Toby Carvery - Basildon

We had a booking for six people—five adults and a toddler in a high chair—at Toby Carvery Basildon. Upon arrival, we were shown to a tiny table that was completely unsuitable for our group size. It was barely big enough for four people, let alone six, and there was absolutely no space to fit a high chair. We aren’t exactly the smallest people, so squeezing into such a cramped space was simply not an option. We arrived 20 minutes before our booking time, only to be told we couldn’t dine because we hadn’t specified in the booking comments that we needed a high chair. Apparently, this meant they hadn’t set aside a table that could accommodate one. Instead of offering a reasonable solution, the staff member (a woman) condescendingly suggested that our 1.5-year-old “could just use a cushion behind him.” This was completely unacceptable—how could a small toddler be expected to sit safely and comfortably on a regular chair with just a cushion for support? It was a ridiculous suggestion and showed a complete lack of common sense. When we asked if there was any possibility of switching to another table, we were met with an eye roll and were told that because another group had mentioned a high chair in their booking comments, they would be given priority in 20 minutes. No effort was made to accommodate us, even though we had booked in advance. Meanwhile, our toddler was getting increasingly upset and crying because he was hungry, yet rather than helping us, the staff seemed more interested in getting rid of us. We were then asked for our name so they could cancel our booking and give our table to someone else—someone who had apparently “booked the correct table.” At this point, we had no choice but to leave. We ended up going to Aroma instead, where we had no booking, yet they still made an effort to seat us straight away without issue. The contrast in service was staggering. We have been customers of Toby Carvery for years, but this location has only gone downhill. The staff and management clearly do not care about customer service or making families feel welcome. Their handling of the situation was unprofessional, dismissive, and frankly, insulting. If you have a young child and need a high chair, don’t bother coming here—you’ll just be turned away.

Well this being my first time at a toby carvary ,i wasnt impressed , my parents friends booked for 7 of us , if you love sunday dinners this is right up your street , as a suffor of ibs , there wasnt much i could eat , as i cant eat cheese or onion , it is in most things on the menu and i dont eat them , so i ended up with garlic bread and a prawn sandwich , dont cone here expecting to eat other things as this is mostly a cavary , the sandwich i had wasnt grwat and the garlic bread wasnt much better ,i left hungry and dissapointed

Came for Boxing Day with my mum, had a lovely time. The carvery was delicious and hot, the potatoes were crispy and perfectly cooked. Dessert was yum. A special thank you to our server Rachel who was so friendly and accommodating!