Panera Bread — Restaurant in Georgia

Absolute worst experience I have ever had at a Panera Bread! Wish I'd read the reviews first - I would've gone elsewhere. I had a bunch of Panera gift cards and decided to use them. There was no one at the front when we came in. We had to wait a while before someone finally came up to take our order. The pastry case was almost empty - leaving very few choices for my discounted pastry reward. The girl who rang me up got stuck on the second Pick2 order. I had already ordered a grilled cheese, chips, and a drink. The manager had to come take our order for the Pick2's. Easy orders: I repeated the first grilled cheese order, then whole potato soup, half grilled cheese, chips and a drink; whole broccoli cheese soup, half frontega chicken, baguette, and a drink. Swiped my cards for the $34 total and had to ask for my drink cups. When I was only given 2 and told the manager there should be three, he read my order minus the grilled cheese, chips, and a drink I'd started with. Seriously, $34 dollars for 2 bowls of soup, 2 half sandwiches, a baguette, chips, and 2 drinks is ridiculous! I repeated the whole grilled cheese, chips, and a drink for a third time and ended up paying $9 and change with what was left on my gift card. Just under $50 for soups and sandwiches! The manager was talking loudly about us when we went back to the drink area. It was unkempt, the machine had no ice, and all the sodas we tried to get were flat. I ended up with warm, unsweet tea, and my kids just went with the flat soda as there weren't any other options. I told the guy at the counter that the soda machine was out of ice and that the sodas were out. He stated, "What's out?" I told him they were all flat. He asked which ones, I replied with the four we'd tried. He said he'd tell his manager. He did offer to fill our drinks at the drivethru machine, but we declined. No one came out to check the drink machine. While we waited, another family came. The dad filled his cup, tasted it, and stated it was disgusting. I informed him all the drinks were out, but they could fill it at the drivethru. He went to the same employee I had informed about the ice and soda. That employee was very rude and asked him several times what was out - I had literally just told him. They didn't do anything about it. Food was received with soup that wasn't very hot and grilled cheese that was toasted enough to barely melt the cheese. Considering that they didn't care to resolve their drink issue, I didn't want to pass my food back - God forbid how they'd handle that! I should've asked for a refund and left, but kids were hungry, and I don't think they would have known how to refund when gift cards were used. The bathrooms were filthy, and the men's had no paper towels. The dish return area looked like it hadn't been picked up all day. Dishes were spilling out of the tub. This was 3pm, so it was not a busy time of day, and there were enough people working that someone could've cleaned up and made things presentable. On the way out, I stopped by the coffee bar for some sweetener as they only had the pink stuff in the dining area. My daughter noticed little bugs running around where the syrups and sweeteners were. So disgusting! Little sugar ants were all around the bottom of one of the bottles. We left and will never be back. A couple was walking in as we were walking out, and I informed them they'd want to eat anywhere else. I told them about the bugs, how dirty it was, and that their drink machine was out, and in the 20- 30 minutes we'd been there, no one had done anything to fix it. I was glad to see the couple left. Absolutely shameful that anyone would allow a business to get to such a state! As we had walked out past the counter, the "manager" was talking loudly to the staff about requirements for advancement. Apparently, they will promote anyone if they are inept, indifferent, unprofessional, and lack any skills related to customer service. It would be detrimental to the career of anyone who had this particular restaurant on...

Placed an online order to pickup at the Barrett drive-thru. Waited quite a while behind another car and just assumed they had a large order. However, that customer received one regular bag and a drink, so apparently neither a bug or complicated order. I sat at the drive-thru window for almost four minutes watching two female Panera employees having a snack while a male employee was standing at a counter. I had given my name to a female employee at the order board and said that I was picking up an online order. There was not another car behind me, and the restaurant was neither crowded nor busy. Finally the young man came to the window, asked me my name and handed me my order. My order was incomplete. After my business was concluded I called Panera's to report the incorrect order. I spoke with the same young man that gave me my order and things went from bad to worse. I complained about the missing cookie, the lack of a spoon for soup, and I mentioned that I'd asked for light mayo on my sandwich and I got a mayo packet with no utensil to spread it with. The employee said that it is Panera's policy to include a condiment package but no knife unless the customer asks for one. WHAT??? Then why does Panera's online ordering ask whether a customer wants light, regular, extra, etc. on condiments? If I'd ordered extra mayo would I have gotten three packets but still no utensil. I then said "that's an idiotic policy" and Panera man lost it. He said he didn't have to take my abusive name calling. I pointed out that I had not called him an idiot, only said the company policy was idiotic. He wouldn't let it go. I asked for the manager, and was told that he, Travian Brown was the manager. I then asked for the district manager's name and contact info which Mr. Brown said he did not have. I asked for the location number since that information along with the total, who checked the order for accuracy, store number, address and phone number had been cut from my receipt. Mr. Brown informed me that I could come in to the store tomorrow between 5a-3p and talk to THE ACTUAL MANAGER, who Mr. Brown THINKS is named RJ. Won't be going back to this location, drive-thru notwithstanding. And I think Panera's clientele would be better served by employees whose attitudes toward customer service is diametrically opposed to that of young Mr. Brown. But perhaps, I as a Panera's customer am not allowed to voice my opinion about Panera's customer service policies either. If that is indeed the case, then I simply will cease to be a Panera's customer...

Anyone who's attempted dining in with an allergy at this particular location, I'm sure, already shares my struggle. But for those of you who have not here's my story! After waiting in line I approached the register immediately asking for the allergen pamphlet to which the employee had to search for it. She later returned with a food stained three ring binder with pages torn and missing. (Side note: I have been to other locations before where I was handed a printed pamphlet I could have taken home with me. This binder was a first..) after placing a very specific order and waiting an appropriate amount of time, my buzzer went off for me to collect my lunch. To which I found my salad was incorrect (I received chicken and asked to remove it). When I brought it up to the meal preparer in the food section I was told "you know what bud, keep one I'll have to make another. Thanks" Being an adult female I found this comment condescending. After some time the man did bring another salad to my table. I was shocked that he slapped a bowl down on my table to quickly run away saying "here you go". Sadly for a second time the salad was wrong (their were pineapples when I asked not to include them) I decided I could not deal with this character again and I would pick the pineapples out of the salad seeing as I am not allergic to pineapples, but had I been I would have had to deal with another remake. When if he had just taken his time It could have been right. It was not very busy for a Sunday and In general I found the behind the counter service to be poor, it is obvious this location is more attuned to the window guest as it is a drive thru. I would not suggest anyone I know to dine in at this location. And of course I would tell anyone with an allergy to not...