The service I received was as bad as the presentation was good.
I wandered around enjoying the entire concept, bought some gelato and nougat, and visited the rotisserie area. The Beef looked delicious but I did not want a sandwich, so I asked the server behind the counter if I could buy some cooked beef by the pound. His name was Brian, he was the manager of that space, and he told me to come back at 4 and I could buy the beef by the pound, since the lunch sandwich rush was over at that time. I told him that I would be back, Brian told me that would be fine, and I went to find a bite to eat.
This is where and when service deteriorates, I was by the vegetable counter and the waitress invited me to sit at the vegetable bar and that it was wonderful. I thanked her and sat down on one of the bar stools. The waitress behind the bar asked me what I wanted, she told me it was all delicious, as I began to order another server from behind the vegetable bar came rushing over and told all three of us (both waitresses and me) that I had to get up because the vegetable bar had closed at 2:30. Three minutes earlier. This embaressed the waitresses and disconcerted me, oh well, I had beef at 4, so I decided to continue shopping.
I bought some cookbooks, visited the wine shop, selected some fine barolos from a glass case to enjoy with the beef later and at 4 I wandered back to the rotisserie counter.
Final bad service moment, Brian was behind the counter, he had several cooked Rib Roasts on the platter, and seemed pained to see me again. He told me that ""It's not going to happen, I won't sell you any beef by the pound, sorry, but it's just not going to happen"". So I handed him the basket of food that I had selected to go with the beef (gorgonzola cheese, cheese with truffles, pear jelly, breads, vegetables, etc), did not go back to buy the barolos and left.
When I informed eataly management of the bad service I received a shrug.
I know they're all supposedly all famous, the men who created the concept, but they fail miserably at staff and middle management training, which will inevitably be experienced by the restaurant goers, and none of us need to shop where service doesn't matter
more