Marks And Spencer's Cafe - Dacorum

Love their range of light bites. Reasonabley priced tasty soups and sandwiches. Staff friendly and very helpful.

Very often after my high street shopping on a Saturday I end it off with coffee and cake at Marks and Spencer Berkhamsted. Café never over crowded although it can get very busy at times. Its always clean and has a lovely bright feel to it with large windows overlooking the high street. I love M&S coffee and their carrot cake is the best by far. My kids love the gingerbread biscuits and apple turn overs. I have always experienced the staff to be very friendly, chatty and helpful.

Good coffee, large portions, my husband loves their sausage and bacon rolls. Staff very helpful as I have been visiting here with my wheelchair and later on crutches. They have good selection of seating and free newspapers.

Our visit was just after 3 pm, there were only four people sitting in the Café, nobody queuing, maybe because there was no staff to be found behind the counter, if they want to hide backstage and chat amongst themselves perhaps they could install a bell push on the counter, so customers can press it to get somebody out to serve them. Most of the sandwiches and toasties were available, but really we fancied a hot drink and a slice or two of cake, or maybe an apple turnover. Only one sliced cake available chocolate, there were a few scones, sadly these had not been baked enough and their appearance was seriously off putting, no other bakery items available, looking later at the instore bakery where the scones came from, all the items unsold had the same pale appearance, insufficiently baked. Eventually after making a lot of noise somebody came out to serve us, we noted it was a great strain on them to actually engage with a customer. Surprisingly the tables had been cleared of dirty crockery and had been wiped down, plenty of seats to be had. The chocolate cake now £3 a slice was dry and offer very poor value, whilst the two coffee`s lack much taste. Other customers came in whilst we eating and everyone of them found no staff behind the counter, truly disgraceful for a company like M&S, really poor service best to go elsewhere.

I am very disappointed with my experience at this restaurant. I went in for a takeaway coffee and was charged £3.44 for a decaf soya cappuccino that was only half full. I waited 15 minutes while three staff members served one customer. I will now be going to independent coffee shops where customers are valued and the coffee is not as expensive.