Panera Bread — Restaurant in Lenexa

I placed an online order for delivery the following evening. The order arrived early. Usually, that would be a plus. In this case, the food was old and cold. I measured the pizza temperature and found the warmest spot at 98.2 degrees. Thus, I think 'cold' is not an unfounded exaggeration.

If the food arrived 10 minutes EARLY and was cold, one must ask how long was it sitting in the 'danger zone' of food temperature? That makes my claim of 'old' valid as well.

Clearly, the food 'died' on the shelf because it was made too early. Next, a human (not a computer) at this store decided to send out old/cold food rather than re-fire the order; which would have been the right thing to do.

As if the above store experience wasn't bad enough, corporate presented multiple hurdles and roadblocks to getting a refund. It takes just milliseconds to charge a card for an order. However, it can take up to 30 days to reverse that charge or issue a credit. The 'process of doom' required multiple message exchanges to get to a point where corporate asked for all the order information that they ALREADY had. By way of contrast, Walmart, Target, and Amazon can issue refunds in hours with only a need to confirm what they have on file.

UPDATE: Corporate submitted my refund request. To add insult to injury, they included the phrase: "If the refund request is approved..." Then I was informed that any delays were my bank's problem and not theirs. Wonderful customer service!

Premium pricing for food should be met by providing premium quality food with a premium customer experience. Well, they did get the premium pricing part right!

I have no desire for a gift card because I don't plan to continue doing business with this store or the corporation.

I'm Ken Wells and I approve...

Panera is one of my favorite restaurants, but I'm not a fan of this location. One of the things I like about most Paneras is that they are usually a good place to study or work. The current location is small and has a very open floor plan with tables so close together you can hear every conversation. Almost every seat is near a main traffic area, and there is no place to just sit out of the way and study/work. This is the 2nd Panera I've gone to that has "upgraded" to this style, and I honestly just despise it.

Also during this visit, they had 4-6 builders making minor cosmetic repairs by the drink and pick up areas, which made it even more crowded and noisy. Later, some employees who were on break or just getting off and getting food had some rather unseemly convos about who they would "uk". I did my best to tune it out, but like I said, the tables are so close together, you can hear every.thing.

As for the food, portions are smaller than usual and the toasted sandwiches are overcooked - almost burnt (it wasn't just my order). Granted, it's only been open for a short time, and they are probably still in testing mode. The manager was nice and they remade my sandwich, but it was still missing spinach, which they graciously took it back and added it. After I tasted it, I realized that they hadn't put any cheese on it, and that it was barely toasted. At that point, I didn't want to bother them anymore.🤷‍♀️

I will keep coming to this location, as it is the closest. Can't do anything about the atmosphere, but I hope their food quality...

I have been going to this Panera, which moved into its own building recently, for the better part of 20 years. The staff at this new location are familiar to me and have always been diligent and friendly. The store itself is always clean and well manicured by the employees. This particular location has always been busy, even in their old building. I'm sure it is a challenge for them to accommodate the surrounding densely populated area, but they never have given me any issues to be upset with. There is plenty of parking, a drive-thru, and ample indoor seating. Throughout my many visits here, I've noticed that the staff is led by leaders who step in and make sure all areas of the restaurant run efficiently. Today, I ordered a breakfast sandwich and picked out 2 delicious soufflé's. There were online orders, a busy drive-thru, and it was before 10 am on a Saturday. I waited for mere minutes as the manager on duty was delegating responsibilities to her staff who were all busy making large orders, coffee's, etc. I know they are used to seeing me, but I am positive they do this for everyone who comes inside trying to grab a small order. I am very satisfied with this location and their ability to perform at a high standard with so much going on. Don't be afraid to stop here, as they care about your...