Panera Bread — Restaurant in Alton

Updated review 04/11/2022

This location has made some very noticeable improvements the last couple months! I changed my rating from 2 stars to 4, because of how great my last few visits have been. The food came out quickly, was hot, and orders were all correct. The staff have all been pleasant as well. Both the drive thru and dining have been significantly improved since my original review, and the overall quality has returned to what it consistently was years ago.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Original review:

This bread co has been my main one for years, and the food has always been excellent. In the last year or so though the quality of the service and overall establishment has gone down, and it's become a hassle to even try to stop in.

The drive thru is unpredictable, sometimes closed due to "unforseen circumstances", sometimes understaffed, sometimes well staffed, or sometimes well staffed but operated as if it was understaffed. I sat for 20min in the drive-thru this morning. When I ordered they put my order in wrong, and I had to ask them to correct it (they put in a meat dish when I'd ordered a veggie). There were also no forks in my bag (needed for my order), and I almost never get any napkins here.

If you like their breakfast souffles, be sure to get there within the hour of opening, because they run out FAST and they do not make any more. When I asked why there were none when it was so early (I believe I got there one day at 8am), I was told "once we run out thats it, we don't make more." I don't know if that's standard across all of bread co, but it's been disappointing several times. This location is almost always out of something. 9/10 times I have to order something else.

I've also noticed in recent months that the staff are not friendly, and have a very obvious bite when they talk with you. I've had a couple cut me off while I was ordering and several at the drive thru not ask for my panera rewards # (they usually ask when they take your order). It's very obvious that no one wants to be there. Which, hey, I get it. We all have those days at work because the grind sucks. But, it's been such a consistent theme for the last several months that it seems to be a bigger issue than just a couple people having a rough day. The only reason I still go here is because it's the only...

When people think of restaurants they would describe their favorite, like with quality food and drinks, feeds your cravings, reliable service, and more. Panera Bread is my favorite restaurant for these reasons and even more. Panera Bread is an Italian restaurant located in Alton, IL. It serves breakfast from 6:00-10:30, and lunch from 10:30-9:00 pm. They focus on Italian food which specializes in pizza, subs, pasta, more.

The reason I tried Panera Bread in the beginning was because my mom loves their coffee and requested that I try it. It took a long time for me to allow her to take me there. After living in Calhoun since I was 3, restaurants started to get tiring so we decided to try new ones around Jerseyville & Alton. I am qualified to write a review because I try different restaurants every Friday. This is how I ended up trying out Panera Bread in Alton, IL.

As you can see I have many reasons. I would like to recommend Panera Bread for your next restaurant you try out. The first reason I would recommend Panera is because of their unique salads and subs. I have tried almost everything on their menu, but my over favorite is their southwest salad. The southwest salad is a salad dressed in a really good southwest dressing, with corn chips, and more. The second reason I recommend this restaurant is their seating. They have many options, they have booths, tables, and other little couches with tables to sit on. The restaurant is new, and smells really good. These are the main reasons why I would recommend Panera Bread Co.

In conclusion, I will now discuss who I recommend this restaurant to. I would recommend Panera Bread to people who like pasta, subs, salads, and more italian food. I would also recommend this restaurant to someone who loves to sit in booths. I would recommend Panera to this type of person because they have a lot of Italian food, and many seating options. So, find a few friends, set a date, and go eat at Panera Bread Co....

I've been in the restaurant many times and it's great in every way...so, thought I'd try the home delivery. Not the same. I was disappointed. The food tasted good, but I had bought this for company too and was embarrassed. The meat and all the fixings were just piled in the middle of the bread on the sandwiches meaning you only got bread until you get to the middle and the salads were not cut up very well at all....stems on everything. The side bread and pastry were all stale. I'd been bragging about Panera and I sort of had egg on my face. Guess I will stick with in the restaurant when I can get there.

UPDATE: I guess I didn't learn my lesson the first time. I just ordered again and could not even chew the beef on a "whole steak" sandwich. And, again, the beef and cheese were both just piled in the middle. I am SO angry and upset.....I just paid $27 for this meal NOT counting delivery fee and tip and I had to give the meat to my dog. I called to tell the manager and she hung up on me when I didn't want the same sandwich delivered again.....I couldn't eat it the first time, why would I want it again? I just wanted to let her know how bad the whole experience was.

I think I've finally learned my lesson this time......DO NOT ORDER ANYTHING TO BE DELIVERED from this restaurant. Go in if you want anything...