Merhaba Shawarma

I really wanted to give this place a second chance before writing a review, because I believe everyone deserves an opportunity to do better. Unfortunately, after my second experience here, I can honestly say that I will not be returning. I first visited Merhaba Shawarma about a month ago, and the customer service was already a major disappointment. The woman working the register came across as very rude and unwelcoming toward me. I left that first visit thinking maybe she was simply having a bad day, so I decided to give the restaurant another chance today. Unfortunately, my experience today was even more uncomfortable. When I arrived, there was a gentleman in front of me. He went and sat down and indicated that I could go ahead and order my food. When the woman came to the register, she asked if I was ready, and I said yes. She then told me that the gentleman was before me and that she had been asking him if he was ready. I had absolutely no problem letting him go first and told her that was fine. However, even after the gentleman himself said that I could go ahead, she continued insisting that he go before me. At that point, it became unnecessarily awkward. I wasn’t trying to cut anyone in line, and I wasn’t demanding to be served before anyone else. The other customer literally told her that I could go ahead. There was no reason for the interaction to become as uncomfortable as it did. Then, when she took my order, she didn’t even ask whether I wanted my food to stay and eat there or if I wanted it to go. She simply packaged my food to go, while the other customer’s food was prepared for him to eat there. The entire interaction felt unnecessarily cold and disrespectful. Even the way she handled the payment process came across as irritated and rude. Customer service matters. You don’t have to be overly friendly or fake, but customers should at minimum feel welcomed and respected when they walk into your business. I shouldn’t have to wonder why I’m being treated differently or feel uncomfortable simply because I’m trying to purchase food. What makes this even more disappointing is that this wasn’t my first negative experience. I came back specifically because I wanted to give this business another chance, hoping my first experience was just a misunderstanding or an off day. Instead, I experienced another situation where I felt unwelcome. And unfortunately, the food itself wasn’t enough to make up for the experience. I personally did not enjoy the food and did not find it worth the price or the overall experience. I want to be clear that I’m sharing my experience, not telling anyone else how they should feel about this restaurant. Maybe other people have had completely different experiences, and that’s fine. But as a customer, I can only speak on what happened to me. For me, good food and good customer service go hand in hand. Even if the food had been amazing, being treated poorly would still make me hesitant to return. When the customer service is unpleasant AND the food doesn’t impress you, there’s really no reason to come back. I genuinely hope the owner takes reviews like this seriously because businesses can lose customers not only because of the food, but because of how those customers are made to feel. Everyone who walks through the door should be treated with the same basic level of courtesy and respect. Unfortunately, after giving Merhaba Shawarma a second chance, I won’t be giving it a third.

I really want to like this place but unfortunately the portion sizes are small for the price. The meal was good but not really worth it in my opinion.

Outstanding food. Excellent spice on the chicken