Thompson Hospitality

My experience at Milk and Honey in Colonial Heights was simply amazing! The food and service was great! I will be back!

Great service at there restaurants .

I visited the American Tap House and had an awful experience. I was able to get my first drink after sitting at the bar for 15 mins. However after that I was pretty much on my own. My glass stayed empty for 20 mins and I just finally had to ask for a second drink. We were able to order food but we had to ask the server to put in the order. That also took and additional 40 mins not to mention the chicken tacos were cold so they must have just be sitting somewhere for a while. First and last time I will visit and to sum it up I thought it was some type of bad joke. Location was Willow Lawn Richmond, VA

If I could give this place 0 stars I would! All because of Patrice (Ms.P) she needs to go! All she does is dictate her staff and makes us students uncomfortable and feel unwelcome with how she treats them in front of us. I’m so sick of not being able to have a ToGo tray that my college tuition pays for! I love how much the staff looks out for us but these recent changes are certainly not it. Thompson hospitality supervisors need retraining on how to treat the staff and students. Or be fired.

Subject: URGENT: Grave Concern & Severe Illness Affecting 6 People Following Dining at Ms. Peach's (Sterling, VA) - Visited Sunday, September 28th ​Dear Thompson Restaurant Group Management, ​My family and I are long-time patrons and enthusiastic supporters of your establishments, including Matchbox, Big Buns, Markers Union, Wise Guys, Velocity Wings, Hen Quarter, and Milk & Honey. We were genuinely excited to visit your newest venture, Ms. Peach's in Sterling, VA, just yesterday, Sunday, September 28th. Unfortunately, that excitement quickly turned into a night of horror and continued to affect our family today. ​We were a party of five dining in, and I am writing to express my grave concern regarding the quality of the food and the severe gastrointestinal distress that has affected six people in total. ​Visit Details and Positive Feedback ​We arrived around 3:30 PM and left around 5:00 PM on Sunday, September 28th. ​I want to first note that the atmosphere was great, and both our waiter and the host were highly professional and hospitable. The only minor flaw was a typo my son noticed on your Instagram handle listed on the blackboard. ​Our Order and Food Quality Concerns ​We began with the deviled eggs and cornbread. My mother, sister, and I opted for the Family Unlimited to allow for sampling. ​Chicken and Whiting Fish: I noted that my chicken was a little pinkish toward the bone and immediately stopped eating it. I switched to the whiting fish, but one bite was so intensely salty it was like a "salt lick." We decided to take the unused portions of the fish home. ​Sides & Other Items: We had the collards, yams, and mac and cheese (which was bland). My son ordered the Shrimp and Grits. My sister and I shared the peach cobbler, and we all (except my 6-year-old grandson) drank the peach tea. ​What was safe: My 6-year-old grandson, who only ate butter pasta, was thankfully spared. ​We took several pictures of our food during the meal and can provide these upon request. ​Subsequent Illness Affecting Six People ​The contaminated food quickly began causing illness and continued to sicken others who ate the leftovers: ​My mother had to use your restroom before we left, as the meal "went right through her." ​I developed a headache soon after arriving home, and from 11:30 PM until 3:00 AM I was violently ill with vomiting, diarrhea, and the shakes. ​This morning, my sister and son woke up to similar, severe experiences. ​My brother-in-law and two other adults who ate the leftovers we took home also became ill overnight and this morning, experiencing severe discomfort. ​I am profoundly thankful that no one ended up in the hospital and that my grandson avoided consuming what we ate. ​Conclusion ​As loyal customers of the Thompson Restaurant Group, this was the single worst dining experience we have ever had at any of your establishments. For a total of six adults to be simultaneously struck with such severe illness from your food points clearly to a serious and widespread issue with food safety and preparation at Ms. Peach's. ​I urge you to immediately investigate your kitchen operations, sourcing, and food handling procedures for this location. I expect a prompt response and a sincere attempt to resolve this deeply concerning situation. Still waiting for a response.

If I could give this negative stars I would. Long story short this is the worst company I've ever had to work for. They do not care about their employees or the local communities around their restaurants. Working under Thompson was a nightmare every. single. day. a literal joke. But to top off the worst few years I've ever had to deal with as a restaurant employee, they decided to give everyone less than a 2 weeks notice, right before Christmas 2025, that they were shutting us down by DECEMBER 30th because we are "losing them money," which was hard to believe when another location down the street is known for how vacant the property is 24/7. Best part - they changed the closing date a few days in so we actually closed on December 28! As someone who worked at the restaurant for 10 years, as my first job ever when I was 16, what you all did and are continuing to do to companies is disgusting, embarrassing, and a straight up joke. From the employees you disrespected and the community you disappointed, you all deserve the worst.

I recently started an internship with Thompson Hospitality, and it’s been a great experience so far. From day one, everyone has been welcoming and willing to help. Whenever I’ve needed guidance or resources, someone has been willing to help. I’ve been included in conversations that show how much the company cares about its employees, its growth, and the communities it serves. I appreciate that my responsibilities and expectations are clearly communicated from the start, which has made the internship much less overwhelming. The work is flexible, I feel supported, and I’ve been able to maintain a healthy work-life balance while continuing to learn. Unlike some internships where you’re mostly observing, I’ve been given valuable projects that have allowed me to contribute to the company.

They sold a fantasy. Smiles polished like chrome. Promises dressed in corporate buzzwords. “Culture.” “Family.” “Opportunity.” “Leadership pathways.” It sounded like pulling off a luxury lot in something built to last. But the engine started knocking before I even found my parking spot. The shine faded the second I walked through those doors. Not slowly — instantly. Like stepping into fluorescent lighting that exposes every crack in the paint. The energy shifted. The warmth disappeared. What they called “fast-paced” was really chaos without direction. What they called “structure” was just layers of people covering their own mistakes. Respect didn’t live there. It was survival of the loudest. Every room felt like a power struggle nobody was qualified to win. Managers scrambling to look important. Directors pointing fingers to dodge blame. Corporate floating above it all, disconnected, sending emails about morale while morale flatlined on the floor. Everybody wanted authority. Nobody wanted accountability. And the gossip — constant. Leaders tearing down their own teams behind closed doors, then preaching “professionalism” in meetings. Smiles in public. Knives in private. The culture wasn’t toxic by accident; it was cultivated. Fed. Protected. Common sense was treated like a threat. You’d watch simple problems turn into five-hour disasters because nobody could just make a clear decision. Processes changed by the hour. Expectations moved like goalposts in a storm. You weren’t working toward excellence — you were working to avoid becoming the next scapegoat. And the hours… The kind of hours that steal pieces of your life you don’t get back. Long shifts bleeding into longer weeks. Exhaustion worn like a uniform. Your body clock wrecked. Your patience thinning. Your personal life put on layaway while the company kept charging interest. You gave more than your job description. More than your schedule. More than your mental health could afford. And for what? More pressure. More disorganization. More silence when it was time for leadership to actually lead. They recruited with sunshine and handed you a storm. Every day felt like standing in freezing rain without a coat, being told to smile because “this is a great opportunity.” The only thing growing was burnout. The only thing developing was resentment. You start fantasizing about returns. About walking back into that polished interview room, tossing their promises on the table, and saying: “Take it back. All of it. This ain’t what you sold me.” Because some workplaces don’t just waste your time — They wear down your spirit. They make you question your worth. They normalize dysfunction until dysfunction feels routine. And the worst part? They act surprised when good people finally break. So the hail keeps falling. Morale keeps cracking. And the people who actually cared quietly walk away, carrying lessons instead of loyalty. Not every job is a stepping stone. Some are warnings. Some are wake-up calls.

Where to begin- the most mismanaged incompetent place and people I have ever worked for. There is zero support or communication from the corporate office to their store level operators. Examples: Standard menu change dates will be set and announced without making sure all of their corporate departments are on the same page. This looks like mocktail menus being printed and distributed to stores that have TEQUILA on them. Historical Catering Menus being left online and active to order from- when the store doesn’t carry those products anymore. Announcing new menus to the public, but not updating your vendor platforms, so you can’t even order any of the products you need to make the new food. Let’s not forget that Toast POS has to be updated by corporate, and if a mistake is made or buttons are missing- you have to submit a ticket and wait for a response. Waiting is something you will experience a lot of at Thompson. Because they have taken all operating power away from their on-site management teams, you have to ask corporate for any changes, questions, concerns. Expect to be left on read and not responded too. They will set you up for failure at every turn- and then withhold your bonus structure, due to review scores, lack of profitability, etc. Meanwhile their disfunction at corporate is directly impacting guests experiences. We are advertising a product, menu, or service that the in-store operators cannot execute because they can’t even get a response or help from the corporate office. Let get into the work-life balance of it all. Mandatory training dates are set, totally fine. However, if they fall on your day off- don’t expect enough notice to get coverage- you will just be expected to work 7 days that week. My regular working schedule was 3 open-close shifts (about 11 hours) and two single shifts, as opposed to doubles. Totaling 8 shifts worked a week, not including any of those fun trainings I told you about. Inclement weather? The corporate office will be closed-so don’t even attempt to reach out to anyone, including HR. In-store salaried management will be pressured into opening their stores. We are expecting over two feet this week and I guarantee they will make them open. Everyone’s afraid to speak up for fear of retaliation. I’ve seen enough- it’s honestly laughable how bad the company is. Please steer clear. The bad significantly out weighs the good with these guys.

I have loved every minute of my current job since the day I was hired. I have been challenged, allowed to be creative and have had opportunity to work with great executive leadership that have had nothing more than my best interest at heart. Thank you!