Panera Bread — Restaurant in Ames

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love Panera and I go there at least once weekly, sometimes twice a week. I hate to be negative but I am just so disappointed in Ames Panera. For awhile, they seemed to always be out of whatever I was going to order. I decided to start ordering online instead, because the app shows if things are in or out of stock. So, I ordered my food last night at 6:00 for 6:50. I make the 45 minute trip to Ames, arrive at 6:55, and I notice instead of my food on the shelf, there’s a sign telling me to see the cashier. I’m in a really big rush and have to be somewhere by 8:30 that was more than an hour away, but I’m also starving so I waited patiently in the super long line that was to the door and beyond (people were sitting at tables behind the line waiting to be able to fit in). I finally get up there at 7:00, and the girl sees me holding the sign, and just immediately says “that, for that, we’re out of what you ordered, do you want __? Or else I can give you a refund?” I would have appreciated at least an “I’m sorry, we could get you something else if you’d like” or some sort of apology, I also work in customer service and that would not have been allowed. Anyway, I decided it would take longer to go get my wallet out of the car and get back in line for a refund, and then to drive somewhere else to get food, rather than to just get the other option. I told her I’ll take the other option and she just runs away before asking if I want anything else. So I waited, now more than 20 minutes after my food should have been ready originally, and I finally get my order. There’s a small line again, so I sneak in the back of line just to get a cup for water. The same girl who told me they were out of my order, looked at the people behind me in line and said she would help them, even though I had been there way before them. I’m not sure what I did for her to act that way, I wasn’t rude or snippy whenever my food was almost 20 minutes late and I wasn’t even apologized to or offered a drink while I wait. If they had just updated the website to begin with to show that it was out of stock, or called me on the phone number I provided when asked on the checkout screen, this whole mess wouldn’t have happened to begin with. I have never written a bad review and I am always a positive person, but I am just so frustrated with the way things happened last night and the fact that they seems to always be out of stock of everything. I will give this a two star instead of a one star, solely because the food is good and there was another worker who was actually very nice and apologized that I had to wait in line so long for a second time just for...

I ordered what was going to be one of the healthier meals I've eaten in a while. Covid has turned my life inside out and I'm stuck in this nightmare of having to order food. I was in a car crash and lost my credit card along with a bunch of other important cards. I luckily had my numbers saved on my phone. It's the only reason I've been able to pay my bills. Unfortunately I've also been thrown into this nightmare where I can only order takeout food. I tried to sign up for Hy-Vee delivery but they only accept registered cards. If I were to order a new card I'd be flat broke for 10-14 days. No food, or bills being paid, or anything else hat will pop up. So although it sounds nice to order out every night it's not. The food tastes fine but it gets very old when you just want a homecooked meal. Then I figured panera bread was one of the closest I could get to homecooked (it's not) but whatever. I finished my order and got to the checkout. They don't deliver to my side of town. I've lived in Ames for most of my life and I've been to panera more than I can remember. I moved to this side of town before delivery was an option so it's not biggest deal but imagine you've been eating the same food and meals for the last few months from a few different restaurants then you get excited for something new and get to the very end only to find out your too far away. Anyways this rating doesn't matter because my situation is unique to me but I...

I needed to order bagels tonight for tomorrow morning's breakfast for some VB teams. Ashley helped me with my order and was absolutely outstanding!! She helped find the most economical way to bundle my order. She triple - checked her work and I could not be happier! The true test will come tomorrow morning when I pick up the order, but I have little to no doubt it will be correct.

I highly recommend the Ames Panera Bread to anyone!

This is a follow-up to my bkfst order for the VB team : my order was not ready when I stopped in the next morning. I asked that it be ready by 6:30. I arrived at Panera at 6:40 and my order hadn't been started yet. The girl who then filled my order was not very cheerful. She coughed onto the back of her glove and into her uncovered elbow. She didn't seem pleased to have her job.

I left there at 7:08. It was NOT a rapid pickup to say the least. I did speak to a manager later that afternoon. She said these things would be addressed at a meeting. Though I wasn't complaining to get something for nothing, it would have been good PR to offer me something. This was a...