Recently I visited the Panera in Athens, AL. I purchased a ham and swiss sandwich to go, along with half a dozen bakery items and 2 cookies. The total was over $35! After I got over my sticker shock, I took everything home and for the most part enjoyed the items. The ham and swiss sandwich was good but nothing especially great to warrant paying over $9 for it. The Cranberry Orange muffins were the star of the show and saved the entire rating. I would definitely buy them again. Even so, the price of individual muffins is a bit steep! The orange scones were dry and not something I would buy again, especially at that price. The Chocolate Croissants were good once you got to the chocolate filling, but again very dry and stale for a high priced croissant. The cookies were good, but nothing to write home about. All in all, for the $35+ the experience was disappointing. However, I do highly recommend the Cranberry Orange Muffins! If I go back, that is what I will get. read more

Great place!! The soup is amazing, and I appreciate the variety of drinks. Though sometimes the baked goods taste old read more

Panera Bread - Sandwiches Near Me - Florence, Alabama

Panera needs to do better. They never have the bread that's advertised among other things.. I'm not writing everything. Just do better. Two sandwich's for 40$ and they look like this..smh This is literally the first time I've done a review it upset me so much. read more

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I just had a sausage egg and cheese on a croissant at the Florence Alabama location. I'm afraid that both McDonald's and dunkin' donuts do a much better breakfast sandwich. Panera's was not worth the money read more

Literally paid money for this...and they forgot it the first time, so I had to go in and get it from the drive-thru...then it took me multiple times to get assistance as everyone had headphones in and were not watching the front. read more

Panera Bread - Toasted Garden Caprese - Sandwiches Near Me - Florence, Alabama

we ordered 3 smoothies and a bowl of soup in drive thru. we sat waiting for almost 20 minutes. we had somewhere to be so we eventually just pulled off and left. im not paying $30 for that bad of service read more

I got bacon Mac and cheese and it was amazing! My food was ready quick, but no one gave it to me. Thankfully, a worker named Micah finally brought it to me and explained what happened. He offered us a free pastry for the inconvenience, which I really appreciated. The atmosphere was nice, and had lots of natural light, making it really pretty in there. read more

Food was good, however this location was struggling at the time of visit. Order took longer than usual, general cleanliness was less kept than I would expect, bathrooms dirty, dirty dishes PILED up at the disposal area, and employee family/friend reaching behind the order counter. Latte order on the way out took over 10 minutes. read more

They could not even fill an online order for a dozen bagels with 24 hr. notice, so I won't be returning. Placed the order, showed up at the specified time, order not on the shelf. Went to counter, where they were able to locate 4 of the dozen I ordered, then they tried to get me to fill the rest of the order with whatever they had left on the shelf. Bad management and bad business model. I will find bagels elsewhere, as they are the only thing in there that is a good value (and only on Tuesdays). read more

I paid $25 for half a sandwich with hardly any meat and a bowl with 6oz of soup in it, it was enough soup for maybe 6 spoon fulls, I asked the staff if there was a mistake and they were rude and said "you get what you pay for" You got me once but it'll Never ever happen again Panera bread. I will absolutely never spend money there again. read more

The food itself was likable and had good portions. The service was also good thought it took a solid minute for our food though I had gone a little before closing hours. The ambiance was nice. I like the simple design of the building as well as its cleanliness. Overall would recommend! read more

Rude lady at register. Bathrooms look like they haven't been serviced in days. The muffins were good. I got soup and it was so hot couldn't eat...microwaved. It was 9:37am so why tell me can have it if not edible. read more

Having worked in food service myself I know how stressful of a job it can be, but every time I go here it's always a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The food is always amazing and prepared quickly. one employee by the name of Ellie was extremely caring, attentive, and helpful when they were ringing me up on the register. That level of customer service deserves to be recognized and rewarded. A big thanks to her as well as to all of the other people who work hard to bring some of the tastiest food in Florence to our tables. read more

Community involved Justin and staff are great. The pizza and pastries are on point. Clean. Timely. Well lit, clean & efficient. read more

The choose 2 (half flatbread half salad) went from $10 to $17 from last month to this. Inflation is bad, but +70% in one month? Rip off. Taking this one out of the rotation. read more

The terrible service has nothing to do with Covid. The last two times we ordered cookies with our meals, which was ordered through the drive thru, didn't make it into the bag...which they seal so you can't check to see if you've got everything. So the first time I let it go, this time I called and asked for the manage, who was rude, and I get," when you come in next time we'll take care of those cookies for you..just bring in the receipt." We love I live an hour away and it's not often we drive to Florence. They charge $2.59 per cookie, which is fine but that's $10 + tax that they basically stole. Pathetic... read more

It seems to be a reoccurring problem there. They never have brocolli and cheese soup. Even when it's the soup of the day. Nor do they ever have bread bowls. They literally only have ONE thing on their menu worth eating and never have it. read more

It's your typical soup 'n sandwich chain; if you've been to Atlanta Bread Company or Panera anywhere else, you know what to expect. Regardless, it's just always nice to see something that isn't another "fast food" place. The food is prepared well, the location is clean and well-kept, and the staff are always super pleasant folks (at least in my experience.) Panera is a nice middle ground between fast food and casual sit-down, where you can eat, meet, or chit-chat. Also: I'm addicted to their Agave Lemonade. read more

If you are expecting a typical Panera experience, you will be disappointed by visiting this location. No matter what time of day I stop to order soup with a bread bowl, they are sold out of bread bowls. I spoke with the manager about this issue who expressed little concern and did not offer an apology. When I lived in Virginia, Panera was one of my favorite restaurants for salads and soups. The Florence location does not measure up to my experience in other states and is no longer a restaurant I regularly visit. read more

A perfect quick stop for brunch or a light bite with a cozy cafe/bistro atmosphere. Their yummy food is on display, or you can order from the menu. Quiches, sweets, sandwiches and soups, all made fresh and so tasty. Nothing boring here, and the customer service is always outstanding! read more

Panera Bread - Spinach artichoke quiche and an iced mocha-Brunch Perfection! - Sandwiches Near Me - Florence, Alabama

Scale 0 to 5 Atmosphere: 3.0. Run of the mill, chain. No different than Atlanta Bread Company or many of the other sandwich shops out there. Beer: N/A No beer. Which who doesn't want a beer with their turkey sandwich? Come on really. Food: 2.5 Everything I have eaten here has been as dry as Ms. Havisham's loins. Literary reference for all you book nerds out there. I would even give it a lower score but their soup is generally pretty decent, although I have a sneaking suspsicion it comes in a bag or can. Service: 3.0 Ok I guess. Typical. You go to a counter, order, then wait for them to call your number. I always get the feeling though that the cashier is judging my food choices. That's something you can generally only get at Starbucks. So kudos, there. Overall: Don't really care if I ever go again. Just another mass conglomerate trying to pass off prepackaged food as fresh and novel. I prefer Atlanta Bread Company but only by a hair. And hope that hair doesn't wind up in my food. read more

Let me be clear here.... this establishment is all about bread, bread, bread and more bread. I mean whatever meat you get is paper thin. I mean it is a rediculous rip off. If you like to eat a bunch of bread.....well this is your place. If they continue to reduce the amount of meat they put on their sandwiches.....then they will have to come up with a meat scent spray....so you can only smell the meat. TOTAL DESASTER AT THIS PLACE ! If you want a bunch of bread...it is the place for you read more

As far as Panera goes, this is a good location. I was around when it first opened and while the hype of it has worn off, it's still one of the only options in the Florence area where you can get a breakfast that's not super processed or ridiculously high in fat. I almost always go through the drive-thru and am always greeted with a smile and have never felt rushed. read more

Food is good enough but it is WAY too expensive for what it is. We dined here with a coupon we got in the mail. Just a simple sandwich with side and it was still $28 for 2. read more

Did drive thru for new noodle bowl, very impressed by speed, accuracy, friendliness of staff. Quality of dish was superb for fast food and all accoutrements were included in bag. Good first impression, hope it continues. read more

Tried the Steak and Bleu Cheese Salad, it was excellent. It makes me want to eat salad all the time good! The Steak was cooked to perfection, thinly sliced. I also had a large sweet tea, it was the perfect sweetness. Next time I go I will try one of Their sandwiches; maybe I will buy a whole loaf of some bread! read more

Love the soups! The summer corn chowder is my current favorite. French Onion in a bread bowl is a close second. It is so good to have such a nice bakery in town now! read more

i went here to lunch once-but the person i went with was sick so we ordered our food and left before we ate any of it-i am thinking i am not smart enough to understand panera bread co-some people seem to like it-seems like alot of nothing to me like those au bon pain restaurants in some airports-i mean-what are you going to order-a scone? please read more

Panera Bread - Great food! - Sandwiches Near Me - Florence, Alabama

Panera might be among the worst quick service chain restaurants. They present their food as though it's fresh and cooked on site. Instead it's mostly boil in bag food. What isn't has the smell of a chemistry lab. The place just isn't good. That said, out of desperation for something different I would stop by and get the tomato mozzarella sandwich which is supposed to be warm to hot. Instead melted edges, ice cold/frozen in the middle. It's happened more than once so I gave up. I'd trade the best Panera for the worst Einstein Bros. Bagels or Pret A Manger or a forgettable airport grab-and-go sandwich place. read more

Love panara bread since I was in LA... Just love it!

Panera is consistently good. This location was no exception. Staff were super friendly and dining room clean.

We had never been to a Panera Café and for people used to the menu at Arby's this menu was nuts. The "pick 2" makes it seem like you get 2 items for a single price - NOT. So we ordered 2 half turkey sandwiches and drinks. We were not asked what we wanted on our sandwiches, what side we wanted with our sandwich. Just "will that be all?". (I asked what came on the sandwich and expressed confusion about what came with the sandwich and got no response.) I was told the total for our 2 half sandwiches and drinks (this was all I knew we were getting) was $16. Hubby goes "whatever - it's an experience".... then the machine wanted to know if I was going to tip for this "experience". As if. We get our "meals" and find we each have a tiny, tiny sandwich with a pickle and a bag of kettle chips. No mention of chips at the register or that we had a choice (found that out online after I got home). We wondered if we had forfeited half our meal by not doing a "pick 2". Also found out this was not true - the pricing is a la carte - you can just have 2 half portions to make a whole meal at the price of 2 meals anywhere else. The food was ok - not enough meat to determine if it's good or not and the bread was dry/tough. The drink machines were hidden from view. The pricing is horrific. We will not be going back. The food was just not good or plentiful enough to justify the pretentious pricing. read more

Love this place and the folks who work there are super helpful and Always so nice!!!

Good restaurant but they need more options to go with sandwiches. Those potato chips taste like pure oil and the bread is hard as a rock. Yogurt or apple are only options for replacement? Ridiculous. read more

Today I went through the drive through. I ordered tomato soup, which was very good. But I did not receive a spoon to eat it with, only a knife and fork. I asked for a whole grain roll but received the traditional white roll. The salad was too small and only filled up a third of the container. Last week I ordered and paid for a bowl of soup but only received a cup. They still were out of the flat bread. Not sure what is going on with this place. They used to be top notch. read more

Excellent food and service! Not your average fast food store---everything tastes fresh! My whole family loves this place.

I like panera but it's a bit overpriced for a salad and sandwich. Also, frequently they will be out of items on a daily bases.

Not terrible. Now, when I ask myself where I want to get lunch I don't think "Somewhere not terrible." Panera managers and corporate suits probably don't have "Not terrible" in the company mission statement. There are lots of opportunities for this particular location to rise above 'Not terrible" and receive consistent 'wonderful', 'delicious' and 'superb reviews. In my several recent visits it feels like the staff are lacking the leadership to guide them to greatness. I have returned several times because the food is good. It is always tasty and fresh and prepared correctly. I value the clean food concept and enjoy Panera's menu choices. So, dear general manager, please thank your kitchen staff and make sure you treat them right. Sadly, almost everything else about the dining and drive through experience is a letdown. Front counter staff is....sufficient. They get my order correct but they don't always get it right. By that I mean technically I get what I ordered, but I don't always get the choice of side, or asked if I want a bakery item. Not a big deal but those are the things that are supposed to happen, that are intended to make the dining experience better. As for cleanliness, the dining area is clean, but never CLEAN. I've never seen a person clearing dishes, wiping a table, chair or booth. Often several tables are dirty the entire time I am there. Also, there is usually a leaning tower of dishes at the trash/dish station which can be gross. So, it's acceptable but for from impressive. Now, the thing that really bugs me.....the tip jars. When you pay with a card the machine asks you if you want to tip. There are two tip boxes on the order counter and one at the drive through. I am not trying to have a minimum wage/fast food/$15 an hour argument but what in the world is this tip business about?? I am all about great tipping, I'm a 20% tipper myself, when someone does something to earn it. I tip my hair stylist, my valet, and the skycap at the airport. The order taker behind the counter who hands me a plastic do-hickey that will buzz and light up to let me know when I can go get my food has not done anything above and beyond to earn a tip from me and being asked - even though the sign says it is not expected - makes me uncomfortable. If you make great meal suggestions, go check to see if the cookies I want are coming out of the oven, or if you remember that I like the apple as a side instead of bread, I will consider putting a buck in the box. I have never received that level of service here. I have eaten at several Panera locations and I've never had to get my own food, or clear my own dishes. I usually had drink refills brought to me, was asked if I enjoyed my meal and never ever asked if I wanted to leave a tip. Simply thanked for my business and wished a good day. As another reviewer commented, this place is not a cheap lunch joint, and while the food is worth it, the other components need to improve to keep me coming back. read more

Ok food was incredible I have to say that right of the bat food was clean and great! I'm giving a one star because of the outrageous prices as well as the quantity of food you get. I ordered a sandwich and the $12 bowl of Thai Japanese soup or somthing and the price was close to $20 for a sandwich and small small bowl of soup I was shocked knew I wouldn't be back! But the food was ready I grabbed my tray and sat down at the table and I noticed I payed $12 for a bowl of soup that seriously only had maby 5 ounces in the bottom of the bowl and the sand which was really small and looked like should've been on the child's menu I got up with the bowl and walked over to the counter and asked, (hey um do you get refills on the soup?) and the snob behind the counter laughed unessisarily loud and said no we don't. I then had to comment that maby there was a mistake and showed them the bowl I said well you know I just paid $12 for this bowl of soup and I could eat it with like 4 spoonfuls they said nope that's the correct amount we serve. Wow! Seriously maby as a strong suggestion y'all need to add a lot more in a bowl for $12 and they ignored me and went on their business I ate the small sandwich and of course at the soup in quite literally 4 or 5 spoonfuls it was good soup just not worth the price to portion ratio. So if your on an extreme diet and you can get full off of 5 oz of soup and a very small sandwich this place is for you I won't be back I like to eat. read more

I have never been more impressed with a food restaurant than the Panera Bread in Florence. Every time I am there, not only is the food incredible but the service is outstanding. All employees I have ever dealt with have been super nice and every question I had about what I was ordering they answered with complete knowledge of what they were talking about and didn't mind that I took more time than most customers. If only all restaurants was as friendly as Panera in Florence!! read more