The tea room.
And the tea.
Now, I’m not one to give a bad review unless it is totally and 100% warranted. And maybe you’ve been to Abigail’s Tea Room and you absolutely LOVED it. And we probably would have loved it to…. Had we showed up mid day on a busy weekend when the place was packed with tourists instead of on a chilly Saturday morning at 9:05 am in December looking to kill an hour before the Boston Museum of Fine Arts opened.
All that being said….
Generally, when I show up to a food establishment {one that mostly serves tea and scones} I would expect them to have a few trays of freshly baked scones in the case and ready to sell once the doors are open. 🙂 You know, just for starters.
Instead, when we walked in we awkwardly stood at the counter for about a minute while the girl behind the counter busied herself filling the sugar dispensers before she causally walked to the kitchen {not even acknowledging us} to tell someone there were customers up front.
A cashier {not yet in costume yet?} takes our order {the pot of tea and 2 scones special plus a cup of drip coffee for the HH} and then causally tells us the coffee will be ready in a few minutes {he still has to brew it} and that he will bring the pot of tea to the table and asks what kind of scones would we like.
We look around for the grand assortment of scones we had initially spied the first time we were there back in October to find about 9 random scones {yes, the total scone count was 9} to choose from.
The HH choose some sort of cheddar scone and I ordered the cranberry orange. We paid our $18 and then sat down in the lovely sunlit dining room to wait for our food to be brought to us.
About 5 minutes later, the pot of tea and 2 scones were delivered on a single plate. The guy reassured us the cup of drip coffee was coming. While I sawed my scone in half, the HH broke his into two pieces and found a hair waiting to greet him.
Okay. So not cool, but also not the biggest deal in the world. Stuff happens, right? So I got up and took the scone back to {a now new} cashier and asked for another scone since the one I was holding had a “bonus item” in it.
He just kind of looked at me with a blank stare.
With a smile, I looked in the case for a new scone {and now, there were only 6 scones left to choose from and the only scone choices left were chocolate chip and cinnamon}.
The guy behind the counter HANDED me a cinnamon scone with his food service gloved hand. I walked back to the table and passed it to the HH and told him they were all out of the cheddar scones he had originally ordered.
And well, the replacement scone was SO HARD, it literally crumbled all over the table when the HH tried to split it in half with part of it rolling on to the floor. So there we were, about 15 minutes into our tea and scone adventure {with still no drip coffee yet} and the HH was not amused.
Fast forward to the 28 minute mark, with still no cup of drip coffee and having paid $18 for two day old scones, and pot of tea it was time to leave for the museum.
I walked up to the register and asked the girl behind it for a refund for the cup of coffee that never came. She looked at me and then went back to the kitchen for the food service gloved hand guy {who must have been the one in charge} and told him someone up front wanted a refund.
Yada yada yada…. I quickly {and rather nicely} explained about the 28 minute wait for the coffee and told him I’d like a refund for the coffee we never received.
And he was like…. You want a refund?
Yes. For the coffee we ordered 28 minutes ago and never got.
Blank stare.
He looks down and begins to fiddle faddle with the register and while he’s doing that I mention about the bonus item in the scone and ask if the scones were are always that hard and then he looks up and asks if I’d like a refund for the “whole thing.”
And surprised by his total lack of …. any emotion what so ever…. I don’t know what to say.
Because what I really want to say is LOOK…. It’s pretty obvious you don’t care about your job, and I’m fine with that. We’ve all been there. But is it too much to ask for a couple of fresh scones and hot coffee to be ready for customers when you open the door for business? Preferably ones without bonus items in them?
But I don’t say that. And when he asks a second time if I’d like a refund for “the whole thing” I smile and say yes. Yes, that would be fine.
I SO wanted to like this place. And who knows, maybe we will go back at a busier time and give it a second chance. The Abigail’s Tea blend was great. I really did like the tea. And honestly, if just one thing was off {a day old scone, or hey, do you mind waiting a few minutes for the coffee, or gee I’m so sorry there was a hair in your scone, let me get you a new one} it wouldn’t have been a big deal.
But it was everything. Right down to when we walked out the front door, the original guy who took our order, brought us our food and said the coffee would be right out was out on the sidewalk smoking a ciggie with two other guys as we walked passed him and to our car.
I’m not a difficult person to please when it comes to food establishments. And every place has their off days I suppose.
But sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. And sometimes, you just get a refund.
~Mavis
Barb says
Wow! In my opinion, some establishments–no matter how many good reviews they have or how many people rave about them–do not deserve a second chance.
Deborah says
You deserved to get a full refund and more. I really dislike food service people like these. I’m not sure I’d go back except to buy tea ONLY and the ones you’d make at home, and surely would recommend no one go there. The service was horrid.
Teri says
Wow! So glad you got a full refund. Was the museum a nice time?
Rosaleen says
Wow! Welcome to a Big City along the Northeast coast! While there ARE plenty of nice people up here, I
really feel more humanity in other parts of the country.
Brianna says
I can’t believe an establishment that specializes in scones and tea would dare serve one that is a day old. Scones are suppose to be served fresh, warm, and pretty much straight from the oven. They shouldn’t be hard, crumbly, or bricklike either. Such a disgrace to the scone. I’m glad you got a refund, especially if the food wasn’t great and the service was just as bad.
Deborah says
Sounds kinda like the whole experience that my husband and daughter had when they went to a restaurant that that was near the Boston Tea Party Museum. You usually review lovely bakeries and tea rooms, the difference with this one is that it is strictly a tourist place. They probably don’t get locals, just tourists who will probably only ever be there one time. I did check yelp ratings, and it got 4 or 5 stars…You just must have gotten there when they had the worst selection of scones and the least attentive employees…..stick with the establishments that please the locals, and wow visitors.
Kerri Adams says
I am a local and you are right its purely a tourist showcase where tourists are spilled into after going through the museum. If I knew you were going, I might have said stay away. Hope you enjoy the MFA.
Peg says
Good for you! And you’re a better person than I if you’re consider returning. I like to stick with establishments that locals frequent.
Carrie C says
YIKES! I can let crappy service fly but if the food is also sub-par I get irritated. I despise spending money on crappy food. So glad you received a full refund!
LaToya says
Wow.
And good for you.
Mrs. C. says
I remember once when I was in college, a friend’s dad took us all out to dinner at the local national chain pizza establishment. We were there when they opened for dinner. We were the only patrons in the restaurant.
We ordered a large pizza.
The waitress took our order.
A few minutes later she came to tell us that they were…out of pizza.
We went to McDoanld’s.
Jennifer Jo says
Haha! I know it was a bummer experience, but it sure does make for a great story!
Emily Grant says
We ate there in July. We had several types of cookies and they were all delicious. Good service too! Didn’t try the scones though.
Katie says
Wow, you’re nicer than I would have been! My husband and I went to Boston for the first time last May and we LOVED it. We made sure to befriend some locals and asked them for a good bakery. They sent us to Modern Pastry (oohh it was worth it, definitely get a lobster tail) and told us to avoid Mikes.
Lissa says
Did you ask for the supervisor? I’d suggest writing them to let them know about your experience. Business managers want to know this information
Ellen C. says
I totally agree with you Lissa. Business managers and owners do not always know what their employees are up too and would most likely appreciate your input. Years ago I worked at Baskin & Robbins and the owner wasn’t always there. The teenage employees (including me) did some pretty reprehensible things – fun at the time to us – but I’m sure the owner would not have approved. Serving customers can be tough (not all customers are thoughtful or kind) and an individual can develop a nasty attitude towards them especially at opening time. I remember demonstrating my ‘power’ over the pushy customers by not opening the door until the exact time. These individuals may need an attitude adjustment and review of the rules concerning day old scones.
Kim says
No doubt Mrs. Adams is spinning in her grave over this lack of quality.
leslie says
Oh Abigail! She had it rough. Can’t remember the author, but it’s just called Abigail Adams. She really was an amazing lady for all she put up with and did for our country!
Linda says
My son works in restaurant management. He says getting servers, clerks and other workers who care, and don’t act like entitled little brats is very difficult these days. The attitude is commonly “whatever.” The only time you see any personality is when it is time for the tip. I’m sure the owners or managers of the tea room would be appalled at the service and food you received, but often they are not there and only see that their sales are declining and don’t know why. I think you should let them know. I seriously thought about sending them your review, but that really isn’t my place. Maybe it wouldn’t make a difference, but then again, maybe it would. Please try.
BTW, employees with a “whatever” attitude are also those who complain the loudest, after they’ve driven off all the customers, when the place closes and they are out of a job.
Lace Faerie says
It is very hard to find quality employees, and I’m not talking about teenagers, either. It’s ALL ages. I have 2 daughters in banking management at the ripe old ages of 30 & 31 (different banks). You would be absolutely shocked at the outfits some people wear to a job interview for a position in a conservative, formal industry! How do these people get through not only a high school education but an expensive 4 year university and not know how to dress or comport themselves professionally!?! Our son, not yet 30 is in management in food manufacturing who has to explain to employees you must show up on time for work or even that YOU HAVE TO SHOW UP TO WORK IF YOU EXPECT TO KEEP A JOB!
I honestly believe it boils down to the attitude my husband modeled. Not, “I have to go to work today”, it was always, “I get to go to work today”. The world does not owe you a living, you have to make that for yourself, by yourself. There is a reason why it’s called EARNING a living!
And Mavis, I think you bend over backwards to give people the benefit of the doubt. You are a example of kindly expecting a basic level of service and food in exchange for your hard earned money without an iota of vindictiveness. Kudos!
Shari Harniss says
Here, here! Very nicely worded, Lace!
JoAnn Young says
Sometimes a phone call to a manager or owner is in order. We recently had a concern about the horrible service we received at a chain restaurant and we are not ones to complain about service either, but this was baaad. The manager called us and apologized and asked for a chance to make it up to us. We obliged and they comp-ed the meal giving us their best server to regain our confidence in their establishment.
joi poulin says
I can overlooked a not so great meal if I have great service…I am a people person and the right server can keep me coming back even if the food is lacking that something special…I would have freaked out! you are a very patient couple 🙂
Claudia A Uccello says
We were coming home from a long day boating and finally stopped at a restraunt ablnd were turned away by a sign that said “out of food!!” Not steak or pasta but all food!!. That was crazy!!
VANIA VIOTO PIRES says
Please, Mavis, go to TripAdvisor and post your experience with this awful establishment. i am Brazilian and all the American dollars I bring when I visit the US are earned with sweat, and I would had felt ripped off if I had visited Abigail´s Tea Room last July (I almost walked in!). Tourists rely on reviews on such sites as TripAdvisor because some kind local lets tourists know if a certain attraction is worth their time and money. You will be helping a lot of travelers!!!
Robin says
You handled that very nicely, Mavis. This experience reminded me of some of my own here in Wisconsin. For example, at a coffee shop there was a night-and-day difference between two employees who appeared to be in their 20s. One was pleasant and smiling, the other had a poker face the entire time and gave the impression of not liking his job or having a bad day, or both. I treated them the same – smiles, “please,” “thank you,” “good food/coffee.” I don’t like unsmiling customer-service folks, but if I see them just the one time I give them the benefit of the doubt – we all have our battles, and sometimes customers can be jerks. But some of them, like at the supermarket, are always that way. I seek out the more pleasant cashiers/stores. 🙂
Jennifer says
Oh, how I wish this would go viral on some platform or at the very least get back to the powers-that-be at Abigail’s. There is NO reason EVER in ANY establishment for this lack of service.
At the very least, a brutally honest Yelp review would help the unsuspecting tourists a heads up.
Joyce says
Mavis,
Back in the day, I owned and operated a Tea Room. Thank the Lord I never had that sort of thing happen the whole 12 years I had the business.
My employees were all family and friends, the customers were all treated like family and friends. If we had ever had an incident like that, we would have comped and given a gift certificate along with profuse apologies.
One of my biggest issues with your experience is the attitudes of the workers and the nonchalance of the smoking while you were getting extremely poor service.
Contact the owners, let them know about all of this. IF they do nothing it is on them, and post reviews.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Leslie says
Totes shoulda dumped the tea in the harbor! (But who wants to waste decent tea?)
Jen says
We actually went here today as we went to the museum…. the museum I thought was great! The scones were eh…..
Brandi says
So glad to have found this review. I read on the website they have an ‘off season’ and I can’t help but wonder if that doesn’t explain the cavalier attitude during the winter. I was looking to visit during a trip in a few weeks, and this helped me make up my mind to try another venue! Might be worth spending on the tea at the Boston Public Library….