Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/23/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnresolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On November 16, 2024, my grieving family hired Craig ****** of Platz by Craig ****** to cater my mother’s repast, trusting him to handle the event with professionalism and care. Instead, he exploited our vulnerability during this difficult time, delivering substandard service marked by poor conduct, health concerns, and unethical behavior.
  
  Health and Safety Concerns:
  Guests became ill after consuming spoiled shrimp, and the venue smelled of fish, forcing some with seafood allergies to leave. Food was served lukewarm or cold, despite clear instructions of what time guests would arrive. The “lobster mac” contained imitation crab, and the few lobster tails served were dark, tough, and inedible.
  
  Unethical Practices:
  Craig took unauthorized photos of grieving family members, children, and my deceased mother’s memorial table, posting them on social media to promote his business. He falsely implied responsibility for event setup and misrepresented volunteer servers—my friends—as his staff by providing branded aprons and photographing them. No professional servers were provided by Craig.
  
  Financial and Professional Issues:
  The area of the venue utilized by Craig was left in poor condition, resulting in part of our deposit being withheld. Though Craig initially agreed to cover the loss, he later refused. Additionally, Craig pressured us to overestimate the food count, despite the venue's limited capacity, prioritizing profit over quality.
  
  Unprofessional Conduct:
  Efforts to resolve these issues were met with evasiveness. Craig initially agreed to meet but later redirected us to his assistant, who had no involvement in the event, further frustrating resolution attempts.
  
  Resolution Sought:
  I request acknowledgment of these issues, a refund, and assurance of improved practices. This complaint aims to prevent similar experiences for others and hold Craig ****** accountable to provide respectful, compliant service .for all events but, especially those of a sensitive nature.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/23/2025

  To whom it may concern.

  On November 16, 2024 my company Platz by Craig ****** went on and above to make sure out Client Ms ***** was satisfied with service provided. . All product was fresh and served extremely hot from the hot boxes .. The quality and food and presentation was high quality I have pictures to show product. I personally went around to many guest including the head table and spoke with Ms ***** and daughter and they both were very pleased . She did over order for amount of people that attended and I always provide extra , I had really looked out for Ms.***** . I was not under contract with venue and it was her responsibility to make sure it was put back to standard her family left and I wasn’t aware of contract terms . This is the first complaint I have ever received and it’s seems to be over kill. Family members that attended have called for other events to be catered since attending Repass . Several of her friend there have mentioned this is the way  Ms. ***** operates and they apologize for her. It’s just unbelievable they contacted the County and food commission also the BBB with a report not true just to get money back . I was willing to work with her but she was nasty to me and wife and boldly lied with her statement no one got sick no reports made she contacted me 4 days after event and her daughter went on social media with lavish lies to tarnish business . I contacted my lawyer for advice and I will not be giving refund I have gathered several people that attended Repass dinner and I have pictures and live video to prove the excellence presented that evening I am sorry for her grieve ..

  Best Regards ,

  Craig ******

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/27/2025

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  
  
  
  I am writing to directly address the incredibly misleading and misrepresented response provided by Mr. Craig ****** of Platz by Craig ****** Catering, regarding my complaint. It is important to clarify, for the record, the factual inaccuracies and deflections he has presented in his attempt to shirk responsibility.

  The suggestion that the food was “extremely hot” and the quality of service was “high” is an absolute mischaracterization. Mr. ****** approached me, not at a moment when I could evaluate his product, but while I was engaged in conversation with my family and guests. It’s quite perplexing that Mr. ****** would claim to have received only “pleased” responses from me and my family, when in fact, we were still in the process of realizing the multiple issues at hand. This attempt to paint a rosy picture is a prime example of an attempt to redirect attention from the facts.
  I must point out that this complaint is not isolated to me. In fact, multiple individuals, including a pregnant guest, voiced concerns about the food, with some even attributing the cause of illness in their household to the poor quality of the meal. These comments were made in real-time and were not fabricated as Mr. ****** seems to suggest. Even the review posted by my daughter, which Mr. ****** seems to find so offensive, was a balanced reflection of the unfortunate experience, and it includes statements from other attendees who shared similar concerns.

  Regarding the "overordering" of food, it’s clear that Mr. ****** is either confused or conveniently misremembering our conversations. I followed his suggestion to provide food for 100 guests, based on his PERSISTENT  recommendation that a larger amount would be appropriate for a repast, as guests would come and go. Additionally, during a meeting attended by myself, my daughter, brother, and venue representatives, Mr. ****** was fully aware of the venue’s capacity and the terms of our agreement. We explicitly discussed the breakdown responsibilities for the event, including the expectation that he would handle any clean-up of the area he used, including taking out any trash generated during his setup. These details were not lost in translation—they were communicated clearly. However, Mr. ****** chose to disregard these responsibilities.

  I also find it troubling that Mr. ****** has taken such a combative stance, dismissing any feedback and attempting to discredit my family’s concerns. The suggestion that I waited several days before reaching out to him is another fabrication. We attempted to engage him on November 18th, two days after the event, to discuss our concerns—before any external complaints were filed. Additionally, it is Mr. ****** who chose to deflect our attempts at communication, ultimately directing us to his wife/assistant, (whom HE said we couldn’t contact for 7 day) after agreeing to have a conversation.

  It’s clear that Mr. ******** primary concern is not client satisfaction or professionalism, but his own self promotion and financial interests. The notion that my daughter and I were seeking a refund out of malice is entirely false. Our only desire at that time was to address the food safety issues and to bring attention to the lack of professionalism exhibited during a highly emotional and difficult time. It is telling that rather than offer a solution or listen to the concerns of his client, Mr. ******** first response was to escalate the situation, citing his lawyer and “excellence” that only exists in his mind. This so-called "excellence" was contradicted by his actions, including being seen licking icing off his fingers while placing cupcakes on a display stand.

  As for the Cuyahoga County Public Health Department, they were only notified after Mr. ****** refused to engage with us. A truly responsible caterer would have prioritized food safety and sanitation, especially after receiving concerns about the quality of the food served. It is a simple matter of integrity…

  In closing, I stand by my family’s experience and my own concerns. No amount of spin or fabricated details will change that. As a business owner, Mr. ****** should take this opportunity to learn from this feedback and reflect on how to improve his practices, rather than attempt to downplay legitimate issues.

  To Thine Own Self Be True.
  
  
  Regards,
  
  ******* *****