I dislike Roots. Their drinks can be good, sometimes really good, but their service is poor. We went there twice this week, and ended up annoyed both visits.
The First Visit
We'd been walking around Ward Place around 4pm - it was really, really hot - so we made a quick stop at the ODEL Roots for a some refreshment. There were three guys at the counter, chatting and flirting with the cashier girl. Rather than acknowledging our presence or asking what we wanted, they made us feel like we were interrupting them. When we tried to order the cashier gave us a glazed look, like she didn't understand and struggled to help with our order.
We just didn't like the staff. They were lazy and disinterested - look at the picture above of the guy leaning on the fridge; this was his default posture. At Roots they sometimes treat you like an inconvenience, and this poor service overshadows their sometimes good product. Ultimately, my strawberry juice was excellent and Indi's dragon fruit juice was a beautiful bright purple (people actually turned around to see what it was) - but the service sort of ruined it.
The Second Visit
This time we visited the Roots in Nugegoda, hidden behind Cool Planet (another place with terrible customer service, but more on that later). The staff seemed slightly friendlier here, but again when we asked for an explanation regarding our smoothies they seemed confused and found it difficult to explain. We got a strawberry polka dot berry (Rs. 250, with apple juice and banana) and an avocado blush (Rs. 250, avocado, honey, etc.)
I generally go to Roots because I want a cold drink on a hot day, but my avocado smoothie was served completely un-iced. A warm smoothie is just...well, not very nice. When I complained, the solution was apparently to just drop a cube of ice in the drink rather than tossing it back into the blender with more. Indi's smoothie, however, was ice cold and really good. But what's the point if only one of them is good? This illustrates the sort of inconsistency you can expect from Roots.
So Here's My Problem
Despite hating Roots, I often really want to go there. Because it's hot, and occasionally they give you a really good smoothie. But more often you can end up with a warm drink and crappy service. And they're everywhere - if you're thirsty, chances are there'll be a Roots lurking around somewhere, luring you into its lair of disappointment.
So do you go, or do you not go? I often find my desire for juice more compelling than the dismay of having to endure poor service.
And therein lies the rub.
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TIP
Juice is good, the Service - not so much.
The Meal Cart
Capital City Food Court (Badulla)
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Acro
Ohhhh…THE HORROR… Colombians cant get their juices fast enough… ROFL
ML
Juiceez can be quite good for a cool drink on a hot day… though they don't have as many locations in strategic shopping venues as ROOTS does, nor do they have the creative selections of fruit and smoothie combinations. Milk and Honey cafe on Barnes place has a nice selection of drinks too!
Santhoshi
HI
You are so right about the service but I feel the juice at juicys is better than roots.
Somehow the fruits seem fresher in juicys than roots.
shammi
Similar treatment at the roots outlet near parliament grounds. Only two of us to be served, but the girl on duty kept complaining loudly to her friends in the adjoining outlets that some staff hadn't turned up and she was overworked. Most of the fruit that should have gone in to my brother's mango juice was angrily pared off with the skin.
Juiceez may have fresher fruit because it's owned by CIC who grow their own.
Bimal
I have had a similar experience at ODEL Roots. I prefer Juceez. There service is way better and more outlets too.
Rienzie Fernando
Thank you very much for the valuable information. We apologize for the unpleasant experiences you have had at our outlets.
We have taken appropriate action and assure you that such things will not occur in future.
Thank you for your patronage -- despite our shortcomings!
Should you have any further complaints, please contact 0773-461566.
Sincerely
Roots Global Management
savan
Rienzie,
Our criticism is meant to be constructive we generally like the Roots juices its the service and consistency that tends to be the issue. Thanks for the reply and for taking this in the right spirit, we'll do an updated review in a few weeks so hopefully your staff will be on the ball by then…
Savan.
ramiya
I think roots rock! as for the service, well I hardly ever go there looking forward to a 5 star service. if you go there without the expectation of being served to the tee, i really do think roots is way better than juiceez
Kal
Fair enough about expecting much in terms of service but, when you see the staff smacking each other with the utensils(ODEL branch) and stirring drinks with them seconds later it tends to be off putting to say the least.
Nadeeka
I found a fly in the chocolate milkshake i got from the roots at crescat food court. it just came up the straw and i think i even gave it a bite. :( yakhh!! then i felt the shape as round and took it out to see what it was. cause normally in milkshake u dont have nuts or anything solid. then i saw this fly and I was feeling sick to my stomach. when i complaint abt it the guy at the roots said it must have dropped when i had it on the table while i was eating. but considering the foam on top of the drink its pretty visible that if it fell from above it would just float over the foam rather than me finding it at the last drop of the drink and at the very bottom of the glass. I simply dont trust roots any more and the guy who handled the situation was acting defensive and ignoring the complaint rather.
Ramish
Yea I actually had the same problem with the odel roots they even do not listen what the customer is saying when ordering. I specifically asked for sugar to added for my juices and I got them with no sugar + when I told them about it the cashier acted rudely and said that "I didnt say that I needed sugar added" and its all due to those guys werent listening just chattering with the other staff members. But I actually like the nawala roots. friendly service and calm place to enjoy.
Maya
The service didn't seem friendly as always. I ordered lime juice from the Roots that's near the British Council to find tiny but noticeable ant parts in it. Seriously, what's with the insects in the drinks :/
BQ Time
The service at their Nawala outlet is great. I work close by so I frequent them quite often and have found both the service and the juice consistent. I've had a few occasions where they have actually re-made my juice, without me asking, rather than serving it to me bc it didn't taste quite right, and another time they said the juice I wanted wasn't turning out right, the fruit probably not ripe enough, and after trying twice they offered to change my order rather than give me a less than great juice. I can't comment on other branches, but Nawala does a great job.
Agreed on Juiceez though, their juices are just ever so slightly fresher tasting.