Writing a bad review is easy. I don't like doing that. I alway try to look for good things to say and areas for improvement. Plus, I generally like Pizza Ranch. It's an Iowa company. So, with that, here's my experience.First off, there's ample parking. You walk in and the staff seem to be pleasant. I genuinely think they are. Most of us have worked in customer service of some kind and, although you're smiling on the outside, you're really playing out in your head how to make that ONE customer disappear with no witnesses. Also, there were many staff on the job and ALL were busy doing something. Sweeping up the floor, tending to the buffet, bringing fresh food out, removing empty pans, and bussing tables. It was a flurry of activity, all the while, unsupervised children milled around their feet and the feet of other patrons.However, after sampling some of the food, it was uncharacteristically subpar to what I expect from Pizza Ranch. Their standard chicken was good, but just good. The only other menu item that I thought was good to my expectations was the pickled herring from the salad bar. Everything else wasn't really palatable. The BBQ chicken was dry and burnt. The macaroni had less taste than the napkin I spit the burnt chicken into.Which leads me to my last point. The restrooms to small for such a big building. I'll leave it at that.Businesses, like people, can have a bad day. I'm hoping that's all today's lunch hour experience was.I won't say, "don't go here." Just writing an honest opinion and hoping it was just a fluke.
There's a roach infestation in the dish room (where all of the clean plates and silverware are kept). When raw chicken is dropped on the ground, instead of going in the garbage like it should, management urges employees to cook and serve it on the buffet. Expired food regularly put out on buffet because management is more concerned with saving money than their customers' health. Employees are not trained to regularly wash their hands.
great place, good food, but on their main website they don't post that the doors open at 10:00 but the buffet doesn't open until 11:00. seems like an easy fix but all we got were arguments because we didn't click on the right tab.
I have been enjoying the buffet here for many years. And for a buffet, this Pizza Ranch is as good as it gets. It’s worth coming just for the chicken, which is the best I’ve ever tasted. The pizza is great when hot, and you can request a specific fresh pizza when checking in and paying. My only complaint is that the ice cream used to be deliciously creamy and fluffy, but now is icy and too dense. Dear management, if you’re reading this, please go back to the old ice cream! The Newton location still has that great ice cream I enjoyed for years at Ankeny.
Has a great arcade for the kids. You can request specific pizzas and they'll bring it to you during the buffet. Can't complain.
The chicken and breadsticks were fresh and delicious, but I was very disappointed in the freshness of the pizzas during a normal, busy lunch hour. Most were cold.My main reason for two stars is that the arcade ticket cashier was extremely rude. There was a massive line of people waiting to have their tickets redeemed and no one there to help anyone. When someone did come to help with the ticket redemption, the employee told us the, and the group behind us, to hurry up because she had to go back to work. Our kids couldn't see the items beyond the group ahead of us so it gave our kids no time to decide and made us feel like an inconvenience rather than a customer.
It's the first time I ever had a bad experience eating there. First I waited 10 minutes before I was able to pay, then the place was really dirty. The salad bar was a mass and not stocked. The pizza was cold and hard crust. The chicken was good,and yet the potatoes were runnie,the veggies wasn't stocked. I use to enjoy eating there. It'll be awhile before I go back, or I'll try the one in Des Moines. Ankeny just wasn't right and the money I paid to enjoy a meal was a waste
This location normally has great service but today that was not the case. After paying for our food trying to find a clean table was ridiculous, when I advised the cashier that there were no clean tables he said there should be one person cleaning them. 15 min later we finally got a table and there was plenty of other people looking for a clean place to sit. This was by far the worst experience I have had at this location.
I would give ZERO stars if I could.Be aware if you have a birthday party table reserved here!!!!!!EVERYONE coming to the party apparently needs to purchase a buffett!Even if they are only there for the party.The manager told all our guests in order to go back to the reserved table which ended up being a hallway by the bathrooms..Which ment while my son was opening his gifts. Multiple people were walking through our party.Back to the point.. we were toldEVERYONE had to purchase a buffett.One of my guests tried to order just a dinner, not the buffett. It took me complaining & requesting the manager to get 2 of my guests a dinner. (Which cost just as much as a buffett)I WILL never go back to Pizza Ranch nor will any of the guests that came to celebrate my 5 year old sons birthday.Also no one bussed our tables until everyone was done eating.
We’ve ordered delivery here a few times and every time they always deliver on time or before. Customer Service is always great and the fried chicken is delicious!