Passanante's Home Food Service

The food is great! The financial group is horrendous to work with, and I am only on my first month! As a USMC Disabled Veteran, I receive my pay on the 1st of the month, (once per month, within the first 3 days of the month), we were pressured to get the delivery at a time that would cause our account to continually be past due. I called the company on three occasions, (once after receiving incomplete account info needing clarification, once a week or so later for the same reason, and my third call was after I received a statement for the freezer, but not the food). NO TETURN PHONE CALLS FROM THEM. But low and behold, after my first phone interaction with them on 10/6/23, when she had stated she would note my account of the pay date issue, I received a text threatening a late fee! I called to discuss and this time was met with a person on the other end of the line. After receiving ALL account information, thinking I was good to pay after my pay arrived, I received a phone call stating it was very important that I return the call, which I did immediately, and was informed that it was a courtesy call reminding me of my payment that was past due! SERIOUSLY? I have 40+ years in the accounting field, focusing on accounts receivables and payables and have one question to ask… do these people NOT note account with the interactions with their customers? Sadly, it has put a severe bitter taste in my mouth for dealing with this food delivery company, hoping to find a farm to table delivery!

Food is excellent, just wish I could buy from their website instead of having a salesman visit and try to sell me other things. I don't like that an order comes with dry pasta, peanut butter, jelly, mayo, etc, etc. I like specific brands of those things and don't want the ones offered. I have ordered Groupon deals from this company multiple times since my initial order as this is the only way I know how to get the food without the hassle. For those of us who have already had the food it would be a nice option to re-order directly without an all evening appointment to talk to a salesman. The burgers are the best I have ever had, made with filet mignon and brisket! The flavored chicken breasts were so tasty and tender and the sausages to die for! The meatballs tasted exactly like my grandmother-in-laws who was from Italy (only meatballs ever that taste like hers)I loved ALL the meats I have ever gotten from here but I don't want the other grocery items or the veggies (I grow my own). Passanante's please give your customers that have already tried and loved your products a way to order only what we want in an easier way! Having to order in bulk could still be a requirement but skip the unnecessary add-ons, I don't need grape jelly and dry spaghetti noodles delivered.

I wish I would have read all the reviews before I agreed to the appointment! All Bad reviews are true. Food was good I was sold, I didn't agree with the sales pitch. I couldn't get prices out side of the whole package. My Sales Rep got an attitude when I said no not at this time.
Customer Service was atrocious! Food tasted good.

Complaint: [redacted]
We reject the business response. We, too, are very disappointed with this situation.  As we have stated to Passanante’s on numerous
occasions (verbally and in writing), we NEVER agreed to purchase/finance anything
during our August 1, 2013, meeting with their rep, [redacted], except for food.    
 
After consulting with our attorney,
we have just cause and the right of rescission (and are within the statute of
limitations) due to their rep, [redacted], deliberately misrepresenting material portions of
the contract, which constitutes fraud, and we have the right to cancel the
contract, as well as sue the fraudulent party for damages. 
 
Further, we informed their rep ([redacted]) that **. [redacted] was taking strong pain medication
for a broken shoulder (we have documented proof) at the time of our
meeting.  A contract is not
considered legally binding if the party entering into the contract is under
duress and/or inhibited/incapacitated by drugs, alcohol, injury or mental
impairments.
 
We do not want to file a suit
unless we have no other option.  We do
not want six months of free food.  We
will return all “thank you” gift items (per [redacted]), but will NOT pay any
restocking fees.  Again, repeatedly, we
expressed that we were not interested in these items, but [redacted] kept insisting (under
false pretenses) that it was part of the “500 points” – as a thank you for us
buying their food for an additional year. 
He completely conned and manipulated us. 
We have paid nearly $1000 to [redacted] Financial Services for items that
we didn’t want.
 
This entire experience has been very emotionally draining, has
created stress-related health issues, and has made us not trust anything that
has been said and/or written by Passanante’s. 
 
The only
way we would even consider signing anything from Passanante’s would be if these
non-food “contracts” are null and void immediately.  Also, our attorney will thoroughly review any
and all documents from Passanante’s prior to us signing any settlement
agreement to ensure that our consumer rights are not violated any further.
 
Best,
 
[redacted] & [redacted]

From: [redacted] <[redacted].[redacted]>Date: Thu, Aug 27, 2015 at 9:31 PMSubject: Re: You have a new message from the Revdex.com of Metro Washington DC & Eastern Pennsylvania in regards to your complaint #[redacted].To: [redacted]
I'd like to retract my complaint....

The owner has been trying to make things better for my family.

When purchasing a home meat delivery package for the first time the salesman who visited our home tried to also fell off on an auxiliary product such as a stainless steel cookware set or wine rack. He said that by purchasing this item 2D full retail value of it and paying off over a. Of time we would receive a discount on future food orders. We chose the stainless steel cookware set because the salesman told us that its retail value was over $2,000. Unfortunately, this was a lie. This cookware set is only available for purchase on one website, that being the website of the manufacturer. It is not available in any stores or on any other web sites. So yes, the full retail value of the product direct from the manufacturer is as the salesman stated. But who buys products like that in 2016? In reality, the resale value of the product on a site like Craigslist or Ebay is no more than $100. So now my family is stuck paying a monthly bill of over $100 for the next few years to pay off a stainless steel cookware set that is not only not worth it suppose of retail value but is of a very poor quality to the point where we just ended up throwing it away. The meat itself that was delivered was amazing but there are countless home food delivery companies out there so why pick one that upsells you for a product that you do not need and is not worth what they charge you?

Re: complaint #[redacted].
Inbox

x

 
 
 

[redacted]<[redacted]>




5:41 PM (15 hours ago)










tome,[redacted]




 
 
 
 
 Good afternoon, [redacted],
 
Please update the above referenced complaint.  We have come to a resolution with Passanante's that is to our complete & total satisfaction.
 
Thank you for everything.
 
Best,
 
[redacted]

This customer purchased food and several other items including a freezer. The customer signed numerous documents including financing agreements which detail each individual purchase and a customer receipt which enumerates the general terms of the purchase. Delivery was made in early October...

2013. Until this point the customer has paid for their order in accordance to the terms of our agreement. I do not have any notes in this customer's file that they attempted to contact us to voice any displeasure or concern. I am very sorry that they feel as if we failed to address an enquiry or if we did so in an disappointing manner. For nearly 100 years our primary goal at Passanante's has been to satisfy our customers. Admittedly we do not succeed 100% of the time, but we do our very best to be prompt, courteous, understanding, and flexible. 
After receiving this complaint from the Revdex.com, I phoned the customer in an attempt to resolve their dispute. I spoke to the husband on Wednesday 2/26 and tried to open up a line of communication. He stated that he was very busy and asked for me to call him back the next day between 4-5pm. I called three times and finally left him a voicemail. Throughout the past week I have phoned several times and finally left another voicemail (this time on the wife's cell phone) on Wednesday 3/5.
While we generally don't wish to void a legally executed contract, (after all, we have performed in exact accordance with the sales agreement) we do have options in these circumstances such as an exchange or perhaps a credit toward the customer's next order. I'd be happy to discuss these options with the customer if they'd care to get in contact with me directly. The Revdex.com has all of my necessary contact information.
My thanks to the Revdex.com for giving us the opportunity to be of better service to our customers.
Regards,
[redacted]
President & Owner
Passanante's Home Food Service

I had a great experience with Passanantes. The representative was easy to work with and the process of ordering food was simple and straightforward. The food itself is of excellent quality and it is in very convenient packaging.

This customer took delivery of a Passanante order on October 4, 2014. The customer contacted us on January 8, 2015 to express some concerns over the quality of certain food items. The Vice President of Passanante's spoke to the customer at length about their concerns and we agreed to replace each...

and every item that was in question. We emailed the customer several packages with a different variety of items that they could choose as replacements for the items in question. The customer replied about a week later and selected one of the proposals.
It was our intention to deliver the items to our sales office on February 7 and from there distribute the items to the customer. Unfortunately it appears as if the items were never ordered. We are very sorry for the inconvenience and we accept full responsibility for the error. The customer never contacted us before filing this complaint or we would have rectified the matter immediately. 
Nonetheless, we are happy to follow through on our promise and provide the customer with the replacement items that they selected. We will have the items packed on dry ice and shipped [redacted] in heavy duty cooler boxes to avoid any further such errors. This will also expedite the process and allow the customer to receive the products as soon as possible.
In addition to this we would like to offer the customer a refund check in the amount of $100 as a means of compensating them for any anxiety or inconvenience that we have caused due to our unfortunate oversight.
Regards,
Passanante's

We have spoken to this customer and exchanged a few emails regarding this matter. The customer asserts that the Passanante sales rep allowed her a window of seven months to cancel her purchase of an upright freezer. The rep reports, and the documentation tends to support, that he made a...

typographical error on the federally mandated 3 day right of cancellation form. Instead of writing the cancellation date as 1/11/15 he mistakenly wrote 8/11/15. The customer placed their order on January 8, 2015. The numbers 1/8/15 and 8/11/15 are easily transposed if one is rushed or not paying attention.  The form in question states in several places and in bold letters that the customer is entitled to a three day cooling off period and that they may cancel the sale with no penalty or obligation. We do not believe that our rep's error would allow the customer to return an item seven months after purchase. This is an unreasonable amount of time to rescind a purchase under any circumstance and we can not think of another instance where a seven month cancellation period would ever be offered or enforced. Furthermore the customer received a discount off of their food and months of warranty coverage, including coverage for food spoilage, as consideration for the freezer purchase. Plus the unit has depreciated as any new durable good would having been used for over half of a year. It would be impossible to unwind this transaction to any equitable conclusion. 
Nonetheless our rep certainly did make a mistake and we feel compelled to offer the customer something by way of a settlement. When the customer first emailed our customer service on May 31 she shared that she and her husband are military and will be relocating to Pensacola, FL. In subsequent emails it was revealed that the military may charge a fee to move the freezer as it may put the customer above their normal weight allotment. In the interests of customer service, Passanante's would be happy to refund to the customer $300 to cover any and all moving expenses. Plus we will offer the customer 100% free shipping of their first Passanante delivery to their new home in Florida. We feel that under the circumstances this offer is fair and it would provide the customer some relief in order to offset any possible moving fees.
Regards,
Passannate's

Ordering process through rep is important for questions to be answered. All experiences have been positive. Food tastes great. Will order from again.

So far so good! We had a great sales rep (Bryson). We received our food exactly when scheduled and the freezer was set up and packed efficiently. The food has been yummy! Love the big meatballs and the steak. I still have yet to try the fish. Chicken to me doesn't seem better or worse than store brand. Bacon and pork seem a bit fatty. Veggies are great and yummy! Wish there were more. My only question is about the bill - When will I get the first one?

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.  I am only accepting it because of the stress it will cost me to dispute what they are writing. I stand by my original complaint that they are deceitful and their products are inferior. Thank you very much for assisting me in resolving this issue.
Regards,
[redacted]

For the past 20 years, I serve my family only healthy, organic, no processed foods. I take very seriously what I feed my family. I honestly can say that without hesitation that Passanante provides the best quality of foods of any brand that I have ever tried. There were a few times where I didn't order enough meats or vegetables and had to resort going to a grocery store to buy them and none of them compare to Passanante.
Moreover, the customer service has been excellent. They have always treated me and my family as valued customers. Without a doubt, I will be a customer for life. I HIGHLY recommend them.
AAA++++

We appreciate the customer's response. As stated previously, we feel that this matter was already settled to the accord and satisfaction of all parties.
Nonetheless, we will keep our offer of a free food order on the table until midnight May 31, 2014 should they reconsider. 
Regards,
Passanante's

All representatives we have dealt with to date are extremely professional and knowledgeable about the company's products. We are pleased with the quality of the food and are enjoying it!

On April 30, 2014 we visited this customer and presented our
service. The customer purchased food, a freezer, two air purifiers, and a
cookware set. Passanante’s extended financing terms on the entire purchase. The
customer was declined for the air purifiers and the cookware and, rather...

than
paying in full, new terms were settled upon for financing of just the food and
the freezer. The food and freezer were delivered on May 17, 2014.
On Sept 2, 2014 the customer called and reported to
Passanante’s vice president of sales and service that her freezer was building
ice. As requested, the customer sent photos of the ice buildup on September 4 at
318pm. It was clear that the ice buildup of less than 1/16 of an inch was completely
normal for a manual defrost or “deep freeze” freezer. The owner of Passanante’s
phoned the customer back at 534pm on September 4 and left her a voicemail
indicating that the ice buildup was completely normal and that she was welcome
to call back to discuss it should she have any additional questions or
concerns.
Nearly three weeks later on September 23, 2014 the customer
called back and spoke to the owner of Passanante’s. She agreed that the freezer
she received was the exact unit that her rep had promised her but she was still
concerned with the ice. The owner explained why the ice buildup occurs and how
it can be remedied by occasional defrosting. The customer was directed to the
owner’s manual which details defrost procedures. The customer did not like this
response and claimed that all of her food was going to go bad because it had to
touch the ice on the freezer shelves. The owner explained that the heavy-duty
Cryovac film will protect her food and that the company guarantees the product
for two full years against freezer burn. Furthermore, the owner offered to pass
her photos to the operating manager of Broich Enterprises, the manufacturer of
the freezer, and have him render an independent opinion as to the fitness of
the unit. The customer declined this as well.
The customer claims that she did not want a manual defrost
freezer regardless of what she had agreed to previously. We at Passanante’s
take our commitment to our customers very seriously and we always try to meet
our customer’s expectations. In this light, we offered to procure a frost free
freezer at a local retailer, deliver it to the customer, install it in her
home, and remove the manual defrost freezer delivered previously. All of this
was to be done at no cost to her whatsoever. The customer balked at this
suggestion.  
We are truly very sorry for any stress or anxiety that we
have caused this customer but it was clear that she had no intentions of accepting
any of the solutions that we proposed or listening to our explanations.  Considering the customer’s unwillingness to
listen to reasonable arguments or accept an exchange to give her exactly what
she claimed to have wanted all along, it became evident that this was not about
the freezer at all but that there was a larger issue at hand. When this
customer called on Sept 23 she was nearing sixty days delinquent on her food
and freezer account. The owner suggested that perhaps the food and freezer
payment was a little more than the customer could afford at this time and
offered to speak to the note holder, [redacted] Financial Services, about
lowering the monthly amount by re-amortizing payments in order to give the
customer some short term relief on the monthly amount. The customer then became
very upset and defensive and claimed that she was deeply offended by what we
were suggesting.
At this point the customer exclaims that she can no longer
do business with us and that she no longer wishes to have the freezer. Seeing
no other possible way of satisfying this customer, the owner agreed to remove
the unit and refund the purchase price. In exchange for this, the customer was
to remunerate Passanante’s for a 20% food discount that she received as
consideration for the freezer purchase and to pay a $250 restocking fee to help
Passanante’s cover the costs of pick-up and disposal of the freezer.   
The owner of Passanante’s formalized the agreement in an
email to the customer at 834am on September 25. The customer replied at 1119am
on September 29 that she did not wish to pay additional fees. Passanante’s
replied fourteen minutes later at 1133am that we will waive the $250 fee in the
interests of customer service and expediency. All she would need to do is pay
back the discount on her food that she is no longer entitled to by virtue of
not carrying through with the freezer purchase and we will remove the unit and
completely settle the account.
We never heard from this customer again.
On October 22 the owner followed up with an email and
reminded the customer that we had an offer on the table and would like to
conclude the settlement so that both parties can move on.
There was still no response from the customer.
A month later and with no further correspondence to Passaante’s,
the customer filed this complaint and left a very contemptuous review on the
online review site [redacted].com. The first line of her review was written in all
caps and read “DON"T
WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY!!!”
At this point we feel as if the customer is no longer
operating in good faith. We have done all we possibly can—including a full
return and refund—to try and satisfy her. There is no reason for her to write a
derogatory and spiteful review that is clearly intended to damage the
reputation of Passanante’s and drive away customers.
If the customer wishes to wage a negative campaign against
us then she is welcome to do so. We support the freedoms that we Americans
enjoy to speak freely and have our voices heard.
What we will not do, however, is suffer through the customer’s
negative and defamatory online reviews AND simultaneously negotiate with her
for the return her freezer. Passanante’s offered to bear all of the expense
associated with the return of the customer’s freezer with the exception of the
20% discount reimbursement. We have no legal or moral obligation to rescind
this customer’s duly executed contract but we offered to do so as a gesture of
goodwill. We feel as though the customer has violated the spirit of goodwill by
her reviews and therefore we rescind our offer to remove the customer’s freezer
and pay off the account.
If the customer wishes to delete her [redacted] review and agrees
to take no further harmful actions against Passanante’s then we will consider
reinstating our previous offer. Under those circumstances we would also
consider reducing the amount that the customer must repay in the form of the
lost food discount to $300 rather than $643 as previously requested.
If the customer does not agree to the above terms then we
have no interest in any sort of settlement. The customer will continue to pay [redacted] for the full amount of the food and freezer as was agreed to in the financing
contracts.

Passanante food service has excellent food and excellent customer service. We have been clients for over 10 years and have never had a problem. We have recommended to friends and family often.

The food is absolutely wonderful! The taste is out of this world, and not even comparable to grocery store quality. The meats are very juicy, tender and fresh and the price is unbelievable. You definitely have a life long customer here!