Panera Bread — Restaurant in Altamonte Springs

I had a horrible experience going here that not only involved missing items and items charged that I didn't order but also an awful manager that was completely lacking in any customer service skills and ended up telling me I ordered wrong and didn't know what an over easy egg was and didn't want to refund me. First off there was an extra item charged on my order, I asked the cashier and she said it was an accident and would get it refunded, fair enough. After waiting a while for a manager I just asked if I could have another item at the same price instead so I could get going. They agreed and I took my order home. I got home and it was missing an item so I called up and asked if they could refund for that item. I was told no that I had to come back and need the receipt. They never ended up putting the receipt back in the bag so I didn't have it but they said to come in and they will look it up. I decided to eat my sandwich before I went back because I was hungry and the over easy egg I ordered was cooked all the way through and the yolk was hard so I tossed it out. When I got back for the refund I explained that the over easy egg was cooked to long and it was hard and asked for a refund for that as well. Instead of trying to work with me the manager told me that's how over easy eggs are cooked and I explained that over easy eggs should have a runny yolk because they are only slightly cooked on the second side. At first she refused to refund it and told me I was wrong and I didn't understand the science behind cooking an egg over easy. I was baffled by this as I myself was both a book and kitchen manager for several years and never once have I heard anyone say an over easy egg is supposed to be cooked all the way through until it's solid. I pulled it up on google to show her the definition says it should be runny and she just said she could pull up items on google all day long that say the opposite. Then had the nerve to explain to me about the longer its cooked the harder it will become and that its been cooking in the warmer a while, basically meaning it wasn't fresh and overcooked in the warmer and had to have been there a while. By this time I was very frustrated but in no way was I yelling or cursing or doing anything extreme but she said she would refuse to talk to me anymore if I don't calm down and she won't be talked to that way. Again I am baffled because there was no negative way I was talking to her, I was frustrated yes but not even close to being out of line. At this point I just wanted my money back and wanted to go. As a former kitchen manager myself this should have been handled much different and I hope the general manager goes over good customer service with his managing team. This all could have easily been avoided if instead of trying to argue with the customer about whether the food was cooked right or not (especially after their order was messed up twice and they had to drive back) just saying I’m sorry you didn't enjoy the food please let us remake it or refund you for that. Then on top of it since the customer had to drive all the way back because you forgot items offer them a coupon or a free drink or something to get them back and make them feel happy. I understand accidents happens but you will never have a happy customer or get people to come back if you try to tell them they don't know what they are talking about and their orders were cooked right when...

Update lol sorry. I live near by: came 1 HOUR before closing to them working out of a cart (sandwich stuff not being cooled) and then complaining loud enough for me to hear, “can people stop ordering food an hour before we close” lol

It’s an hour. And you are getting paid. So who cares! It’s your job. Get better at your closing routine.

She was otherwise polite the rest of my wait.

(Older complaints) some of these items no longer exist.

As for food quality. It remains Inconsistent product.

This keeps happening. Management needs to train their people to care a little more. Put in a little more effort. Focus on the product and symmetry of a sandwich. Also to make the appropriate amount of pickle chips. Or tell Corperate to not post pictures that don’t show this AMAZING thing and then you get this let down. The pickle chips make the sandwich. I shouldn’t have to ask for extra every time. The picture is literally over flowing. And then one may get charged for extra only to get the appropriate amount.

Visit # 2 next day. Ordered chipotle chicken avocado sandwich. It was packed! Sammich was great. But management was helping make the food. So good job! Haha

Visit # 3 3rd day. Got another avocado melt sandwich. Different crew today. They didn’t put the sauce on it save for a lil tiny squirt in a spot. They had 1 large chunk of avocado in a corner of the sandwich. It sucked. Again, inconsistent. Look at the advertised picture, the thin slices. You can tell there is not allot of effort from...

I ordered a BOWL of soup and half a sandwich this past Mon. I asked the girl taking my order what sandwich she recommends and she told me, "Oh, I've never had a sandwich from here!" Ok. No problem. I waiting for what felt like 15 minutes for me order (I was the only one there ordering). I paid $18.50 for this meal! When I got the soup, I looked at it and thought surely they had made a mistake. It looked more like a cup of soup in a bowl. I asked the girl about it and she was as nasty as a pit viper and told me that was the portion serving. I asked to speak to the manager, manager came out and inform me that that indeed was the serving size. I said I paid $18.50 for this? And instead of giving me another scoop of soup she said yes that was correct. I did tell her that the server had a personality like a pit viper. She was pleasant, the manager, but did nothing to ease the ordeal I had there. By this time there was a man next and he saw the whole thing and he couldn't believe it either. He said you need to tell them to put more soup in that bowl. I told him that I had and they didn't. Needless to say I will never go back to Panera. It is way too expensive, they don't even give you a good portion of soup. They break off a little piece of bread to give it to you. It was just awful. I will never recommend Panera nor will I ever step foot in there again. This happened at the one on 436 and Maitland Ave. No Panera for me ever again. You can get a good meal at Bob Evans...