On a weekend in Fort Collins, it is typical to stop by your favorite breakfast restaurant and be plagued by a 30 minute wait;  some are not worth the extra time.

At Rise! A Breakfast Place, a new breakfast restaurant that opened last week in Fort Collins, one might regrettably wait 30 minutes or more to get a table.

The staff at Rise! seemed overwhelmed by business. Instead of greeting you and taking your name, the hostess sighs when she realizes she needs to seat yet another table. Do not bother asking to sit outside, even though there may be several tables visibly open. The hostess will once again sigh and tell you there is not an option. When you realize you do not have the choice to sit outside and escape the frazzled staff inside – and unsightly ’70s retro theme – you may wish you waited for a table at the breakfast place you really love.

The seating inside is crowded, noisy and lacks privacy. You can overhear the neighboring table ask the hostess if there is seating outside and hear her reject them as well. The off-white walls feel empty, even though they sport art and decorations, and the color scheme is dull, with dated green and bright orange colors.

A good breakfast is good because the food is satisfying, flavorful and hot. The staff should not need to try to convince you that it is excellent.

Does anyone care that dishes are made from scratch and that ingredients are local and organic when possible? Yes, it is definitely a perk if the food is delicious, but it is not what makes the food delicious.

The banana and toasted coconut baked pancake was huge, though size did not matter in this case. The pancake had too many bananas in it and that caused it to have a mushy texture. The mango agave syrup that came with it did not pair well. When I asked the waitress to bring me maple syrup, she brought more mango agave syrup instead, which comes in scant servings.

The biscuits and gravy were also in need of salt and arrived on the cold side.

The coffee, from Elevation Coffee Traders in Denver, was ordinary and nothing to boast about. Asking for a refill every time and waiting for the waitress to return to make sure you are not in need of anything else is probably the most unsatisfying part of having a bland breakfast and paying $30 for it.

The menu was not groundbreaking, perhaps average at best. Rise! also offers a lunch menu at starting at 11 a.m. until they close at 2:30 p.m.

There are at least a few well-established breakfast places in Fort Collins. Stick to a 30 minute wait that satisfies your appetite and comes with great service.

Collegian Staff Reporter Dina Alibrahim Fike can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com.