Ramya Krated3.0
2 months ago
Dear Hashtag Team,
I’ve taken 30 minutes of my valuable time to write this message in hopes that it will be taken seriously and bring about some much-needed improvements.
We have been loyal customers of Hashtag since it first opened in Houston, and initially, it was truly one of the best dining experiences we had in the U.S. The service was excellent, and the food was consistently great, which kept us coming back regularly as a group of close friends in our mid-20s.
However, over time, we’ve observed a steady decline in both food quality and customer service. We’ve always been friendly and understanding with your staff, but we’ve had several disappointing experiences recently that we can no longer ignore.
One particularly uncomfortable visit was when we came in for the breakfast buffet. Three of us opted for the buffet while one friend ordered just an idly. The lady at the front counter was rude and made us feel extremely unwelcome. She warned us not to share food, which we understood, but then added that she would be watching us through the cameras to catch us if we did - which felt accusatory and disrespectful. Throughout our meal, we felt watched and uncomfortable. Our friend, who had ordered her own dish, even hesitated to eat due to the tension. It turned what should have been an enjoyable morning into a very awkward experience.
Another concerning incident occurred when we ordered the Chicken Juicy Mandi. After starting our meal, we didn’t realize it was actually mutton. One of the staff came rushing in pointing it out, but shockingly, took the partially eaten food and served it to another family sitting nearby. We were deeply disappointed by this clear breach of hygiene standards and felt it was extremely unhygienic and unacceptable.
More recently, we ordered mutton biryani for dine-in and were once again met with rude behavior at the counter. The staff seemed uninterested in helping and dismissive when we mentioned that the food didn’t taste right. Instead of offering a solution or even an apology, we were told, “We cooked it well - no one else complained.” That kind of response shows a lack of professionalism and complete disregard for customer feedback. When we ask for a manager - we were thrown with a reverse question “why?” ..
Our most recent visit and possibly our last was for mandi. The front staff ignored us as we stood waiting to order, showing no interest in assisting. When the food finally arrived, it was wet, overcooked, and disappointing , definitely not worth the $80 we paid.
We’re sharing this feedback not out of frustration alone, but out of genuine concern for a place we used to love and recommend to others. Kindness and loyalty from customers should not be taken for granted. At the very least, food hygiene and respectful service should be non-negotiable.
We sincerely hope management will take this feedback seriously and work to improve both food quality and customer experience. However, if we witness unhygienic practices like serving previously eaten food again, we won’t hesitate to report it to the City of Houston health authorities.
