Panera Bread — Restaurant in Bernards Township

I have never written a review before because I have never been compelled to, but I had the worst dining experience of my life at this Panera bread last night. The store was closing early for a staff meeting about new products, which is perfectly fine, they notified customers ahead of time by posting signs that said they would be closing early, but the service I received due to this early closing was very unprofessional. When I made my order I was asked, "would you like it for here or to go?" I said "for here please!" And the cashier then said, "actually, we are closing early. Can you just take it to go?" I was kind of taken aback by the tone of his question and it made me feel very unwelcome and rushed. The manager's daughter was running around the restaurant and behind the counter, which is a safety hazard and a health concern due to the fact that she was about 5 years old. She kept touching food and running around. I felt it was unprofessional to have your child come to work and let her run wild. I understand that maybe he didn't have any option but to bring her to work, but he should not have let her run around the kitchen. When my to go order was ready, the woman bagging the food just threw it up in the counter and didn't call a name or label the bag in any fashion leaving myself and the other three customers around me confused on whose order was ready. Then when we finally asked whose it was, it ended up being mine and an incorrect order. They didn't have the order correct! I took my to go order and sat on the outside patio, watching about 19 groups of customers turn away due to the early closing. Then the manager came outside and started stacking the chairs from the tables around me and two other families while he was smoking a cigarette. I was trying to eat and he kept walking past me blowing smoke. When a family came up to the door to go in, he informed them the store was closed for a staff meeting, but he still had his cigarette hanging out if his mouth. He could have at least had the courtesy to take it out of his mouth as he spoke to his customers. I might sound like I was asking too much from a Panera bread, but I really wasn't. The other customers around me were experiencing similar frustrations. The staff was rude. It was not a pleasant dining experience and I will never return to this Panera...

My family and I like Panera in general and have been going to this location for years due to its convenience. Recently, however, it started going down a steep hill.

Some specific things to point out:

The ice maker in the soda machine has been broken for many weeks. They now have a bucket (see the picture) with pieces of ice floating that you need to scoop out with a cup that's often floating in it that everyone grabs with their hands. This is not only a failure to maintain but likely a violation of a sanitary code.

They instituted a new system where they removed the cups for self-ordering kiosks and you are supposed to receive it with your order. But their IT system does not seem to know anything about it, so you have to ask for a cup when you receive your order (they often ask you what size). Are they suspecting their customers of theft? Would be nice to enjoy a cup of coffee while you wait for your order 20-30 minutes during peak times like the good old times, but no you have to wait till you get your food. Hope someone in headquarters is reading this and actually approved this initiative.

The staff is poorly trained and often misses things in your order (about half of my to go orders lack something, a spoon, a side, etc). On a few occasions, when I pointed it out, they were rude to me and I had to call the manager.

They often miss ingredients, especially towards the end of day. The French baguette side seems to be the most scarce commodity. So much for a restaurant which has the word 'bread' in its name?

They have a screen where you can track your orders. However, when I order via the self-service kiosk, they never show up there.

I do not see these issues at other Panera locations and, hopefully, they will get things back to normal. If and when this happens, inwil be happy to...

I DID NOT LIKE THIS PANERA BREAD! About Last time here in May 2024: I ordered one sandwich and tomato soup - such a set and set. As a result, the workers did not give me one piece of bread for the soup! The soup was not completely in the cup! The workers also didn't give me pieces of bread for the soup inside! The second time my experience was a little worse than the first time. I ordered one warehouse for myself and ate inside the establishment. Then a little later I asked the Kitchen Worker Asian Girl 👧 if I could have a piece of bread and she told me no, you need to pay for it! Before this, wherever I was and ever asked for a piece of bread, in any Panera Bread establishment, they gave me a piece of bread without any problems! I really didn't like it! Then, when I was eating at the table, for some reason the staff and workers turned on the air conditioning strongly when it was still cold outside! I felt really cold, no matter what! This was the first time. Happy New Year 2024..! I came here 10-15 minutes before closing right on New Year's Day, December 31, 2023 at 8:10 pm. When I asked the cashier, a young girl, how much their baked goods cost, she told me the price was about $9 for one bag of different cookies. And another worker, a young guy who was behind me and swept the floor in this cafe, heard this and said that I could take these pastries absolutely free. Because there are 10 minutes left before closing and he told the cashier, the girl, that I could take it for free. Thank you guys - the young guy and the young girl cashier with glasses! I also shook...