Panera Bread — Restaurant in Lower Merion Township

Panera is usually my go-to spot to get healthy delicious food. I usually stay for hours working remotely or working on my novel. Recently, the service has been declining. And I noticed that during my last few visits, the cashiers would not ask if I have a MyPanera card but instead would do something on their screen which would cause the words "card cancelled" (or something to that effect) to pop up in the corner of the screen on my side. I had to ask to put my number in and then they would change it. I usually purchase hot tea with my order so while at the hot beverage station I can hear the next orders being taken by the same cashier. Those customers were explicitly asked if they had a MyPanera card. The first time that this happened I thought nothing of it. The next few times I paid closer attention to my transaction and the other customers' transactions and the same thing happened. All of the customers who were asked if they had a MyPanera card were white. I am an African American woman. I try not to jump to conclusions which is why I waited to see if it was a one time thing and it was not. The cashiers assumed by looking at me that I did not have a card and assumed by looking the other customers that they did or they extended the courtesy to them but did not extend it to me. It may seem like a small thing but I work hard for the money that I choose to spend at Panera. I would like the welcome that I received when I first began patronizing this business to continue and to be extended the same courtesies as everyone else. I no longer feel comfortable at this establishment and will not be returning...

Terrible management. Plastic in the soup. When opening the bag, the corner of the bag fell in the soup, the person opening did not pull the food out of service. They just cooked it. So when I almost choked on it. Call the manager .... all I get is.. WE must do better. Did not honor return off of my order. I will never eat at Panera again, it is terrible what you do to clients. You should be ashamed. Update: I though I would try again. Go against my better judgement. Ordered soup and what was in my soup again... the corner of the bag the soup is in. There is no way THIS company cannot manage to teach people how to open the soup bags and dump them in the warmer. There is no way the people working do not REALIZE they cut the bag and do not have the corner... to say I feel they should be ashamed is an understatement. At this point they should be shut down for unsafe food practices.. What if someone choked... as well as tomatoes in my Ceasars salad, 1st I'm allergic to tomatoes and cesear salad should not have tomatoes. Another lunch thrown away at my expense.. SAVE YOURSELF, Do not eat here. Go to another restaurant that...

I just tried their rapid pickup service. The order was ready 5 min before the promised time, which is great. The problem was that I ordered an item that was out of stock. I was charged for it, paid for it, the manager knew it was out of stock (he told me when I called), and when I arrived to pick it up, no one mentioned it. I called to ask for a refund and was told there's no way for them to give me a refund. They had my phone number and could have called me to ask me if I wanted to sub an item (I would have). They could have told me at pick up and we could have worked something out. Instead, they have my money and I don't. That's not acceptable. If you're going to allow people to pay online, then you're going to have to comply with banking laws and have a way to refund them when you don't give them what they've paid for. Now I'm going to contact my bank and file a claim because they knowingly charged me & refused to refund me for an item I didn't receive. Do a better job Panera. Do. A. Better. Job. Oh, there were no utensils in my bag, either. I guess I'm meant to eat this with...