Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's good for what it is. A place to work, use WiFi, and have coffee / pastry or lunch. I've used it several times for work catering and have been happy with it. I wouldn't choose to go there other and those reasons.

That is actually why I DON'T like it--too many people going in to buy a cup of coffee and camping out all day with their laptop. So many times I've tried to go in to eat, and there is no where to sit because someone who bought one drink 3 hours ago is taking up a whole table for six.

It makes me wonder if they are really meant to be a restaurant, or is it primarily a remote work place like Regus, that happens to sell food.

+1. Can't stand that. They should have a rule for that.

Anonymous wrote:I love Panera!

I love their paninis! Chicken Frontega is my usual.

Omg I haven't had that in years but was a favorite. I need to go soon.

I think that their salads are terrible. They use the worst lettuce.

We don't eat at Panera, but I'm OK with it. It's a nice alternative to fast food, which i will not eat. The only thing that bothers me about Panera is those bread like things they call bagels. Not even close.

Anonymous wrote:I hate all these places, Panera, Chipotle, Chopt you name
It. They're gross, unhealthy and not even affordable. I'd rather have a protein bar or a pb & j from home.

+1 and such a waste of money. This junk food adds up.

We'll stop there on long road trips. It's better than other fast food joints: McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, etc.

Anonymous wrote:It's good for what it is. A place to work, use WiFi, and have coffee / pastry or lunch. I've used it several times for work catering and have been happy with it. I wouldn't choose to go there other and those reasons.

That is actually why I DON'T like it--too many people going in to buy a cup of coffee and camping out all day with their laptop. So many times I've tried to go in to eat, and there is no where to sit because someone who bought one drink 3 hours ago is taking up a whole table for six.

It makes me wonder if they are really meant to be a restaurant, or is it primarily a remote work place like Regus, that happens to sell food.

DH is that you?

He was such a grump during a school dine out at Panera.

I love Panera!

I love their paninis! Chicken Frontega is my usual.

The only good thing about Panera is that they donate the food at the end of the day. I volunteered at a homeless shelter and someone would go down the street every night at closing and bagged up all of the bread, cookies, bagels, etc. They don't throw away the food.

Anonymous wrote:My son works at Panera and comes in at 5 a.m. to do food prep. The food is fresh.

Chopping tomatoes, sure. But the soups and stuff are not made on site. They are delivered to the store frozen and then thawed.

My son works at Panera and comes in at 5 a.m. to do food prep. The food is fresh.

Anonymous wrote:There was a recent thread about this. I agree it's gross. The chicken on the salads is repulsive.

+1 the chicken is so over processed.

I agree with you OP. I used to love Panera soups and paninis, but they've changed for the worst since they've started their obnoxious "clean" eating movement, and the food tastes terrible and bland now, not to mention overpriced. It's not worth the hassle anymore.

Though I still do like the sausage and egg sandwich, sans the ciabatta. I don't know how they get sausage made from beef to taste like that.

I'm an amateur pastry baker, and their pastries have always been lacking--the cookies need salt and the buns and rolls are very clearly made exclusively with shortening, so they are also lacking in flavor. I would rather eat grocery store pastries than Panera.

Anonymous wrote:Why do people even go there?

I work on K Street downtown with a Panera-to-go (or whatever it's called) a block away. That place does a brisk business, to put it mildly. You order online or the app and go pick it up. Place is always packed. Lawyers, etc., need a quick option. The Sweetgreen nearby does something similar but you have to order at least 45 minutes ahead during lunch time. Potbellys has something similar, too, but Panera markets itself as healthier (no artificial stuff, etc.)