Bad food, bad service

Review: Piketberg Fisheries (Die Rooiwinkel)

I’ve been a loyal customer of Piketberg Fisheries (Die Rooiwinkel) for 15 years, but I’m deeply disappointed by the recent decline in both food quality and customer service.

Last week, I placed a takeaway order for nearly R400, and unfortunately, everything was bad. The hake smelled and tasted like sardines, and nothing was edible. We ended up giving some to the dogs and cats, and the rest went in the bin.

That same Thursday evening, I tried to go back to the shop to address the issue in person, but I arrived just after closing time (20:00). The next morning, I contacted them and sent photos to explain the situation. It took a while for anyone to respond.

I followed up on Saturday — my message was left on read. I tried again on Monday, and once again, I spoke to a different person. Each time I reached out, I had to re-explain everything from the beginning, which was frustrating and unprofessional.

Eventually, on Monday, they offered a partial refund, which I was not satisfied with — the entire order was bad, not just part of it. I messaged again on Tuesday and Wednesday, and was again left on read.

On Thursday, they finally responded with the same offer. I explained again that I wasn’t happy with that, and since then, they’ve ignored me completely — they haven’t even opened my last message. That’s just plain rude and unacceptable.

The service is not up to standard, and I have concerns about the cleanliness of the food preparation area. This is the second time I’ve received poor food and service recently. It’s heartbreaking to say this about a place I’ve supported for so long.

I want to be clear: some of the long-time staff have always been kind and helpful, and I’m truly grateful to them. I know this isn’t their fault, and it’s sad that they have to suffer because of what’s going on now.

I also know of other customers who’ve complained, and I’ve heard that the business has lost regular clients since the new ownership took over. So I know I’m not alone in this.

What is going on? If this is the future of this once-loved establishment, then sadly, I don’t want to be a part of it anymore.

And before anyone judges me for going public: I tried to resolve this privately. I gave them every chance to make things right. But their lack of response and professionalism has left me no choice but to share my experience.

This is not written out of anger — it’s written out of deep disappointment and concern for a place that used to be great.