Panera Bread — Restaurant in Battle Creek

Panara - and not just this one - has lost its way. In trying to be all things to do people it has become the most chaotic meal in town.

You can order at the counter. Or from your table. Or at a row of standup kiosks at the door. Or on the phone. Or using an app. This all sounds great... until you consider that each method necessitates a pack of humans with conflicting goals moving through the facility, running into each other and clogging up different pathways. Whereas you used to have staff behind the counter and customers ordering/waiting at the same counter, you now have customers clogging the doorway at the kiosks and customers and staff at the ordering counter and customers and staff at pickup counter and staff delivering food to tables and staff delivering food to cubicles for pickup and customers wandering all over trying to find those cubicles... It feels more like a crowded bazaar than a sandwich shop.

Moreover, their sandwiches are basically just (admittedly good) bread with barely any meat. I ordered a $10 roast beef and, looking at the sandwich on my plate and turning it in all directions, could not see any meat at all - just bread! I had to lift the lid to even confirm that there was any meat on it!

Panara needs to figure out what it wants to be and stop trying to be everything all at once. If it returns to being a better-than-fast-food sandwich shop with generous portions and a peaceful ambiance, I'll go back. As it is, you're better off spending half the cash for thrice the beef at the Burger King across the street. It hurts me to say it,...

We tried Panera for the first time, ordered 3 items..2 Chicken Teriyaki bowls and 1 Turkey Avocado BLT which cost about 60.00 and when the food was delivered we only got the 2 bowls and NO sandwich! When I called Panera the worker said "just keep the order receipt and when you come in we'll give you a free replacement" so I responded " so you are going to give me the sandwich that I already paid for which don't help me now with my family eating?" and he said "Well yes, but we won't charge you again"! Really! You already took 13.00 for the sandwich! He said he couldn't deliver it or refund the money for the sandwich we didn't receive! And to top it off, the bowls! One was full but only had the Teriyaki sauce on like a 1/6 of food so it was quite dry and the 2nd bowl was only filled to barely cover the bottom of the bowl! Never Again!! I don't suggest this place to anyone! Service is worse than McDonald's or Burger King... at least there I expect something to be missing and I'm only out a couple bucks and they will...

Called to ask if they take Apple Pay, because I forgot my wallet. They said yes, I asked if I could place an order via phone because I was driving, yes again, great. I held the line and when someone got to me they took my order for 2 bagels, 1 toasted one not, simple, under $4. Then he asked me for my card number. I explained I was driving and was going to pay with tap pay. So he couldn't take my order. I walked in within 3 minutes, tried using the self kiosks, they don't take tap pay. Wait in line, and now after only 26 minutes I have 2 bagels, 1 toasted. I was trying to limit my time in the shop because I have a migraine and often get nauseated. So all together for a call, a wait, a cancel because I couldn't pay $4 over the phone, and a wait while everyone walked in and used the kiosks, while I waited at the counter a total time of 31 minutes! I am patient, but I would have pulled over to order had I known this was going to be such a fiasco. Next time I will...