I really like the food at Panera - Until recently, I have continuously had Panera for Lunch or Dinner, at least once a week. Less than a year after it opened, the service took a nose dive but more importantly the accuracy of food did. I slowly, but surely, eliminated trips to Panera eventually dwindling to vowing to never again--specifically the Everett location. As I read the other reviews, nearly all of the mention the same issues.. the sad thing is, I can handle crappy attitudes and slow service, provided my actual order (straight off the menu, no substitutions or changes) came out of correct the first time. I kid you not, I would say 7 out of 10 visits something major was inaccurate with our simple order: no meat on sandwich, missing salad toppings, incorrect dressing... these are things that should be nearly fail proof.
In addition, not only do I get an extremely negative attitude in response to asking politely for my food to be fixed, but I have never, not once, been offered anything in return for my inconvenience (pastry, coupon, discount, etc). There was one employee in particular that I probably had to ask for my order to be corrected a dozen times---never once an apology, or even an acknowledgement that I'd ever had an issue before. The drive thru is my preferred choice but after less than a year of hoping they'd get it right--I had no choice but to discontinue using it as I am always needed to pull out every single item out of my bag and physically inspect it so I can have it fixed before I get all the way home... it's pretty sad when you go in KNOWING this will have to be done.... I've never had any of the issues at any of the other Panera's I have patronized and it's frustrating and upsetting that we get the pleasure of having this half-assed version of Panera.
The visit that become my last, I went in to order myself and my girlfriend the same two salads we had been getting since Day #1 to be told they no longer have those? What do you mean? They've had both since the first day I discovered Panera. You can't still make it, I'm sure they have the required ingredients as I gaze up at the menu and look at the ingredients in some of the other ones. No apology, no recommendation of a new salad... it didn't bother them one bit, in fact, I sensed a sigh of relief from them as I turned around and left to go look elsewhere for 2 overpriced salads. I left a critical but constructive message on the corporate phone number and sent a similar e-mail; and well over 1 entire year later---I have yet to receive a response or any sort of acknowledgement that it was receive....maybe it's not just Everett? read more