Panera Bread

Approval Rate: 77%

77%Approval ratio

Reviews 38

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  • by

    emilysapei

    Mon May 02 2011

    I like the food. I especially like the idea of an apple as a choice for a side! But for $6.79 I walked away hungry :(.

  • by

    jeffsss

    Thu Dec 30 2010

    I generally like Panera Bread, the food is good and a good value but the cafe at Foxwoods Resort is a joke. They continuely run out of bread. You have a better chance at winning at the slot machines then getting a Fontega chicken sandwich or many other sandwiches. Yesterday was the last straw, I ordered a salad and a sandwich and they were out of bread and lettuce. I asked to speak to the manager who was very rude and couldn't care less. When I commented that they were incompetent they threw me out of the restaurant. If you want a meal at Foxwoods don't waste your time at Panera Bread there probably out of what you want.

  • by

    jimgjabb

    Sun Nov 28 2010

    If you don't trip over computer wires and can find a clean booth/table that's not occupied by a patron (computer user) who finished his/her iced tea hours ago, then you might like this particular boutique cafe. The service is- oftentimes- slow, but the food is always good. Just avoid the hazards, dirty tables and inconsiderate computer users who make an attempt to convince you that they are patrons.

  • by

    irishgit

    Mon Nov 15 2010

    Somewhat overpriced sandwich joint, when you consider the quality and quantity of food provided. Not horrible but certainly not good and not very imaginative. I'd rather go to a stand alone deli.

  • by

    pris62f5

    Mon Nov 15 2010

    Horrible Experience, will never walk into another Panera Bread in my life!! 4 of us, all adults went to the Panera bread a this location for lunch, we arrived exactly at 4:30, I order coffee along with a bunch of sandwiches and soups, $35.00 worth of food. There was a big sign near the coffee station that said Panera Bread always serves fresh coffee. At 4:30 the handwritten note on coffee brewers indicated 4pm. I asked the manager when do they change the coffee, since I wanted fresh coffee, he said "at 5pm", I waited until 5, I figure I have my lunch and then take a cup of fresh coffee. By the time we were leaving it was already 5:05 and the coffee wasn't changed. I asked the "lady", named Lyndsay, if she was going to change the regular coffee, she said "NO" I said the manager told me it'll changed at five, this coffee is been sitting for an hour, it is no longer fresh!! she said "oh well, then I'll change it" I went to put the kids and friends in the car and came back for my coffee, a... Read more

  • by

    ad136754

    Sat Aug 07 2010

    I gave Panera two stars but that's a bit misleading. Their food does taste good for the most part. However, I gave them two stars because their prices are outrageous and their food is not as good for you or as "fresh" as they lead people to believe. I worked for them for 6 months as a baker a few years ago. I wasn't treated too badly except by one manager that no one else liked either. The pay sucked for the amount of work though. When you walk in and see all those baked goods all over keep in mind usually ONE person baked all, put the icing or other toppings on, etc plus did special orders in one night and I was paid barely above min. wage. I ended up with carpel tunnel from pinching hundreds of bagels that take toppings like the cheese and apple cinnamon night after night after night. I ended up having to see a podiatrist for foot problems because in order to get all that baking done in one night I hardly ever got to take a break and was on my feet for almost 8 hours straig... Read more

  • by

    prinsesblu2

    Mon Jun 28 2010

    Let me start out by saying that I have worked here for five years, so I know the ins and outs of this place. There are reviewers that have said they hated it, perhaps they didn't have a great cafe like I do. The whole concept of Panera is great. You get fresh food made daily that isn't horrible for you. There are no preservatives and no trans fat. The atmosphere is welcoming and inviting. I think the thing that is hard for some people to get is that we are not a sit down restuante. It is what my friends and I have come to call glorified fast food. Not like McDonalds, but not like Applebees either. You get the food fast and sit where you want, but have to clean up after yourself. As some people have pointed out the food is not excellent for you. It can be better though if you know how to order. If you are trying to watch it stay away from creamy soups and thick bread. Stick with whole grain over asiago foccasia. If one knows how to order smartly they can eat healthier. Anothe... Read more

  • by

    djahuti

    Sat Jun 12 2010

    Some of the soup is pretty good,and the bread is great.It's a bit pricey,though,for what you get.

  • by

    ratebreads

    Fri Jun 04 2010

    I think Panera put DRUGS in my food. I was there a few days ago, got home, and started feeling terrible and nearly passed out. Don't eat there!

  • by

    lhamdog

    Tue Feb 23 2010

    I do think the prices are a bit high but my bigger concern is my friend and I ate there yesterday for lunch and both had the Napa Almond Chicken Salad Sandwich. I think it is quite tasty, but about 20 minutes later we both got headaches, dull aches above our eyes in the front of our foreheads and today we both still have the same headache. Coincidence or something in the sandwich? Anyone else ever have that problem?

  • by

    orirai

    Sat Feb 13 2010

    I work at Panera Bread as a cashier/associate. People who love their food, I am warning you now, it's incredibly unhealthy. The sodium levels are through the roof and the calorie levels are equally high. This is NOT HEALTHY FOOD people, it just looks like it. And the complaints about the dirty dishes are completely true; I often have to apologize to customers about their mug being dirty and I see dishes there that I would not even use. But for me, what is worse about it all is that the employees are treated like sh*t. I have worked there for 6 months, I have trained three people, INCLUDING A MANAGER, and have yet to be certified as a trainer, much less received my raise that comes with it. Our IRV, or feedback scores, are so low. So we were all guaranteed something, and the manager said anything of our choice including a raise, if we raised the scores. So I helped to do so (they even told me that there were emails praising me, and by me I mean they said my name) and they went up 10 po... Read more

  • by

    caprica

    Sat Feb 06 2010

    One afternoon I was starving, so I went to Panera Bread. I ordered Lemonade and Chicken Noodle Soup. There were so many people that I was like standing while eating, trying to get a seat. First of all, I said " Can I have a lemonade with Chicken Noodle Soup?" and they did give me that, but the Chicken Noodle Soup was the most disgusting looking soup and it was all goggy and the noodles were like rotten potatoes mooshed together. And they charged me 50 cents more for "lemonade" because they think its " home made" And usually they give you potato chips and/or bread, but the plate that they gave me was the dirtiest plate and they didn't even give me bread. My mom, who was there ordered some other kind of soup and she got bread. The plate,,, wow. it was diiiirrrrrrrtttttyyyyy. Someone probably ate it in that same plate and Panera was too lazy to wash it was they gave it to me. Anyways, mpoving on to Chicken Nodddle Soup. The soup was BAD. The noodles, as i said, was like boiled, rotten, po... Read more

  • by

    edt4226d

    Fri Jan 22 2010

    Generally speaking, I avoid chain restaurants, but I was with a friend in the Somerville, NJ, area today around lunch time, he was starving and wanted to eat there, and I was too apathetic (and suffering from a dull headache) to make much of a protest. Whatever. Beats McDonald's or a Dunkin' Donuts bagel. Right? Well, just barely. Needless to say, the restaurant was packed. I ordered what was essentially a turkey and cheese sandwich, a bag of chips (an incredibly small bag, I might add), and a drink that was a Yuppie-ish combination of peach and "tabole" (whatever in hell that is) that I think went under the name "Peach D'More". I'm not a cheapskate, but it cost more than 10 bucks. These days, that's maybe not considered too expensive, but to me it is (I did use to hang out in a bar where they charged $11 for a tuna sandwich, but I was going out with the bartender at the time, and she always gave me more than a break when it came to settling up what I owed). For a glorified cheese s... Read more

  • by

    joanne50

    Tue Aug 25 2009

    Bad place to eat. Worked there they drop bread on dirty floor and serve it to customers. Egg souffles are out dated and past expiration. Muffins are all melted before pulled because frezzer is bad. Panni's are pre made and left on the floor most the night. Treat employees bad never check out for lunch no time. work early to get job done. Dont dine here. I worked here and felt like a salve cant believe the dirty food they are handing to the customer. Rotten dine out.

  • by

    gwenrose

    Thu Aug 20 2009

    Anyone who eats at Panera is wasting their money. Not only is the food over priced, it's not even healthy. All the "bakery" items come frozen and just get stuck in the oven. They don't even offer food for diabetics or any other special conditions. They don't keep the foods at a proper temperature and half the time the dishes are still dirty. They just rinse them off and put your food on them. I would know. I've worked there for almost a year and it SUCKS. They promise you a raise every six months that you never get. They won't work with you over scheduling conflicts. And they make you work six. I once threw up TWELVE TIMES while working on the line before they sent me home. I even almost threw up while making someones food. I had to run to the bathroom. They don't care. Don't waste your money or risk your health eating there. And definitely don't work there. You will regret it. I know I do.

  • by

    jenn111

    Mon Jul 27 2009

    As it is rated "#1 Healthiest Food Chain" - they must even have the critics fooled. Yes, they do not use "preservatives" but if you would call a 1040 calorie sandwich healthy, I think otherwise. Upon being hired here, they have broken most every promise they have made to me and my colleagues which totally goes against the "panera warmth" they strive for. As a manager here, you will be over worked at pretty much 60 hours a week (which doesn't even show up on the books being they alter it in the computer to make themselves not look as illigal). And this concludes that after tax the average manager makes equivalent to $8/hour. The regional managers wonder why the bakers aren't "passionate" about their jobs...and it may be because after working for 3 years for 9.75 from 10 pm - 8 am, you get sick of being treated like crap. They seem to promise many of their employees raises, that never seem to happen, as they falsely give incentives for us all to save on food costs so we "can get that... Read more

  • by

    mnkys123

    Mon Jun 22 2009

    For some reason I love Panera's chicken salad sandwich. I wish I knew how they made their chicken salad because I would eat it all the time if I could! It tends to be a little overpriced though.

  • by

    zuchinibut

    Thu Mar 12 2009

    I don't go to Panera often, but I dont' remember any bad experiences there. The soup and sandwiches are unspectacular but usually good. I'm a sucker for their frozen coffee drinks with the thick straws. For a made to order restaurant, they are consistently good about getting orders out quickly.

  • by

    excelsior30

    Thu Mar 12 2009

    Delicious items, that's true. The thing is that some of them have too much sodium in their entrees that if you are hypertension-wary, you just eat one meal for the day. The atmosphre is welcoming and they cook their entrees as quick as possible. Their breads and pastries are appealing. Some of them are expensive, but it can be well worth their value and tase. Something for Atlanta Bread Company and local bakeries to fear for.

  • by

    ilovepaneralat_tes

    Fri Dec 26 2008

    I spend way too much money at Panera. I'm addicted to their carmel latte's! At least they have a punch card so that you can get a free one for every 8 you buy. They are way better than any other place I've tried them. Their meals are a bit pricey, but it is quality/semi-healthy food. I wish they would come back with that butternut squash soup they had last year. It was AMAZING!

  • by

    tones12

    Fri Dec 19 2008

    worst place to work. They lie to their managers and employees about everything they have to offer. Trust me, its bad. What's worse is their human resource department

  • by

    erin3031

    Wed Oct 08 2008

    loves it

  • by

    eatwell

    Sat Aug 02 2008

    Great cinnamon bagels(very good) and petty good sandwiches(try the roast beef). I almost don't want to go there because of the pretentious manipulative commercials that they endlessly play on the local radio. But the food is decent--both tasty and filling.

  • by

    canadasucks

    Sat Jan 19 2008

    Although overpriced (but what decent food isn't) it's a good lunch-stop with above-average fare. . .a solid bet if you're traveling and need a healthy sandwich-soup combo. . .

  • by

    fvguy72

    Sat Jan 19 2008

    Nice and clean decor. Pretty good food. Jazz music. It's a good place to relax, read, or study.

  • by

    alanlattke

    Sat Jan 05 2008

    Service is good - now it is NOT sit down in the sense you have servers - but you get good salads and soups or you can nurse a cup of coffee (that is refillable if yo urequest a mug) for 7 hours while you work on a report leeching the wi-fi for free. Breads are fun and the quiche is good too.

  • by

    stas1995

    Sat Jan 05 2008

    This is a comment that I made on Panera's website about their Grasso Plaza location in St. Louis, "I just left this location and went to get a Carmel Latte w/ Soy Milk. I had placed my order went and stood & waited to get my coffee. No one else was standing there waiting for their beverage. The person making the beverages looked to be one of the managers. I had been waiting at least a minute before the next person came up to wait for their beverage. The manager called Carmel Latte and I grabbed it and started to leave he starts yelling, "Sir, did you want the one with Soy Milk?" I said, "Yes"". Then he said that the one I was holding was for another person standing there and mine wasn't ready yet. I don't understand why mine wasn't made yet since I had ordered mine before the person who the original coffee was for. Actually the other person waiting was in line after me and I had placed my order before her. The manager proceeded to make the other person another Carmel Latte first and th... Read more

  • by

    kristin5678

    Thu Dec 20 2007

    Hated the service. I spent 13+ dollars for a lunch and sat down to enjoy and study, and I was asked to move to another table, because I was sitting at a table for 4 and they needed it for larger groups. The table for 2 was soo small I had to eat out of my lap. And there were a bunch of tables around me that were open! Whats the point! I can eat at a local coffee shop, get a great sandwhich and soup and coffee, and get free wifi, and they would never ask me to move

  • by

    brie0016

    Mon Dec 17 2007

    I do not like panera bread, I alway leave hungry with a hurt wallet.  Although there bread and bagels are great!

  • by

    kniki3

    Sun Nov 04 2007

    My first job was at Panera Bread. The quality of the food....oh so good. There was a baker that would come in and bake everything fresh daily. A few nights a week we would box up any left over pastries, breads, bagels and someone from a charity org. would come and pick it up. The rest of the week we would throw away/take home.

  • by

    caphillsea77

    Fri Oct 12 2007

    I love this place. I really dig the brocoli cheese soup in a sourdough bread bowl. America needs more healthy lunch places like this.

  • by

    tillie2007

    Mon Jul 30 2007

    to the individual that said the bread is no good, did you know that it's all baked right there? That the bread you eat there, is LESS than 24 hours old (from mixing the ingredients, till the time you eat it). Also, there are no preservatives in their food, and from what I understand, they are turning their entire menu into a "no trans-fat" menu. I'd rather eat FRESH food ANY day, than food pre-packaged and dumped on a shelf for a week before I even get it. Also, if your on a diet, you shouldn't be eating dine-out food anyways. Their food contains the same amount of cholesterol, calories, etc, than I've seen in most "quick serve" healthier-style food establisments. Again, though, the key point is that atleast the stuff I eat there is FRESH. At the end of the day, ALL their remaining pastry and bread items are bagged up and given to local charities. I admire a place that does that, rather than tossing in a dumpster, wasting what could have helped others. Or packaging it back up and ... Read more

  • by

    robert57

    Tue May 29 2007

    Their bread is no good. It's not artisan bread; it's supermarket bread. Take a loaf home and compare to La Brea, which IS good bread.

  • by

    nancyheindl

    Sat May 26 2007

    We love to go to Panera and enjoy their many unique and delicious sandwiches. They are always adding new ones to keep it interesting.  The soup selection is great.  They have outstanding coffee, and very good bagels and bakery items.  I wish that the Crispanis were available at lunch time.

  • by

    liljessjess

    Mon Apr 23 2007

    I love their soups!  I often go to Panera Bread to have a soup lunch for under $3, and it always fills me up.

  • by

    chalky

    Sun Jan 14 2007

    Will someone tell me why the 'Crispani' is only offered after 4pm?!? gee

  • by

    inanejason8

    Tue Dec 12 2006

    Panera bread has easily the freshest, tastiest food in all the south Chicago suburbs. I love the layout, timeliness, friendliness of the employees. And it is a good spot to sit down with some friends and enjoy a good soup and sandwich. Their broccoli cheese soup is the BEST!

  • by

    gleongelpi

    Sun Dec 03 2006

    All their food is very fresh and good tasting--sandwiches, salads, soups and pizza. In the morning they have pastries and breads. One goes to the counter to order and then picks up the food at the other station. It's more like a deli and it is fast, but one can linger in a very confortable ambience.