Chapter

I’ve been coming here for years because I have to (daughter does a class here). The service in the cafe has never been great but it steadily gets worse and worse. Or only that, but the coffee is terrible.
My most recent experience demonstrated the absolute lack of customer service culture. I joined the queue at 11:25. When I finally got to the front it was 11:35. I ordered a bacon sandwich only to be told breakfast finished at 11:30. I’d been waiting in line while the servers took forever to serve a handful of people before me and I got a “computer says no” response. I then asked if I could just get some toast. Nope, kitchen can’t do toast now.
The hospitality sector is on its knees. I know better than most how difficult it is. However, being willing to offer poor service and decline revenue is a recipient for disaster. I honestly think, if they didn’t have the droves of parents waiting for their kids with no where else to go, they’d struggle. I’d never come here out of choice. It’s purely necessity and convenience, but it never fails to underwhelm and disappoint. It’s a shame. It used to be a bit better (never great) and it has so much potential.
The guy with the spiders web shaved into his head is nice and, if given the correct direction, could be a good server. The lack of service training is demonstrable. Never mind, only another 6-8 years of classes to endure this disappointment.

I have been coming to Chapter for many years now but its definitely going down hill which is sad.
The cinema and theatre are still very good and have nothing but praise but the bar and particularly the food offerings leave much to be desired.
Since the covid lockdown, it seems the quality has declined: there is now very little choice of food, whereas before you had a board with a good extensive menu and a good childrens menu with healthy(ish) food inc scampi and fish gougons etcnow, chicken nuggets and chips ! Also the last time i was there, I tried to order food at 19:30 and was told the kitchen had closed ! On a Friday evening ! Eating there is just not a great experience as it was a few years ago. Tbh, you wonder if they really do want to continue with food offering. I dont know if its a franchise but they really do need to up their game.
The bar is good but my real beef with that is apparently, or so I was told, that they are locked into a deal with national brewer Greene King.So instead of having great ales and lagers available from excellent local micro breweries like Otleys, Tiny Rebel and Pipes etc, we now have bog standard Spitfire beer and shipyard ales etcpretty standard offerings but at premium prices !
C'mon chapter, you can do much better !

My partner and I visited Chapter, to watch The Red Shoes on Sunday 10/12/23 in one of the Chapter's cinemas. It was advertised as starting at 5pm and, in fact, one of Chapter's employees told us it was likely to start at 5.05pm as it was an old film so there wouldn't be any adverts. We were, therefore, surprised when someone who introduced herself as 'a reader' with Cardiff University stood up and gave a 20 minute lecture about her opinion of the film. We didn't expect or want such a lecture and we were absolutely horrified when she told us the entire film's storyline in great detail as well as telling us how it ended. After this, there seemed absolutely no point in watching the film, which we had previously been looking forward to. For future reference, my partner and I would strongly suggest that Chapter either have any lectures and/or discussions AFTER the film or, at the very least, inform customers that this is taking place so that it can be avoided by anyone who chooses to do so. Our evening was completely ruined and we had been looking forward to seeing the film, so we feel really disappointed and really let down by Chapter for putting us in this situation. We did contact Chapter who haven't responded to our complaint so we can only assume they are not interested. Therefore, we want to alert other people to the fact that this is what could happen if they watch a film at Chapter. We will go to another cinema on future occasions.

Visited the chapter to see a film. I went to buy a coffee to take in with me and was told I could only drink botted water whilst in the cinema. I purchased a bottle at £1.50. The film was right on lunchtime and I had brought a sandwich from home. When seated, I started to eat my sandwich, whereupon I was told quite sternly by a member of staff that eating was not allowed in the cinema. As the film was going to be 3 hours long I was left with no alternative but to leave. When I got home I checked the web site. It does say no food or drink allowed in the cinema but it is not evident when buying tickets online, you have to dig for it. ALL cinemas allow food and drink and its part of the pleasure of going to see a film. Chapter arts centre is behind the times and I won't be going there again.

The cafe was so slow, 40 minutes for 3 lattes. Even though we were told the coffees would be brought to us, they were left on the side for quite some time and we had to collect them before they went too cold. The staff were not very friendly either, abrupt 1 word answers.

In normal times we have used Chapter a lot.We have as a group come for a drink after our choir rehearsal at 10.
Last night we arrived just as they were calling last orders at 10 and were told quite rudely to drink up and leave 15 mins later.
The website states that they are open until 11pm!!!
Such a shame that our experience of Chapter has been soured especially at a time when you would think they would welcome the business.

I have been visiting Chapter since the early 90’s. Back in the day it was one of my favourite places to go in Cardiff. It was trendy, had a uplifting/positive atmosphere, had a vibe of purpose, was chilled, had a great layout, and a good balance between social setting to meet via theatre/cinema arts. I would stay late into the evening years ago. Today I visited and I have to say that I was majorly let down. It still has the arts/theatre feel, but what made Chapter once great has been lost. The service was slow, confused and unstructured. Drinks were good. Food was terrible- very poor. It was an overall let down. I really hope someone looks at Chapter and seizes the opportunity to make it better.

Met friends here at 7.30 to use the bar area.
We were told fairly rudely that we could not have coffees as the machine wasn’t working. We suspect they were cleaning ready to shut up.
Then the bar was closing before 10!!
It’s not that we couldn’t get what we wanted and were really shown the door early , it was the way the staff spoke
Will definitely not be back. In these times you would think that customers would be welcomed.
Chapter has certainly gone down hill.

We went last weekend to see a film at 6'15 ish. We used to like this place. It was a much needed haven from the Cineworlds and Odeons which show the usual American regurgitated nonsense.

The food is decent. The courtyard is really pleasant on a summer evening to sip a glass of wine, beer etc, but what is not pleasant is the growing young arty type parents with their very irritating offspring who think it is perfectly aceptable to let their little darlings use the space to run around shout, and generally behave like they are in a soft play centre.

We emerged from the cinema around 8 fully intending to order food and wine, and eat dinner there before heading home.
We really just couldn't face it though. There were still lots of kids, and not older ones either but very young toddlers and crying babies simply running wild while their entitled parents sat for the most part completely ignoring them.

The tables were all messy with remnants of leftover kids food, a lot of it not even from the restaurant. We just left, and went to restaurant around the corner instead..
I was really really peeved. We had paid for a babysitter ourselves. The last thing we wanted was to be surrounded by other peoples children in what effectively is or should be an adult environment.

I'm really disappointed with Chapter. We have gone on and off for the last few years and have noticed this growing tendency to let families rule the roost.
What about your other customers Chapter. Dont you care about them?
I mentioned this to one of the staff on the desk as we left . She actually agreed with me!
We sadly wont be going back any time soon.

I went there with a friend for an evening drink. I like how relaxing that place is. There is two small theatre too. You could get the tickets online but they are slightly more expensive than the movie theatre. Heard they do have an art gallery too!:) Will go again!