What is your opinion on Panera Bread?

[Naer]

You are not your panara bread options

 

[Mandres]

I went to the one in Baytown, TX for the first time last week and it was flat out terrible. The sandwich was tiny and too chewy, the soup and mac&cheese were mediocre and completely forgettable. Worst of all the french baguette tasted 3 days stale. I could have gone to the grocery store next door, in rural Texas, and picked up a much better loaf of french bread for $1.49.

Not even touching on the price, the food was so underwhelming we'll never be back.

 

[MarkXIX]

You guys griping about the place are either big, fat fellas or you're the consummate cheap asses, or both. This is the reason we can't have nice restaurant and food discussions around here.

 

[Childs]

You used to go there just to get their toffee nut cookies. Otherwise, the food is OK, but I can get a better sandwich somewhere else.

 

[preslove]

I don't care for turkey. However I never ate there.

In case your wondering what I ate for dinner this past Thanksgiving I had two stuffed chicken breasts with cheese and broccoli.

Why do you hate America?

 

[Squisher]

There's a Panera Cares in Dearborn, MI. Interesting concept, you pay what you feel like paying for your food. Person behind the counter takes your order and tells you what it normally costs and you put whatever you want to into a donation box in front of you. They'll make change for you if you need it.

http://paneracares.org/

 

[Regs]

It's ok. It's like the Starbucks of sandwich places. A menu of select choices with weird names, and after you get past all the fancy linguistics, they don't exactly have a good variety. In the end, it's a good place to go for a guilt free meal if you're counting calories.

I don't understand the side choices of either the apple or the greasiest and saltiest potato chips ever created either.

 

[KeithTalent]

Went for dinner and got this steak and white cheddar sandwich with caramelized onions and a bit of horseradish, with french onion soup, and a bag of chips (did not want an apple or another chunk of bread) for $11.15 all in:

Was more than enough food as I suspected it would be and was actually quite tasty. Would definitely go again.

KT

 

[Ichinisan]

Went for dinner and got this steak and white cheddar sandwich with caramelized onions and a bit of horseradish, with french onion soup, and a bag of chips (did not want an apple or another chunk of bread) for $11.15 all in:

Was more than enough food as I suspected it would be and was actually quite tasty. Would definitely go again.

KT

:thumbsup:

Not sure why people are unsatisfied with portion sizes. Half of a "Bacon Turkey Bravo" sandwich always fills me up. At least I can usually split one with my brother.

 

[zerocool84]

You guys griping about the place are either big, fat fellas or you're the consummate cheap asses, or both. This is the reason we can't have nice restaurant and food discussions around here.

Or we prefer to get our money's worth and not eat overpriced food. It's not bad but nothing special. Same with their sweets, not bad but nothing special.

 

[AMCRambler]

Asiago steak sandwich ftw. Sierra Turkey is really good too but for some reason gives me wicked bad farts. Every time.

 

[ElFenix]

Panera is the "Starbucks" of sammich shops. Food is OK, but somewhat overpriced.

Of course, they don't aim for the same crowd as McD's...but rather the iPhone using hipster crowd, so MINO.

have you ever been to a panera?


panera's bagels suck. it's just a roll in a bagel shape, rather than a bagel.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

I thought i read somewhere all there stuff is microwaved

largely, only the soups are microwaved. everything is front-loaded as much as possible in a central facility, with minimal assembly done at the store. breads and bagels arrive nearly ready for baking, all pastries are frozen, all sandwich components like bacon were cooked who knows when. i was told the hard boiled eggs that arrive in plastic bags can bounce like super bounce balls. depending on franchise and location, you can see a 300% employee turnover rate.

 

[mrrman]

love the Italian combo yum yum

 

[Carson Dyle]

largely, only the soups are microwaved. everything is front-loaded as much as possible in a central facility, with minimal assembly done at the store. breads and bagels arrive nearly ready for baking, all pastries are frozen, all sandwich components like bacon were cooked who knows when. i was told the hard boiled eggs that arrive in plastic bags can bounce like super bounce balls. depending on franchise and location, you can see a 300% employee turnover rate.

I was told the beef is largely pork and the pork is mostly beef.

 

[Mixolydian]

Never been to Panera Bread. Does not appeal to me.

 

[Craig234]

love the Italian combo yum yum

I think that's what I had last time and it was decent.

 

[DCal430]

So it's like a fancier Subway?

They always have this caramelly cinnamon sticky bun thing in the window that looks delicious.

KT

No not really. It is more of a bakery that also sells other stuff. They use only ethically sourced non-GMO ingredients. They also make all of their pastries and bread fresh daily. They bake all kinds of artisan breads and pastries, so it isn't just sandwiches.

 

[DCal430]

Costly for what you get.

I don't go often but my last visit I got one of their pasta dishes. There were two sizes, I got the larger one. It was over $10 and I was shocked at how small it was. For a couple bucks more you could have that plus AYCE salad and breadsticks at Olive Garden, with table service. And while OG isn't gourmet eats, it's as good as Panera.

Actually it isn't nearly ass good. Olive Garden sources the cheapest ingredients, while panera focuses on non-GMO, all natural meats, no growth hormones, and such.

 

[DCal430]

Panera also pays more to their employees than fast food places. It is more like Chipotle than subway.

 

[DCal430]

largely, only the soups are microwaved. everything is front-loaded as much as possible in a central facility, with minimal assembly done at the store. breads and bagels arrive nearly ready for baking, all pastries are frozen, all sandwich components like bacon were cooked who knows when. i was told the hard boiled eggs that arrive in plastic bags can bounce like super bounce balls. depending on franchise and location, you can see a 300% employee turnover rate.

This isn't true at all. The pastry dough is frozen, but it is still baked fresh daily at the store.