Holding a funeral/celebration of life for my mother at Bonney Watson funeral home in SeaTac. At suggestion of wife, who's company uses Panera for catered events. Thought this would be easy. WRONG
Placed $450+ order online on Weds for Saturday 12:45-1:00 pm window, wanted food to be warm as repast was at 1pm. Didn't receive order confirmation. Called Thursday, phone tree puts you into a loop, but someone finally answered. Girl advised got order, would resend order. Asked if any issues w/delivery time, "no not at all"
Day of service 1:05 pm, no delivery, called South Center location, was told driver already left some time ago. Said I would call back in 15 mins if no delivery. 20 mins later, still no delivery. Family/friends waiting. 1:25pm finally get a call from driver, "I'm just getting on International Blvd, traffic is heavy." Over 45 minutes to go 3 miles? Even with heavy traffic, is not believable.
Even when it finally got there driver had terrible attitude, asked if I wanted help setting up, then seemed put out that I said yes, as that's what was asked on the order. Repast was cut short because food arrived late. Didn't get a chance to eat sandwich myself until on my way home. Had about a dozen sandwiches was going to give to homeless camp near home, but after how sick I got after eating, couldn't bare to do so in good conscious so threw sandwiches out.
Received online survey to fill out, provided negative feedback. GM Magen calls on cell phone apologizing, saying she wasn't' in store, but would provide refund, emailed receipt and phone call Sunday. No contact. Thursday, I call store, GM Magen says she didn't call because out sick Sun, Mon, Tues, but was going to call Today (Thursday) I asked why not Wednesday. She said she lost my phone number (after being stored on cell phone?) I asked why she didn't' get it off the order. GM tells me the order is deleted after 48 hours. I asked then how she was going to call me today (Thurs) if she didn't have any contact info? Crickets.
She said she would refund the entirety of the order and send me email of refund. Asked for my email address and CC, which I provided. I realized after the call she didn't ask for the order info or the dollar amount. She provided refund that was about $2 off, but if she didn't' have the order info, how? She lied to me. She had the info, she had my phone number on the order, and her cell phone.
Sent complaint to regional catering manager, who merely deferred me to the Panera customer care team rather than forwarding the complaint themselves. Keep being told that someone would reach out, nobody has reached out except for me to Panera.
A bad day with the loss of my mother, made worse by Panera. Would not advise using them for catering or anything else for that matter. read more