Panera Bread

Panera has never been my go to place for lunch, but after receiving a gift card I thought why not try it out. I down in Boston visiting a friend and upon us was one of the worst dining experiences that we would ever encounter. It was almost 1 when we arrived. I was just going to get a mac and cheese (the only thing Panera is good for). The server informed me that there was no mac and cheese. HOW THE FUCK DO YOU RUN OUT OF MAC AND CHEESE BY 1 O-​FUCKING-​CLOCK. If it wasn’t for that gift card I would have left right than and there after hearing that bullshit. I proceeded to order a southwest Panini or some shit like that, and soup. We waited 15 minutes before our buzzer went off. now let me tell you that looks can be very deceiving when it comes to this place. The presentation was wonderful, almost better than half the atrocious cooking shows. After taking my first bite, I knew this meal was going to be shit. My Panini was still frozen and my soup was Luke warm at best. I waited 15 minutes for them to defrost my fucking food and they couldn’t even do that right! I was outraged. I would have asked for them to reheat it but it tasted just as bland as the communion wafers from church. I didn’t even finish my meal, I threw it out and on the way out I felt that they owed me. So I took two water cups and filled them up with soda. I looked around and I could feel the workers starring me down, but none of them had the balls to say anything, a bunch of little pussies as I guessed. I would never wish that type of experience onto my worst enemy. Quite frankly I would of had a better time watching a regular season WNBA game and eating stale bread.

Waited ten minutes for soup, SOUP! Went to the counter and was informed some of the buzzers don’t work so you don’t get notified when your food is ready. Now I have 15 minutes left of my lunch break to enjoy cold soup!

Let me begin by saying I have never been so disrespected in my life… I have loved and supported panera. When people would say to me «hey Samuel panera is ok
but don’t you think it’s a little overrated. Also when they offer you the apple
Or chips who actually chooses the apple and eats it. I mean sure you chose it because you’re trying to pretend to be healthy but when you get it you realize that the crappy plastic forks are no match for the apples tough exterior and God forbid I bite into it. I read an article on FB that my grandma shared saying that one time someone ate an unwashed apple that a rat had peed on and DIED» I’d tell them to stick it where the sun don’t shine. I stood by you when all had deserted… Keep that in mind as I begin my tale. It was a cold dark night as I made the long and cold trek to Panera expecting a chocolate brownie that Panera is known for but instead all I received was disrespect and sadness. I ordered half a turkey bravo sandwich (which was good) a Coke (but they didn’t have Coke so I settled for Pepsi which was an insult but not the reason why I am upset) and finally the pièce de résistance the chocolate brownie. I received my meal thanked the person and left the store making my LONG AND COLD TREK back home. The only thought in my mind was the sweet taste of the chocolate heaven that laid at the bottom of my bag (or so I thought). Imagine my horror when I arrived to my home practically frost bitten, open my bag to see… no brownie. Do you know what that brownie meant to me. It was a spark of hope in my hopeless dark black void of a life. An oasis in the vast seemingly endless dessert that repents my life. That brownie meant EVERYTHING TO ME.
Plus I paid for it.
I went to bed that night, tears pouring down my cheeks, clutching my pillow as I wailed cursing panera for committing the ultimate betrayal. So here I am, writing on panera, a broken man, a brownie-​less man.

Just a regular panera bread.

This is the only Panera I’ve been to in years so I’m not sure how it compares to others. For some reason I always leave here feeling ripped off. Maybe because I am a vegetarian and I come in hungry. Their menu always looks great and it seems like a good idea, but it never lives up to my hopes.
I just tried their new mozzarella flatbread. It’s about the same price as a half sandwich of the same genre at City Feed & Supply but has maybe one eighth the amount of cheese.
Last time I was here I ordered tortellini. After I was at my table someone came over to apologize, they were out of that menu item. I was so hungry I asked if they could substitute another type of pasta. They gave me buttered noodles. No price break.
So I guess people should know that they really capitalize on their profit margins. Bravo?
Good service and tasty enough I just wish they didn’t gouge so hard on price. It is a little ridiculous.

Regular panera bread. Good location. A little expensive, but nothing unusual for a panera.

This place was great but now it is to crowded and the service quality is going down. Don’t go three during peak lunch time.

I’m really disappointed in their service, not their food. I went into Panera to get take-​out for my gf & myself. I ordered two Mediterranean veggies sandwiches & a cinnamon roll. As I just opened my lunch to eat, I found out that they gave me two cranberry chicken sandwiches. If they sounded similar, that would make sense, but they don’t & given that I’m a vegetarian, I now have no lunch.
The only reason I gave them three stars is because my gf enjoyed the cranberry chicken… I’m eating a bag of chips. Thanks a lot.

Working in the Fenway area this summer has meant many a breakfast and many a lunch at Panera. Despite all the delicious offerings, I always opt for the same things, the Breakfast Power sandwich for breakfast (egg white, avocado, tomato, spinach and cheddar on a sprouted multigrain bagel) and the chicken cobb salad with avocado for lunch. Both are delicious and relatively guilt free. I don’t know anywhere else that serves sprouted bread, so Panera makes me very happy!
Service is friendly and efficient. I love the ordering system and the flow of customer traffic. Everything works like a well-​oiled machine. I think Panera is a great company in general, and this outpost is one of their best.

Just like your average Panera, but with friendly and helpful staff. I hang out here occasionally when I have breaks between business meetings. It is a nice place to get some emails done.

Whoa what service! The staff is extremely courteous. We used the order yourself stations and our orders came out to perfection. The staff brings the food to you, introduces themselves and offers to help you in any way. All spaces were very clean and the background music was appropriate for a Sunday morning. Steve, staff member, is awesome and went out of his way to make sure we were well served. This was the perfect way to end our great weekend in Boston and head back home happy (5 hr drive)

This wasn’t my first time at panera but it was my first disappointment. Newport was awesome. Boston by Fenway was busy but staff was great! But Not a fan of this one. Sorry the tuna was not my fav. Staff could have been a little more grateful to have a job.
Wouldn’t go back.

Technology upgrade at this location is incredible– no line — order from a kiosk or even from your table– and if you do order from the line– localized GPS will tell a server what table you’re at to bring you your food! Oh yeah– it was tasty too!

It’s unfair to compare Panera with single-​location cafes, so this is a Panera-​to-​Panera comparison only.
For a Sunday morning, I was surprised at the small line waiting when I entered. I was third in line and got through to ordering pretty quickly. I kept my order to bagels and a latte, which had to be decaf (for a pregnant friend). I mentioned this three times while ordering. While I waited for my bagels and coffee, I watched the breakfast sandwiches come and go on the counter. They were all either unclaimed (read: prepared erroneously), had to be made again (missing ingredients or unwanted ingredients) or were asked for repeatedly (customer was skipped and forgotten by mistake).
I was glad I didn’t order a sandwich, because one person off to the side made my latte and my bagels, so it didn’t take long at all. Unfortunately, no one had noted on my slip that my latte had to be decaf, so I had to ask her to make me another. I felt bad, but I can’t bring a regular coffee to a pregnant lady.
Parking is impossible at this location — excellent parking karma only. I cheated and parked in 15 minute hospital parking around the corner and legged it. Luckily, didn’t get towed or ticketed.

I had to double-​check to make sure I wasn’t in South Bay. Do NOT be in a hurry to get anything here. They push the Panera card (seriously, the first thing out of the cashier’s mouth is «Do you have a Panera Card?» And if you say no, «Do you want one?»). Damn. I just want an iced coffee and a bagel!
Then, it took about 15 minutes to get the bagel, so if you’re in a hurry, don’t get the thing toasted. I’ve been in here twice and both times they’re incredibly slow and it wasn’t rush hour. WTF?!
I’m beginning to worry that ALL Paneras are inefficient, have surly employees (or passed out employees – seriously, there’s an employee laid out on the sofas as I speak, and she’s blocking the power cord so I can’t plug in my laptop; gonna have to ask her to pass out elsewhere, methinks) and slow service.
Not a good look.

I’ve been to this Panera a half a dozen times or more in the last year or so but never really thought about writing a review about it until today when I was there again.
I didn’t order anything but my two friends did. One ordered a tuna sandwich and apple on the side. The other ordered a turkey sandwich and again, apple on the side.
When i do come here, I like the turkey sandwich (½) and get soup (wild rice), iced tea and a cookie. I am addicted to their toffee and nut cookies. I don’t it on it’s own. I feel they’re just too expensive so I would only get it when it’s a combo. I am such a sucker too. You know you are, when they ask you if you want a drink and you’re like — yea. Then they’ll continue by asking if you’d like to add a cookie with your meal and it’s only $.99! then of course you’ll say yes because it’s ONLY a buck!
I don’t think I’ve ever had bad service at this particular location.
So my rating is the following:
Quality of food — 3
Value of food — 2 (it’s pricy!)
Service — 4. especially tonight because they actually brought the food to us, instead of having to go to the counter to get it. So nice!!!
I think i would have gone with 4 stars if it wasn’t so pricy.
And, they offer WIFI Free so that’s always a PLUS!!! :)

The staff here tends to be, at worst, efficient and at best … well that’s the super energetic cashier that you can’t miss. That and plenty of seating in one of the bigger paneras I’ve seen.
The food, like most paneras tends to be good, mostly healthy food just a tad bit over priced (you can guarantee that by ordering food featured on those big posters when you walk in).
As an added bonus, this site uses the panera card. Instead of accruing points, you just get stuff randomly when you go (coffee, salad, cookie). This can be kinda cool, until you hit a cold streak.

When I check in at Panera on my Unilocal app and it tells me that I’m a regular, I giggle because Unilocal has only been informed of about 50% of my Panera visits.
Having a job that requires me to study also requires me to make serious life sacrifices. The job pays well, but fitting in a minimum of three study hours a day after an eight hour work day is not ideal.
Here are the options:
— Stay and study at work. This would mean eating something for dinner here and bringing the total of meals I eat at my desk to three.
— Go to the library for a great study environment, but skip dinner.
— Grab something quick to eat. This always takes up more time than you intend and is never that healthy for you.
— Skip studying, fail, and get fired.
— Study at Panera where I can get my tea, salad, and soup in a conducive study environment
I’m pretty sure the choice is clear.
But there’s reasons to like this Panera even when I’m not studying. Paneras everywhere cater to me, the captain of team indecisive, with their You Pick Two. The half salad is huge and makes me feel better about chowing down on a deliciously melted panini if I’m feeling super hungry, or a soup if I’m not. I like that I can quickly get a half salad, soup, and apple for around $ 10. It’s not the cheapest option around, but I dare you to compare ingredients with the lesser priced. (Seriously, if you do I want to know)
The environment at Panera is completely worth paying extra for as well. I pay my $ 10 and I sit there for hours. I’m honestly surprised these people don’t hate me. Not only are they tolerant of my studying, but they cater to it! There are small booths so that you’re not taking up a huge table, free refills, free Wifi, and smiling employees. I’ve never encountered anyone rude and I spend a LOT of time there. I have been to many Paneras in my life and this one has won me over. I hope it means something to them that they’re my favorite.
Tips:
The Wifi can be a bit spotty if you sit way in the back.
Speaking of, make sure you sit in the back if you’re studying. The elevated area is quieter and full of people with their noses in books.
Asian Chicken Salad. Seriously delicious.
Coffee and tea can be in a mug for those of us staying there
Get a Panera card. I’ve racked up some free drinks just in my short Panera obsessive phase

I’ve been to a ton of other Paneras and I have to say the cashier/​server was one of the rudest I’ve had at ANY of the chains. She had a «Dog shat on my new shoes» look the whole time I ordered. On top of that, since I didn’t know what sides came with a bowl of soup, I asked her what my choices were and she looked at me as if I asked about her virginity.
If I come back to this Panera, I’m going to try to avoid her.
Apart from that, my soup was hot and tasty and my bread was nice and crusty. The standard.

Ok, yes, I’ve only ever been to one other Panera, but this one just doesn’t equate to the one back home. It’s possible that the other one was a fluke of a well-​oiled machine.
I’ll be generous and start with the good:
— The staff is friendly, helpful and seems to be well-​trained.
— I can get a fountain drink & cup of soup and read for an hour or two. (This is really the only reason I’ll return).
— The buzzers are really nice when you’re having to spend so much time looking for a table.
The bad:
— Crowded, crowded, crowded. And this place isn’t small. I’ve been in a few times, different days of the week, different times of day, and have had to wait for someone to vacate a table each time.
— Probably due to the heavy traffic they get, nothing seems to be all that clean. Counters, tables, bathroom… all seem to be getting dirtied faster than they can keep up with it. Nothing disgusting, just crumbs, dirty floors, etc.
— The music I’m used to Panera having is low-​volume classical. Non-​intrusive and calming… perfect for reading/​studying. The music at this one varies from crossover-​classical to pop to easy listening, and is more at a medium level. Just intrusive enough to be annoying. I know this is a little picky, but I’m a musician and am probably more sensitive to this than most people.
It’s Panera. Generally good food, but overpriced for what it is (though one of the cheaper options in the area). A big part of their appeal comes from the atmosphere of the place, and that’s what fails here.
Though to be fair, it’s not totally their fault: single people studying — stop taking up 4-​tops! Do you not see how this adds to the crowding? When someone vacates a 2-​top, move to it. Or move to that big communal table in the middle of the upstairs dining room. It’s just common sense and common courtesy.