Cinnabon: Not the World Famous Cinnamon Rolls

I can not remember how many times I have walked by Cinnabon (50 Rideau Street, Ottawa) at the Rideau Centre without thinking about entering.  For coffee there are plenty of options at the Rideau Centre and Cinnamon rolls are not exactly my go to sinful dish, but I do appreciate a good one. 

But earlier this week I walked past the store to see the sign claiming "World Famous Cinnamon Rolls".  So I thought I would put that claim to the test and today was the day to do so. 

I visited shortly after 9 A.M. to be the only person in the store. There were two employees working in the front area with the mixer and other baking utensils. I looked quizzically as to where I should place my order as there was no sign or marker to indicate where to place and/or pick up your order.  Eventually one of the employees came over and I placed my order. 

The Order: 1 Minibon and 1 Medium Black Coffee.

I paid $4.19 including taxes, grabbed my items and left for the Rideau Centre Mall's Food Court.  To be fair the store does have sit down and eat, but I would have been the only customer there.  

Two minutes later, I sat down at the food court to dig into my Minibon and Coffee. 

The Minibon was a let down.  Not sure how the "World Famous Cinnamon Rolls" would let this pass.  The Minibon was luke warm and squishy.  At no time was I offered to have the Minibon heated up or as is.  Heck a simple microwave would have saved this.  I also doubt the Minibon I had was freshly made due to the lack of customers in the this location.   Sadly, the McDonald's Cinnamon Melts are better quality tasting and better value.

The coffee was worse.  The coffee tasted like instant coffee and I am now even doubting the brew I drank had even seen the inside of the Bunn-O-Matic machine for quite sometime or even at all. Cinnabon needs to pull up its socks on the coffee as it even tastes worse than the old McDonald's coffee and may even rival the old gas station coffee offered at the old gas stations off the Interstate in the back country of New York.  The quantity of coffee was the only saving grace, there wasn't much of it so it was easier to put the coffee out of it's misery and not feel too neglected. 

Overall, Cinnabon was a disappointment from the beginning.  "World Famous Cinnamon Rolls" they are not considering even McDonald's, who doesn't even specialize in Cinnamon Rolls, does a better job.  Your service counter doesn't provide any indication as to where customers are supposed to go when entering the store.  With lots of other coffee and bakery style places to choose from, customers are better to go elsewhere. Perhaps calling it "World Famous Cinnamon Rolls" was setting the bar high from the start.