This was the most pathetic restaurant experience I have had anywhere in recent memory, maybe the last decade. I had heard about Charm City from this board and others, and am always in search of a good burger, so I decided to detour a little on my way north, and pick up a burger to go. Major error. I really don't know how this place stays in business.\r
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The counter staff was useless in answering a few simple questions, so I confined my order to the most basic, a burger, medium rare, no cheese, no anything. You are given a number and told to wait. I appreciate that they are cooking to order, but it is only burgers, and the place was not that busy. So, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, other numbers are being called, and I am still waiting. The numbers they give you are not in order [for reasons best known only to Charm City], but I went up to the counter to inquire, and was told curtly, that "the numbers are not in order." I told him I knew that, but people who came in after me seemed to be getting their food.\r
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After a few minutes, he came over and asked for the number I had. He then went into the kitchen, and told me mine was the next one up. But then I saw him go back to the register, and start riffling through the receipts, obviously looking for my order. I confronted him and asked whether they lost my order. He lied again and said, "no," but then asked me what I ordered, and disappeared into the kitchen. In the meantime, the kitchen called two other people who got there way after me. He then came out, and asked me how I ordered it cooked, and at that point, I was running really late, having wasted over a half hour on their incompetence and lying, so I just demanded my money back and will NEVER go there again.\r
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You might have thought that at this juncture, someone in charge would have tried to remedy the situation, and make an obviously and rightfully upset customer happy. But, then again, this is Charm City, where they don't give a crap. I even told them on my way out the door that I post on numerous food and restaurant related boards, so here is the Charm City story in all of its splendor. Go at your own risk, but don't say you weren't warned.\r
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While I was sitting there for so long, I was able to observe other people and the food. The burgers looked unnecessarily greasy, and overly gloppy with toppings. I saw several people just losing large globs of stuff as they tried to eat, and heard the people next to me complaining about the same thing. And $3.00 for about twenty french fries, or $4.00 for tater tots? You have to be kidding. For burgers of this genre, I will happily stay a customer of Char Hut, where at least I am watching my food as it cooks, and I don't have to worry about rude, inept and lying employees.
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