Today I rang Yuppiechef to enquire about Wusthof knives that I wanted to buy to the value of R3 600. The lady on the other end of the phone said they do not have those knives in stock so I asked which was the nearest branch to them and if I should try the Sandton branch. She replied in saying I could try driving there. I asked what the Yuppiechef process is - do they have a system to check up on first before going through. She said it's best I drive to the different branches or go check online myself. I explained I work full time and don't have the time nor the petrol to drive to a number of stores and enquired for a 4th time if there was a way of checking up on the system whether stock was present before wasting my time and petrol. After 10min of trying to ask what process they have for helping customers, she eventually agreed to check on the instore system. She said stock is at Sandton and I could drive through at my own risk because sometimes what is on the system doesn't accurately reflect what is in the store. I asked whether she can check that or if I were to look it up myself. Once again she encouraged me to rather drive to the store myself and that a store somewhere would have the knives aswell as well as being able to try online. I asked to speak to someone who could please assist me with stock availability anywhere in the country before driving to that store. Another person came on the line and when checked , I was told they do infact carry both the knives that I needed at that very store. I had to turn the car around and go all the way back. I have never had such poor customer service at any store in all my life. I was infuriated at the aspect that not even a little help was offered and it took me 10 min to "bleed blood from a stone" only to find they do infact carry stock right there. I expressed my disappointment at the store and infact was so angered upon arrival to which I got an apology. I somehow don't think an apology will change the actions going forward. I was told this person was new and had been at Yuppiechef for 6 months. I wondered how many other customers were turned away and how much money the store was losing as a result. I doubt I was the first customer this happened to. Sadly I will never return to Yuppiechef again anywhere in the country. This incident completely tainted my lenses to the brand which I had always seen as premium. I will be buying my chef knives elsewhere in the future as well as other items.