Panera Bread

The worst dining experience to date! The entry way is cold where you order food, with little description of the food on the hanging menu. It is far from where you enter and difficult to read. They ran out of coffee and hot water for tea, and it took more than 10 minutes to refill it. The portions were way over priced and very small. The restaurant was freezing as was the soup. The staff was nice but seemed overwhelmed and unsupported. This last time I was here I was given the wrong salad. It’s too bad because it is in a very convenient location, but the other locations are so much better.

Down to one star — Drive thru tonight, ordered a full size salad and a pick two with sandwich and soup. Got home, underneath the baguettes and napkins found the soup, but missing the sandwich that was part of the pick two. I’d rather skip a meal than waste money and time at this location again.

This is the worst Panera I’ve ever been to and I will drive out of the way to the Panera in Everett instead of going to this location again. The service was terrible and the food was mediocre. First impressions walking in the store were that they had hardly any baked goods. I wish I had taken a picture because there were two or three loaves of bread, a few cinnamon roles that looked 3 days old, and a few other assorted pastries that looked several days old. How can a place with bread in the name have so few loaves of bread? After ordering (we got takeout), we went and stood by the food window. During the time we were standing there (which was quite a while), we heard the employees acting super unprofessional. First they were going on and on about how they were going to punch each other in the face, then we heard them listing off all the foods they didn’t have. Their behavior was as if they didn’t realize there was a big window in which the customers could see what they were doing.
My boyfriend ordered a Sierra Turkey sandwich. While we were standing there we heard them tell one of the staff to ask the customer (us), if it was ok to make the sandwich on a different bread because they didn’t have the right bread (see… out of bread). The employee then says something to the extent of «it’s all just bread» and when we got the sandwich, it was indeed on a different bread. Next this same employee mentioned the sandwich she made had cheese on it. My bf is lactose intolerant so that was a no-​go. After she asked if he wanted the sandwich as is, and he said no, the staff member goes «Can I have it?» to us. Like what? This type of stuff goes on for about 10 minutes while we wait for food. Then our order comes up and, after specifically specifying that we wanted a side of bread and after the cashier rang it up on the receipt as having bread, this same staff member goes «Your chips are one kettle and one baked, we only had one kettle.» (another thing they were out of). She did correct the order when we asked but it was annoying. Finally, to top all this off, the iced green tea tasted GROSS. I can’t really put my finger on what the weird taste is, but it was almost as if there was no actual tea in the drink and it was just green sugar water.
Also, the pickle that came with the sandwich was an abomination and a disgrace to pickles everywhere… but I think all Panera pickles are like that.
As I said, I will never be back to this location. I can only imagine how long the drive thru customers were waiting if we waited for over 10 minutes in the store even though we were the only customers in the store waiting.

VERY surprised to see low reviews of this specific location of Panera. I come here 2x a week, either for lunch for breakfast and have ALWAYS had superior service. The service is consistent especially using the drive-​thru and I am always greeted happily by a Panera team member. The quality of food Panera is providing now-​a-​days has swayed me away from my typical lunch spots. I’m extremely grateful this location opened up so close to my house!
My favorites — Kales Caesar w/​chicken, Strawberry Banana Smoothie

This brand new panera has to be the worst I’ve been to. It’s new… you would think they would’ve started off good. Not the case.
On my first visit, which was within the first couple of weeks of opening, I waited 15 minutes for my breakfast! A sausage egg and cheese on a bagel, iced coffee and bagel and cream cheese for my son!
2^nd almost visit was last Sunday at NOON. I went to the drive through and asked for a broccoli cheddar soup… they had none. Sunday… noon!!! I left.
3^rd almost visit was tonight. They were supposed to close at 9. At 845 I was at the drive through. No one said can I help you. I said hello… nothing. I beeped… nothing. I waited 5 minutes and then decided to go in. The door was locked they had already closed.
This place has let me down too many times in a short time. It’s nice they have a drive through but I rather get out of my car and go to the one in Everett.
Because they closed early, I went to Smash Burger next door. It was good! Good burger, good service! Fried pickles!!!
Don’t go to panera in Medford. Go to the one in Everett or Smash Burger next door!

Maybe it’s just me but Panera bread is a last resort.
Their food isn’t awful but on a scale of 1 – 10 based on flavor, I’d give it a generous 1.
It’s very standard and «corporate» by that I mean there’s really no creativity or boldness in their flavors…
I guess it’s good if you’re in a rush or everything else is closed.

This place is very close to our office so we order from them at least 3 times a week. The food is great, however I always have to double check the order as they usually forget to put bread, sides, pickles etc., so if you go there make sure you have everything you’ve ordered.

Love Panera Bread in general but this place needs to get it together. I have been here 4 times and they have gotten my order wrong three times. This is a new location so there is still time but management needs to get on the ball here! I live in the neighborhood so I’ll give it another try but so far this location is a No Go.

Worst representation of a panera bread that I’ve ever seen in my life. Employees are laying down across the benches of the booths, they’re loudly talking, grabbing eachother, etc. They’re all sitting around even though every single table is absolutely disgusting. The employees themselves left a mess on a table and walked away. I’m highly disappointed and wont be returning to this location. I’ll be going back to Everett.

Put in a Rapid Pickup order online. The website said due to the size of the order and current orders in the queue, I would need to reschedule for 60 minutes out instead of 10. Agreed to the change. An hour later I show up and there’s no order on the shelf. At the counter they said they had completely missed it and hadn’t started — would take 30 minutes to make. So much for Rapid pickup. Never had this happen at any other Panera. This location is fairly new so I might give them another go in six months when the staff there is more experienced.

This Panera is brand new, so the benefit of the doubt is still there. It is also one of the few that have a drive through, so the setup is a little different from other bakeries they operate in the Boston area. But still, come on, how difficult is it to give me a paper cup and slice a bagel?! I swear to God, in the two weeks or so that this shop has been open and a half dozen times that I’ve visited (I work nearby), they have not once got it right and let me go in under 5 minutes. Better get their act together quick. The latest visit was the best, no coffee in those jars, this is first thing in the morning.

This just opened a few days ago. It’s a good location but the parking lot is a little tight. Luckily there is the huge Stop and Shop/​Ocean State parking lot right behind it if you can’t park right out front, so you’ll be ok one way or another.
The food was good, as always. The service was a bit slow, but they were super busy for their grand opening so that was the main reason I am sure, so bring your patience for the time being.
The sitting area is nice with big windows. It’s a little smaller than the one in Everett as far as space/​tables for sitting.
Most of the staff was pretty nice.