Thumbs down on Panera Bread

vsp · 02-03-2004, 08:33 AM

The Panera Bread chain came up in a discussion <a href="http://www.cellar.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4275">some time ago</a>, and I wasn't impressed by what I saw online. My wife and I were hungry and in the area (just over the Delaware border) last night, so we figured we'd give it a try.

* Demerit #1: I picked out a sandwich, ordered it, and asked "Can I have some onions on that?" The clerk says "No."

NO?

"The sandwiches are already made up, so..."

Wait wait wait. This is a SANDWICH SHOP, and they're serving pre-made sandwiches with no substitutions? Where am I, a high school cafeteria?

This eliminates about 3/4 of the menu for me, because I'd be saying "Can I get this without the mayo?"

* Mild Kvetch #1: The lemonade was good, and they get points for carrying Jones Soda Co. products at all... but only five flavors, one of them diet. Oh well.

* Positive: Their breads and other baked goods did look good, even if they want a lot for their bagels.

* Demerit #2: The drones behind the counter put our sandwiches on the grill to warm them up. In the process, they pretty much charbroiled the bread, which became hard to the point of being nearly inedible. "At least the insides of the sandwich were good," says the wife.

* Demerit #3: My wife and I were sitting in a little room in the corner of the restaurant, as most of the booths in the main section were full. Another couple was eating a few feet away from us. During our meal, a staff member came in and started noisily stacking the chairs up on the tables, doing every table except for the ones we were sitting at. Um, it's SIX-THIRTY, and they didn't close until NINE!

Maybe it's just me, but I'm not much for eating in a "hurry up and GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE" environment, which was exactly the attitude that the staff drone projected. Seeing stacked-up chairs around you isn't exactly a welcoming sign, and I'm not sure why she felt it was so vital to push past us and close up shop THEN instead of waiting five minutes until we and the other couple were done eating.

* Demerit #4: All things considered, my sandwich (the new Turkey and Panini they were hawking) was kinda bland.

I've had worse dining experiences, but I was thoroughly unimpressed. The <a href="http://www.atlantabread.com/">Atlanta Bread Company</a> is _right there_ if I want a better fresh-baked-bread-and-fresh-made-sandwiches chain experience, and if I don't need a loaf of bread to take home, the <a href="http://www.isaacsdeli.com">Isaac's Deli</a> chain blows both away in terms of the quality of the sandwiches. And that's just the CHAINS, as locally-owned sandwich places abound around here.

Been there, done that, not going back unless I'm _really_ desperate for Jones Green Apple Soda.

wolf · 02-03-2004, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by vsp
Been there, done that, not going back unless I'm _really_ desperate for Jones Green Apple Soda.

I noticed quite accidentally yesterday, that the Bucks County Coffee Company Kiosk at Plymouth Meeting Mall carries Jones Soda. The other ones probably do too.

dar512 · 02-03-2004, 09:31 AM

The one's I've been in around Chicago and St. Louis are much better. Good service and good food.

Why don't you send them a note. It's possible that store is just poorly managed.

Contact Panera's

I don't find the price of their bagels out of line. What are they getting for them there?

vsp · 02-03-2004, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dar512
I don't find the price of their bagels out of line. What are they getting for them there?

Seven-something for a dozen. By comparison, a baker's dozen at Einstein Bros. is $5.49.

breakingnews · 02-03-2004, 10:22 AM

The only thing I eat at Panera is soup in a bread bowl (cream of broccoli or onion soup). They've fucked up several of my sandwiches, so I figure soup in a bowl is the least complicated (hot) thing they can make. Their bread is always really greasy too, which I don't like. And coming from sandwich/cheesesteak/pizza central in the NE US, I'm very picky about my comfort foods.

vsp · 02-03-2004, 10:32 AM

Again, Atlanta Bread Company and their Loaf of Soup is already in town as a viable alternative.

(The ABC near where I work does have some problems and is off my list of acceptable restaurants; they've been rude, they've had spotty menu-item availability, and they charge $2 more than other ABCs for their Panini sandwiches for no apparent reason, as if ABC wasn't high-priced for what you get _already_. There's a Cheeburger Cheeburger and a Desert Moon Cafe in the same shopping center, so that ABC's right out. The two others that are nearby are just fine, though.)

wolf · 02-03-2004, 11:20 AM

Desert Moon is truly awesome. Fast food that doesn't FEEL like fast food. Oh, and all the chips and salsa you can eat.

vsp · 02-03-2004, 11:49 AM

They're not bad. Their "Hell Canyon" chili is laughably weak, and they could use a hot salsa (they offer a "hot" salsa, but it's not a HOT salsa, if you get my drift), but neither of those two shortcomings is a surprise for a chain. That, and I can always pack along my own hot pepper sauces to bring them up to speed...

elSicomoro · 02-03-2004, 06:15 PM

Jeff, don't base it on one experience at one store.

Dar, do they still refer to them in St. Louis and Chicago as "St. Louis Bread Company?" It was still SLBC in St. Louis when I was home last year, and I thought the last time I saw one in Chicago, it had the SLBC name...though that's been 5 years.

dar512 · 02-04-2004, 10:06 AM

Syc, still SLBC in St. Louis, but here in Chicago they're now Paneras. That changed a while ago. 3 years maybe?

The bagels are 6.95 for a baker's dozen here in Chicago. We've got an Einsteins here too. It's farther away, but I'll have to try it.

02-03-2004, 11:20 AM	#7
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	Desert Moon is truly awesome. Fast food that doesn't FEEL like fast food. Oh, and all the chips and salsa you can eat. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

02-03-2004, 08:33 AM	#1
vsp Syndrome of a Down Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: West Chester Posts: 1,367	Thumbs down on Panera Bread The Panera Bread chain came up in a discussion <a href="http://www.cellar.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4275">some time ago</a>, and I wasn't impressed by what I saw online. My wife and I were hungry and in the area (just over the Delaware border) last night, so we figured we'd give it a try. * Demerit #1: I picked out a sandwich, ordered it, and asked "Can I have some onions on that?" The clerk says "No." NO? "The sandwiches are already made up, so..." Wait wait wait. This is a SANDWICH SHOP, and they're serving pre-made sandwiches with no substitutions? Where am I, a high school cafeteria? This eliminates about 3/4 of the menu for me, because I'd be saying "Can I get this without the mayo?" * Mild Kvetch #1: The lemonade was good, and they get points for carrying Jones Soda Co. products at all... but only five flavors, one of them diet. Oh well. * Positive: Their breads and other baked goods did look good, even if they want a lot for their bagels. * Demerit #2: The drones behind the counter put our sandwiches on the grill to warm them up. In the process, they pretty much charbroiled the bread, which became hard to the point of being nearly inedible. "At least the insides of the sandwich were good," says the wife. * Demerit #3: My wife and I were sitting in a little room in the corner of the restaurant, as most of the booths in the main section were full. Another couple was eating a few feet away from us. During our meal, a staff member came in and started noisily stacking the chairs up on the tables, doing every table except for the ones we were sitting at. Um, it's SIX-THIRTY, and they didn't close until NINE! Maybe it's just me, but I'm not much for eating in a "hurry up and GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE" environment, which was exactly the attitude that the staff drone projected. Seeing stacked-up chairs around you isn't exactly a welcoming sign, and I'm not sure why she felt it was so vital to push past us and close up shop THEN instead of waiting five minutes until we and the other couple were done eating. * Demerit #4: All things considered, my sandwich (the new Turkey and Panini they were hawking) was kinda bland. I've had worse dining experiences, but I was thoroughly unimpressed. The <a href="http://www.atlantabread.com/">Atlanta Bread Company</a> is _right there_ if I want a better fresh-baked-bread-and-fresh-made-sandwiches chain experience, and if I don't need a loaf of bread to take home, the <a href="http://www.isaacsdeli.com">Isaac's Deli</a> chain blows both away in terms of the quality of the sandwiches. And that's just the CHAINS, as locally-owned sandwich places abound around here. Been there, done that, not going back unless I'm _really_ desperate for Jones Green Apple Soda.

02-03-2004, 09:31 AM	#3
dar512 dar512 is now Pete Zicato Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago suburb Posts: 4,968	The one's I've been in around Chicago and St. Louis are much better. Good service and good food. Why don't you send them a note. It's possible that store is just poorly managed. Contact Panera's I don't find the price of their bagels out of line. What are they getting for them there?

02-03-2004, 10:22 AM	#5
breakingnews Q_Q Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: somewhere in between Posts: 995	The only thing I eat at Panera is soup in a bread bowl (cream of broccoli or onion soup). They've fucked up several of my sandwiches, so I figure soup in a bowl is the least complicated (hot) thing they can make. Their bread is always really greasy too, which I don't like. And coming from sandwich/cheesesteak/pizza central in the NE US, I'm very picky about my comfort foods.

02-03-2004, 10:32 AM	#6
vsp Syndrome of a Down Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: West Chester Posts: 1,367	Again, Atlanta Bread Company and their Loaf of Soup is already in town as a viable alternative. (The ABC near where I work does have some problems and is off my list of acceptable restaurants; they've been rude, they've had spotty menu-item availability, and they charge $2 more than other ABCs for their Panini sandwiches for no apparent reason, as if ABC wasn't high-priced for what you get _already_. There's a Cheeburger Cheeburger and a Desert Moon Cafe in the same shopping center, so that ABC's right out. The two others that are nearby are just fine, though.)

02-03-2004, 11:49 AM	#8
vsp Syndrome of a Down Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: West Chester Posts: 1,367	They're not bad. Their "Hell Canyon" chili is laughably weak, and they could use a hot salsa (they offer a "hot" salsa, but it's not a HOT salsa, if you get my drift), but neither of those two shortcomings is a surprise for a chain. That, and I can always pack along my own hot pepper sauces to bring them up to speed...

02-03-2004, 06:15 PM	#9
elSicomoro Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 12,486	Jeff, don't base it on one experience at one store. Dar, do they still refer to them in St. Louis and Chicago as "St. Louis Bread Company?" It was still SLBC in St. Louis when I was home last year, and I thought the last time I saw one in Chicago, it had the SLBC name...though that's been 5 years.

02-04-2004, 10:06 AM	#10
dar512 dar512 is now Pete Zicato Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago suburb Posts: 4,968	Syc, still SLBC in St. Louis, but here in Chicago they're now Paneras. That changed a while ago. 3 years maybe? The bagels are 6.95 for a baker's dozen here in Chicago. We've got an Einsteins here too. It's farther away, but I'll have to try it.

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