Panera Bread — Restaurant in New Trier Township

I recently stopped by my local Panera and was really taken aback by how rude one of the on-site managers was. I was simply leaning my feet against one of the outdoor tables when he suddenly shouted, “Excuse me, can you get your foot off the table? We need to paint them!” It wasn’t even clear what he was asking, and he didn’t use a single polite word—he just barked at me. I understand if there’s a legitimate reason to move, but his tone was completely unnecessary and unprofessional. He sounded more like an owner than a manager, and gave zero consideration for common courtesy.

Between the abrupt screaming and the lack of even a “please,” this was easily the most uncomfortable experience I’ve had at a Panera. I hope management addresses how staff interact with customers—no one deserves to be talked to like that.

He was more polite in addressing the barking do at the table across me than he was in addressing a fellow human being. And on top of that the...

I ordered a flatbread pizza for my lunch. I noticed a hair on my pizza after eating my first slice. I did not have time to go back and had someone else go for me to let the employees know in hope of receiving a new pizza. My friend was told by an employee that I ate the pizza since they (my friend) didn’t bring the pizza in due to prior times I’ve never needed to bring it in, so I just tossed it. I offered to show the whole pizza still since I did not eat it, and they continued giving attitude until I asked to be given to the manager. He also did not seem to care and seemed to brush me off until I showed the pizza in whole after pulling it out of the trash and said this was my lunch, I’m not able to leave and they made me another, which was also still incorrect. But no longer want to go back because the customer service was terrible already...

Definitely a hit or miss experience here over the years. Sometimes service is super responsive and seems like they care about efficiency and being timely and other times it’s the slowest process I’ve ever witnessed. Preteens also have made it their hang without purchasing anything and it creates a chaotic atmosphere. But today sealed the deal that I won’t be returning when I witnessed the person serving me my bagel, use the same gloves she had worn to handle money and to switch over the signs above the register before putting my bagel in the toaster, and later in the bag. I witnessed other employees using their food gloves in similar ways which really grossed me out. I hope management helps adjust some of these practices because it used to be...