Formal Complaint – Unacceptable Service at Barcelos Engen Watersides (Newcastle)

Dear Barcelos Customer Care,

I am writing to formally express my extreme dissatisfaction with the service I received today at your Barcelos branch located inside the Engen Watersides Convenience Centre in Newcastle. The experience was deeply frustrating and highly unprofessional.

I visited the store between approximately 12:15 and 13:00 PM. While the lady at the counter was still assisting the customer in front of me, she asked what my friend and I were ordering, and moments later also asked the customer behind me for her order. She then called all these orders to the kitchen before any payment had been made.

When I reached the till, I politely requested to change my order from a two-burger meal to a shawarma meal. She abruptly responded “No, the burgers are already ready,” and stated that the shawarma would take long. I questioned this as I could only see two patties cooking on the pan, and she responded again—with noticeable rudeness—that everything was already prepared and the order could not be changed. Despite my clear dissatisfaction, she continued to ask us to pay.

Additionally, when handing our completed food over, she took the slips and did not give them back to us, which I found extremely concerning and unprofessional, especially since customers have a right to proof of transaction.

This experience was unacceptable for the following reasons:

I had not yet paid, and under basic consumer rights principles, a customer has the right to amend or cancel an order prior to payment.

Taking multiple orders simultaneously while still assisting another customer created pressure and confusion.

I felt cornered and rushed into finalizing an order I was not satisfied with.

The rude attitude and refusal to assist demonstrated poor customer service etiquette and disrespect for customers.

I request that this issue be addressed urgently, including an explanation of how this will be dealt with and what corrective action will be taken with the staff involved.

If this matter is not resolved satisfactorily, I will have no hesitation in reporting this incident to the appropriate consumer protection bodies, including the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud (CGSO), the National Consumer Commission (NCC), and the KwaZulu-Natal Consumer Protection Office.

This experience has severely damaged my trust in Barcelos, and at this point, I highly doubt I would choose to purchase from your brand again.

I look forward to your prompt response.

Sincerely,

Deidre Tongo