Panera Bread — Restaurant in Lynchburg

Eating at this location is a roll of the dice. The location is great, right at a major intersection, which is why it's hard to skip. Sometimes you're just in the mood for a Panera sandwich or drink, and you don't want to drive all the way down to Wards Rd. These guys also have the convenience of a drive through...

You just never know what you're going to get. I've had plenty or fine experiences here, but I've had too many disappointing ones. I've received lukewarm lattes. I've had sloppily thrown together sandwiches. I've had multiple long waits at the drive through and inside. On its best day, it's just an average Panera (which would be fine if it was at least consistent at being average).

We also have this tradition of ordering a box of bagels on Christmas Eve, and this location has messed up our order two years in a row. I placed the order this year (two days in advance). When I arrived, they had no record of my order, so there's a couple minutes of wasted fumbling around as the line behind me grows longer. They proceed to take my order for a new bagel pack. After driving away, my wife looks in the bag and says there is only one container of cream cheese (it's supposed to have two). So I had to turn around, go back into the store, and ask for the second container. The cashier seemed confused that I was asking for a second (seemed like she didn't understand that the pack comes with two). Someone--I'm pretty sure it was the manager--grabbed the second container, gave a hurried "sorry about that," and...

Today I placed order #571873223 at about 10:45 to be delivered to my work. At 11:30 it arrived but was the wrong order, wrong number and wrong name. I asked the door dash driver if he had my order as this was not correct and he did not have my correct order but did state that he mentioned the error at the cafe and they assured him it was the right order. I called the cafe and spoke to a woman there who said they would remake it and send it out. It is now 12:30, an hour later, and it has never arrived, I never got an email or a tracking number and I have spent 15 minutes trying to call the cafe and cannot get through. I emailed customer service and would like a full refund since I paid for the food and never received it. Currently waiting to hear back from customer service. The order I received was #571869980

If someone had simply checked the NAME or order number they would have realized the mistake. An easy fix. Very incompetent. Did not appreciate them telling me they would resend the correct order and never sending it. Wasted an entire lunch hour waiting for lunch that never showed....

Sign should read - doors unlock at 6:30am, ready to do business at 8:00am...seems pretty reasonable to me, right? I have had a really hard time finding anyone who works at this location who enjoys smiling or has the ability to deliver a friendly greeting. They really need to evaluate their hiring process. A smile goes a long way to making people feel welcome.

It's not all bad, occasionally they will hit on all cylinders and deliver an average Panera Bread experience. What I really can't get over is that Panera Bread made their name off delivering an exceptional experience- think warm and welcoming with some nice food options but they seemed to have lost their way from that initial business concept. The food and value doesn't deliver enough alone to carry the business. I'm my opinion they need to get back into the hospitality business....the business of people with a side of food is where they made their name.

To be fair I have enjoyed a few decent experience but more times than not I leave extremely disappointed. I keep coming back every month or so but not...