Panera Bread — Restaurant in Queen Creek

The new location on Victoria Ln., is truly wonderful and much more inviting than the old structure / building in the Queen Creek marketplace. This new addition to the QC community is precisely what QC needed, not just because its convenient added drive-through option, but because of its welcoming atmosphere: With its airy, ethereal, modern and sleek architecture, but, more importantly, paired with and because of the warm and inviting service I received, I can sincerely say that I will be back! One particular front of the house service member captured my attention: CALEB!

He is an absolute GEM and a rare asset to Panera Bread and I hope this young man will be rewarded accordingly with his unwavering hard work, attention to detail and cleanliness while also having bedazzled my service dog and me with utmost PROFESSIONAL, GENUINE and warm, attentive hospitality.

Caleb is a unique and inimitable, irreplaceable treasure to this Panera Bread location, as he exudes warm and authentic hospitality. He has raised the bar for his industry peers and colleagues and I only so wish all other staff members were as attentive, astute, caring and genuine as Caleb is.

I have never been a big fan of corporate chain restaurants, much less of Panera Bread.

However, because of the stellar service my service dog and I received, we will be back! Thanks to Caleb having treated and attended us with such genuine love for providing outstanding and PROMPT service, with his biggest attention having been to a SENSE OF URGENCY, i.e. paying attention to guests when they need service, I can’t wait to return to this location and enjoy one of their many culinary choices from their relatively vast and diverse menu.

In today’s and recent generations, unfortunately at most culinary venues, the latter trait is sadly often lost in the majority (too many!) of establishments, i.e. the management team failing to train their staff with a sense of urgency in providing service as well as attending guests’ needs, and such lack is often highly visible, resulting in guests being deeply frustrated.

With his sense of urgency to attend my fur baby and I quickly when we needed service, while also furnishing warm and utmost welcoming service, Caleb left a lasting impression which compelled me to leave this review.

I hope the management team reads this review and rewards this hard working young man with a raise and a promotion!

I am an industry vet, with years of luxury hotel and Michelin star restaurant management expertise and only leave positive reviews when a service member truly impresses me. Hence, I am much delighted to leave this review for this Queen Creek location of Panera Bread, as it is only thanks to Caleb that we will return.

Thank you so very much for a memorable dining experience and for having spoiled us with warm and genuine hospitality with a keen detail to maintaining cleanliness at this location, Caleb!

20...

My family and I were really looking forward to the new Panera location, but unfortunately it was a huge disappointment. We ordered for pickup and everything was below mediocre, and thrown together with very little ingredients. I’ve had better food from Circle K and that’s not saying much.

My wife ordered the Asian Sesame Chicken salad with gorgonzola cheese. It was a small container with a three small pieces of chicken, tortilla strips and 90% lettuce. She had to come home and add to the salad using some left over rotisserie chicken from our dinner the night before.

Sandwiches: Smokehouse BBQ chicken sandwich…..horribly made with absolutely no care and little to no ingredients. The bread was mushy and looked like it was sitting around for hours.

Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich customized with added avocado. The bread was hard, basically no avocado, no peppers. It had old cheese, wilted tomatoes, wilted lettuce and a minuscule piece of avocado. Another sandwich made with zero care and little to no ingredients. All of the sandwiches were obviously made by the same person and I’m guessing the salad also.

The food pictured on the menu looks fantastic, I wanted that! What we got was the trash dumpster menu. Posted pics of the menu vs what we received . First and last...

Ordered my food at the register. About 15 minutes later my name was called. I approached the counter and an employee was sealing up my bag and handed to me. My order was to eat in, why am I getting a bag? Anyways I took 2 steps, opened up the bag and only half my order was in there! A condiment, that I paid extra for was also missing along with utensils. A male in a black shirt (manager)?was up at the counter when all this was going on , no apologies from anyone.

How hard is this job?? I can teach a monkey to put the proper food in a bag.

While waiting on my food I went to the restroom to wash my hands, no paper towels.

I proceeded over to the drink area to fill my soda up, no napkins.

Prior to all this, at the register I got tip shamed! Leave a tip for what? Taking my money and screwing up the most basic order?

I was in this same Panera 3 months ago, ordered a toasted bagel and the inside was burnt, wrapped up and put in a bag.

My work colleagues, family and I will not be going back into this Panera.

The manager of this place...