Panera Bread — Restaurant in Lakewood

Panera Bread: A Tranquil Oasis

Seeking a haven from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, I ventured into my local Panera Bread, yearning for a cup of their signature Green Tea and a moment of serenity. Upon entering, I was greeted by the warm aroma of freshly baked bread and the gentle hum of conversation, creating an inviting atmosphere that soothed my soul.

As I approached the counter, a friendly team member greeted me with a genuine smile and offered me a complimentary cup of Green Tea, a gesture that instantly brightened my day. The tea, delicately infused with the essence of green leaves, was a delightful treat that calmed my senses and invigorated my spirit.

Nestling myself into a cozy armchair by the fireplace, I watched the flames dance and flicker, casting a warm glow that enveloped the café. The tranquil ambiance, punctuated by the soft murmur of voices and the soothing melodies playing in the background, provided the perfect backdrop for a moment of grounding and meditation.

As I savored my Green Tea, I closed my eyes and let the gentle sounds and sensations wash over me, allowing my thoughts to drift away. The tranquil atmosphere allowed me to reconnect with my inner peace and find a sense of balance amidst the chaos of the world outside.

Emerging from my meditative state, I felt refreshed and rejuvenated, ready to face the day with renewed energy and clarity. Panera Bread had not only provided me with a delicious beverage but also gifted me with a priceless moment of tranquility, a much-needed respite in the midst of...

I went into my local panera, where I spend a lot of money every single week, and to my surprise, there was no shift supervisor on the floor, there was just a shift lead whose name was "Bree" Who refused to honor a special that the store is currently running until the end of the day. The cashier, who took my order could not figure out how to put in the special, and she didn't even try to put in my order, she did nothing at all to help me. She could have easily placed the order, put a credit into her computer or an override or something....But instead, she gave me the number to corporate and said that there was nothing she could or was willing to do. So instead of taking the time or the effort to help me, she would rather have rather me call corporate to make a complaint than to do her job and help a loyal customer for many, many years. All this over a five dollar bowl of soup. She was super rude, you could tell she did not care at all what I thought or what I was upset about, and couldn't handle the situation as a whole and obviously had no experience dealing with difficult situations. It really saddens me that this panera decided to put just whoever on the floor, with no experience, leaving the store unattended without a supervisor present to handle what needed to be done. In the end, I left the store with corporate on my line, explaining to them the situation and without the food in my hand that I had originaly...

They were horribly understaffed and under-trained. Came in about an hour and a half before they were closing, stood at the front counter for quite some time as a line formed behind my party, it wasn't busy - there was a few patrons there just lounging around. It's basically fast-food so I didn't expect the staff to be very attentive but the employees this night seemed especially despondent.

I ordered the Chipotle Chicken Avocado Melt which for some reason contained under-cooked pink chicken. I just thought it was the lighting but it was definitely still raw upon closer inspection, my stomach later punished me for eating so much of it before figuring out what was wrong. It came out the entrance at first and then rushed out the exit many other times the next day.

I also got a half-order of "grilled cheese" which came out to be little more than cheese between two slices of bread thrown in the microwave, it had nearly zero trace of being grilled, the bread was warm and soggy; the cheese barely melted - they could have at least pressed it in one the many vacant panini presses. Other people in my party got salads which contained nearly no dressing (we did remedy that by asking for more dressing). I know it's likely to an isolated experience but it's definitely turned me away from going to any Panera in the future, I'd usually have a tolerance for things like this if it was horribly busy but there wasn't anyone...