This place used to be my all-time favourite place to eat in Townsville. However my last few experiences have been getting worse each time. My last experience for my birthday was really horrible. The place is old and really needs a makeover. I don't think the decor has changed in 20 years. The seats have rips in the leather and the wallpaper is stained. The buffet is pretty good though. I love their chinese food. In fact I can't fault it. However their desert table is all pre-bought, pre-packed, bulk ordered, frozen stuff. I swear I saw a sarah-lee chocolate cake from the local supermarket freezer. It was the prawns though that really put me off. They just smelt funny and after one bite I spat it out and wouldn't touch another one. I was really concerned it was going to make me ill. Even the water in the dirty glasses tasted off. I am very disappointed and I won't be going back. They just lost a family of loyal customers.

Approximate cost: $30

After I called the bloke came out fairly quickly to give me a quote to install irrigation at the front of my house and repair some dodgy irrigation at the back. I spent a very long time telling the guy exactly what I wanted and he appeared to really know his stuff and the council laws about what was legal and what wasn't. He discussed my options and when he left I was feeling very confident that I had picked the right person to do the job. When the quote was emailed through to me not long after everything was itemised and I was able to go back and forth with him adding and removing items until I was happy.

It was quite a long wait between quote and the job being done (approx. 10 weeks) but that seems to be common in my area as there are plenty of new houses being built so plenty of work around. Unfortunately the gap between quote and the work lead to a mistake where the taps for the irrigation were put in the wrong place to where I had asked them to be at the time of the quote.

Thankfully the guy was professional about it and admitted that he had made a mistake and agreed to come back when he was available and move them. About 6 weeks later, true to his word, he came back one morning and moved the taps to the right place at no extra cost.

I would be happy to recommend this business to anyone as the owner is friendly and approachable and he takes pride in his work. If you are looking for someone who knows their stuff and is willing to work with you to get the best outcome give this bloke a call.

Approximate cost: $1700

I was recommended this business through a friend who has seen it around. He arrived on time for his quote and seemed to have a really good knowledge of what he was doing. I wanted to have garden edging put around my palms out the front of my house to make a garden bed underneath. He gave me plenty of options, had photos, and even suggested houses he has done for me to go check out, which I did. Overall his price was reasonable and I was happy to have him start. The first time he was supposed to show up he called that morning and explained that he couldn't make it . I really appreciated the phone call and we rescheduled for the following week and then things went sour. He didn't show up but this time never called. I left a message on his phone but got no return call. I called the next day and left another message. A week later I was still calling and leaving messages but getting no reply. I was wondering if he had lost his phone or if something had happened to him because he was so keen and professional during the quoting process. Today (about 2 weeks later) I called again and this time he answered. I identified myself and politely asked what happened him hoping for some explanation and a rescheduled date. His curt response was "I'm giving it in" and THEN HE HUNG UP IN MY EAR. I tried to call him back hoping we had just been disconnected but after ringing a few times he rejected the call. Now I like to think I am a fairly understanding person, I understand that things come up and perhaps something personal may have happened, but to deliberately avoid answering my calls, not returning messages and then to hang up in a customer's ear is NOT ON. I would have prefered a quick phone call 2 weeks ago to say he wasn't doing it anymore to allow me time to find a replacement. Instead I was strung along waiting and not knowing what was happening or if he was going to show up and start the job. Very poor form. The only consolation was that I had not put any money down so I have not lost anything except my time and effort.

Approximate cost: $500

I was recommended Cake-a-licious through some of my friends and when I checked out her Facebook page I was very impressed by the variety and quality of the samples I saw there. I didn't really know what I was looking for but the owner, Madonna, helped me decide on cupcakes for my daughter's 6th birthday and suggested I keep the flavours simple for children (strawberry, chocolate and vanilla) even though the list of flavours that she can do is really mind-blowing. I didn't really know what design I wanted on them but Madonna took a very personalised approach and sent me through a few design ideas that would suit the "Neverland" party theme. A few back and forth emails and I had a general idea what I was getting but I had left the details up to Madonna who seemed genuinely excited about the project and keen to get stuck into it. I didn't see the finished product until it was delivered (at no extra charge!) to the party venue on the day. It was amazing!! I had asked to hire a cupcake stand to put them on and not only had she gone and reproduced a Neverland theme on a cupcake, she had hand painted a cupcake stand and decorated it with artificial leaves so the entire effect was breathtaking. A mix of pirate faces and fairy themed cupcakes with tiny little flowers and toadstools. She had even included a lot of little extra mini cupcakes to fill the spaces. If you are looking for a special occasion cake maker/decorator with a real flair for decorating and attention to detail you can't go past Madonna at Cake-a-licious. Her prices are also extremely reasonable. For $65 I received 20 full size cupcakes, at least 10 bonus mini cupcakes, hire of a hand decorated cupcake stand to match the theme of the party and free delivery. The entire experience from the very first email was personalised, professional and trouble free. I only wish I could upload a photo to show just how good it actually looked. Cake-a-licious will definitely be my first stop for my son's birthday party next year too.

Approximate cost: $65

I had wanted to paint the outside of my house for years but had never got around to it until now. Anthony was on board from the very beginning from concept to completion. He was great with colour suggestions and helping me find a product that fit my plan and budget. I changed my mind many times about what I wanted painted and when and what colour and each time he just revised the quote without a problem. The quotes were prompt, concise and easy to understand. They detailed exactly what I was getting so there was no added extras or nasty surprises. I had the roof done in a special reflective paint and then a few months later I had the rest of the house and outdoor area done, which included some tricky lattice. The level of customer service from both him and his wife in the office was second to none and I always felt I could call him if I had any questions or concerns about anything which is very reassuring to a first time renovator. He was very flexible about fitting in with my schedule and around other contractors. For the customer service alone this business deserves 5 stars. The end result is stunning and I couldn't be happier. I would have no reservations recommending this business to anyone if you are looking for a great job at a reasonable price from a business that really knows how to treat its customers.

Approximate cost: $10000

Richard was recommended to me by several people on Facebook. I called him and he made an appointment for a few days time. He called me a day in advance just to check we were still good for that time which I appreciated. He was fast, friendly and helpful. I wasn't exactly sure where I wanted my outdoor fans mounted and he ran through the options with me, double checking and making sure I was happy. The same with the placement of the switches. It was really good to be consulted as, in my experience, most people would just put them where it was easiest. He was so approachable that I kept finding more and more little things for him to do. What was initially to be two fans ended up being two fans and a light outside, 4 lights, new switches and a power point inside. He even vacuumed the floor for me when he was done! His workmate Steve was also brilliant, friendly and respectful of my house. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this business to anyone wanting a great job at a great price from some really genuinely nice guys.

Everyone at Andersens Carpet was friendly and helpful. You can tell it is owner-operated by the quality of service. The lady behind the counter was great with one-on-one attention in helping me pick the right carpet and she answered all my questions about underlay and durability honestly. They even let me take their store sample home to match it with my new blinds. The after-sales service has been fantastic. When our new furniture damaged the carpet when it was only a week old they sent the carpet layer around free of charge to check it out and he was able to fix it like new. You just don't see service like that anymore. The cost was less than I expected too. I have no hesitation recommending them to anyone and will definately go back again if we build on another room.

Twin Cities Glass & Aluminium came to house for a measure and quote for a new shower screen. I discussed all the options with the sales guy and the size I wanted. He emailed me a quote a few days later but I noticed the size was smaller than we discussed. I called him and he advised their supplier didn't make them any bigger so that's as big as they could do. He then said that if I bought one elsewhere they would install it for me. I agreed and asked for a new quote for this service which I also got in writing. I accepted their quote in writing and they accepted my 50% deposit. I then went out and purchased a good quality glass shower screen from a bathroom supply store for $305 plus $25 delivery. A week later I get a phone call from the salesman saying that the boss has refused to install the shower screen because they didn't make it (even though they weren't making the original one anyway) and they were going to refund my deposit. However now I was stuck with a shower screen that I couldn't get installed. I contacted the place I bought it from and they said they would take it back but there would be a 20% restocking fee from the manufacturer and also I was out of pocket the $25 delivery fee. So that's $82 out of pocket all up because this company's actions. I had the boss call me back to discuss my situation and see if there was any way we could make this work and instantly she was on the offensive. She was the rudest woman I have ever spoken to. She flat out refused to honour her quote. She said her employee was to blame, not her and even suggested I ask him to pay my out of pocket expenses! She said there was no way she was paying any contribution to my out-of-pocket expenses and pretty much told me to go jump. She was agressive from the word go. Wouldn't let me get a word in. All I wanted to start with was to see if there was any way around it, like if I sent them the link to the product I bought so they could check the quality out. The manufacturer even said that if there was a problem with the product it would be THEIR warranty not the installer because they were authorised glaziers. She just cut me off saying it was her business and her call and they wouldn't do it. That's it. She said she has no obligation to honour the quote because she didn't make it, the saleman did?! Even if her refusal to honour the quote is legal, it is very poor business practice and her attitude was disgusting. I will NEVER go to this place for anything and I suggest that no one else does either. They don't honour their quotes, they don't value their customers and by the sounds of things they don't support their employees either!

We went in expecting to dine in with two little kids. There were plenty of spare tables but I can understand why, the place was so HOT. The a/c didn't make a dent in the temp which was raised to at least 30 degrees by the massive oven out the back. I was sweating so much I had to go outside and wait for the food, there was no way we were going to eat in with that discomfort! The woman behind the counter was very rude and abrupt and we will never go there again. The food was nice but overpriced.

Approximate cost: $30 for family pizza