Panera Bread — Restaurant in Paradise

Actual Rating 2.9⭐️

I having been coming to this location for a little while now, at least once a week. I usually don’t review/rate large corporations because I have a feeling that they could care less about my one single review. But in this era of rising prices and where bang-for-buck isn’t really a thing anymore maybe something might change.

Atmosphere 4⭐️: Very relaxed. And it’s not huge. When I go it’s sometimes busy but not overly so. I like the feel.

Cleanliness: 2.5⭐️ It seems that most every time I come, maybe about 80% of the time, I have to wipe down my own table of the crumbs from the people before me. And a couple of times I’ve been here right after opening and the tables were still a little dirty quite possibly from the day before. And every table that I’ve sat at the surface is sticky. I don’t think this is from food, but quite possibly the varnish on the wood table top that was used. But it seems dirty. I really think they need to refinish them. It seems that most of the other parts of the restaurant is clean.

Service: 4.5⭐️ Most everyone I’ve encountered is very friendly. Which is nice.

Food Quality and taste: 1.5⭐️ Although other days the rating would be higher, today gets 1.5 stars. I normally get an Asiago bagel with butter. The butter comes in packets and you spread yourself, which I don’t have a problem with. But I do have a problem with the butter never being at room temperature to make it spreadable. It’s always super cold. So I have to warm it in my hands, meanwhile, the bagel gets cold. The bagel normally looks round, kind of donut like, with Asiago baked in all over the top. Today, the bagel was definitely smaller. It was domed on top, kind of looked like a boob. The cheese was melted in a smaller portion in the center (see picture). A sorry excuse for a bagel. When I picked it up at the window I asked the girl in the kitchen if this was a bagel and she just kind of smirked and shrugged her shoulders. I didn’t return it because I thought I’d use it to write this review. The taste was just ok but the outer portion tasted like a plain bagel because it didn’t have cheese. Imagine ordering a pizza at your favorite pizza place and they only put cheese in the center 8 inches of your 16 inch pizza. Not cool.

Price/value: 2⭐️ I find this place normally on the higher side of pricing with most of their items but not outrageous. However, a bagel will not break the bank if any customer. But today of all days I noticed the price was ten cents higher. That’s a 5% increase. I understand that prices go up. But do they have to go up when the quality and size goes down? That is just very aggravating. At least they are not charging for the butter.

Summary: Overall my experience was OK. Will I come back? Most likely. Unless today’s mishaps become a recurring thing. Then I’ll just go buy a bagel at my favorite bakery and...

I had placed an online order for an avocado toast and found multiple bugs roaming around in the box. After complaining, the store manger Miguel-from the Hughes location was so rude and took no responsibility saying " its normal to have natural bugs from the lettuce - my team did their jobs correctly" (which i have the recording of the call). If they did do there jobs I wouldn't have had bugs because all your team needed to do was wash the vegetables. Then after demanding a refund and $30 compensation - which he didn't want to give me but the district manger told him to go ahead and do it. He tells me that he cannot put the $30 credit on my account and that i would need to pick up a gift card, afterwards I asked if i can have a meal on them because now I have to drive to the location to pick it up - which i feel is justful considering the order they messed up was an online order and me coming to the location is only making it more of an inconvenience. Ultimately i had to reach back out to the customer service and had them continue to help me. Bottom line Miguel should be fired and anyone reading this if Miguel is still the manager at the Hughes location, DO NOT EAT from there, they do not wash any of their vegetables and...

My new favorite spot. I know I'm late to the party as usual, but I'm just super glad to be here! :D

So far, have LOVED the French Onion Soup, the Steak and White Cheddar Panini, the bread, omg, the bread is just perfect, the fantastic Cinnamon Rolls, Coffee Cake, oh, the Lemon drop Cookies are amazing, and the yummy Hot Chocolate with Choc. Chip Marshmallows is phenomenal and for sure, a favorite.

Personally, I wouldn't reorder the brownie or the mini chocolate chip cookies, but everything else has been delicious and repeatedly tested ;)

Can't wait to try more of their many soups, some salads and there's a sandwich with, I think, Turkey, Apple and maybe Brie, that sounds really interesting.

This location has a very friendly and helpful staff, they are VERY COOL about special requests and even encourage you to customize your items, which is über awesome for someone like me. Plus, it stays open late, esp. on weekends; til like 11pm, I think. And on top of all of that, you get a free treat for joining their club, and then another gift after so many visits. Free is my favorite!

Will try harder to get pictures before I've scarfed it all down next...