Franchesca Denton
We came to Bowlero to celebrate a friend’s birthday. Everyone in our party is well over 30 years old. I arrived a few minutes after the rest of my group. My husband went to the bar to order me a drink and was immediately told he could not be served. When I went to the bar myself—with a valid driver’s license—I was told I also could not be served because the bartender claimed everyone in our party was intoxicated and that if I was “affiliated” with them, I would be refused alcohol. This claim was completely false. I am a seasoned bartender with 14 years of experience, and no one in our group was under the influence. I had been inside the establishment for less than 15 minutes when this judgment was made. In what world is it appropriate to refuse service to a paying customer based on baseless assumptions rather than actual behavior? I am literally sitting inside the restaurant as I write this review. The bartender was rude, unprofessional, and accusatory, making false statements about our entire party instead of handling the situation respectfully. I have been coming to this Bowlero location for years, but I will never return after this experience. I want to be clear: our server, Bo, was absolutely fantastic. He genuinely tried to de-escalate the situation and advocate for us, but his efforts were ignored. We were told a manager would come speak with us. Instead, management came out, sat nearby, and stared at us without addressing anything. In today’s struggling economy, it’s incredibly disappointing to see a business treat paying customers with such hostility, lack of empathy, and refusal to problem-solve. I came prepared to spend my hard-earned money and was met with ugliness and indifference. After speaking directly with the manager, Todd, nothing was resolved. I am grateful he took the time to speak with me, but simply sugar-coated the situation. He stated there was “nothing he could do,” which is unacceptable leadership in a customer-facing role. Especially when I was not in the wrong and was not privy to any situations that transpired prior to my arrival. This is, without question, the worst experience I’ve ever had at this location. For accountability: • Bar Manager: Adam • Bartender: Miguel Both suck! Do better.
