Panera Bread — Restaurant in Cypress

To Whom It May Concern, Especially the District Manager,

Let me be unequivocally clear: my recent experience at the Panera Bread located at the intersection of Valley View Avenue and Cerritos Avenue was appalling and has single-handedly turned a multi-year, often twice-daily, five-star-reviewing customer into someone who will never step foot in another Panera again. Yes, you read that right.

Yesterday, I placed an online order from the Cerritos location (my mistake, as I frequent this Valley View location). The order was a simple "Muffie" for my daughter. Upon realizing my error today, I went to my usual Panera on Valley View, explained the situation to the manager on duty, Natalia, and made a reasonable request: could I possibly receive the same paid-for muffin here, while I immediately called the Cerritos location to cancel that order? A simple, cost-neutral solution, I thought, for a loyal customer.

Instead, I was met with a brick wall. Atalia flat-out refused to assist me. Her reasoning? Apparently, the concept of customer satisfaction and basic problem-solving is beyond her managerial purview. My question is this: what is the point of having a manager on site if they are utterly unwilling to help resolve a minor, easily fixable issue?

Adding insult to injury, when I requested to speak with the District Manager or even obtain their contact information, Natalia refused again. Instead, she condescendingly scribbled down the general customer service number for Panera. This is not the response I expect after years of dedicated patronage!

For the record, I have been a consistent customer at this Valley View location since its opening. My experiences have always been positive – until now. It is truly baffling that a $3 Muffie, already paid for at another location due to a simple error, could be the hill your management team is willing to die on, losing a customer who frequented your establishment sometimes twice a day!

Let me reiterate: I will not be returning to this Panera. Furthermore, I will be making absolutely certain that my negative experience is shared widely. And to top it off, consider my three Panera memberships immediately cancelled.

Natalia’s inflexibility and refusal to even provide district manager contact information demonstrate a shocking lack of customer service and problem-solving skills. What good is a manager who cannot find a simple solution to a trivial issue? This wasn't a request for a free meal; it was a plea for a paid item to be provided at the correct (for me) location.

Consider this my formal notification that you have lost a loyal customer over a matter that could have been resolved with a modicum of empathy and managerial discretion.

I sincerely hope this letter reaches the District Manager and prompts a serious review of training and customer service approach. A $3 Muffie was all it would have taken to keep a valued customer happy. You chose differently.

Sincerely,

A Former (and Bitterly Disappointed)...

Went there late afternoon about 3:30 to grab a coffee and a cookie. First off, the place just smells odd, my wife compared it to the smell of natural gas. Second, the coffee from the first container didn't even qualify as warm and when I let them know, they switched it with a second container that was only slightly warmer. Clearly they were both hours old. After complaining a second time, they brewed yet another container so after 30 minutes, I finally had a decent cup of coffee. That they had no process in place to ensure all the coffee containers are routinely checked and rotated with freshly brewed and hot coffee speaks volumes about their focus on the customer. Ever walk into any McDonald's and get a cold cup of coffee? If they are that indifferent to something as basic as coffee, I'd hate to think about what else they are indifferent to. Lastly, the last Panera I used to frequent in NJ had a rather large assortment of baked goods while this one offers almost nothing...perhaps four...

The place is new and the inside and patio are both nice and clean. I was greeted by the prep person whwn I came in. The draw back is that if you don't use the kiosk they will not help you. I stood at the register for about 3 minites and the person in charge walk right past me twice and did not want to make eye contact with me.

It was only after I used the kiosk to order that the prep person acknowledged me again.

I don't mind paying the higher price for the food. In return I would just like a little more customer service. The location only had one other person in it so they were not "busy".

It was still early in the morning so they might have been...