Panera Bread — Restaurant in Springfield

I'm going to do something I don't normally do and give a restaurant a negative review. I don't often go out to eat where I'D like to eat (I have a 7 year old, so McDonald's is our normal spot), but I figured I'd spend a few extra dollars and go somewhere I wanted to go for once. (I'm a single parent, these extra dollars are important.) I went through the drive thru and ordered a Chipotle Chicken Avocado Melt and a large unsweet tea, and when I got home I realized my card had been charged $20.86. For a sandwich and a drink. I looked in the bag for a receipt, but they didn't put one in there. I went back and checked my wallet to see if they'd handed it to me when they gave my card back, but no such luck. You'd think in all of those minutes I sat in the drive thru (over 10) they would have found time to give me a receipt.....but I digress. So I'm still not sure what I was charged for, but if a sandwich and a drink is $20.86 at Panera I guess I have to put it in the "above my pay grade" category. To add insult to injury, the avocado had gone bad, so I didn't even get to eat my very expensive sandwich. And without a receipt....you guessed it, who am I supposed to call? I'm sure they don't just replace food for anyone who calls and says they ordered food but don't have a receipt to prove it.

So there you have it. And again. I don't normally give negative reviews, I'd rather spread compliments than complaints, but here we are three days later and I'm still bothered by this whole thing. Mostly, I think, because Panera had been one of my favorite places to eat before this. It probably still would be, except I clearly can't afford to eat there anymore.

(I added a picture of the avocado, I was only able to take one because my phone went dead right after. I was having a...

We placed an order on the app for pick up inside at 11:15am. Order was still listed as "preparing" at 11:30. Then the order vanished off the screen. I stood at the pick up area and asked about the order at 11:35. It had apparently been sitting half prepared to the side. Took my order to my seat, discovered we were missing a side Caesar chicken salad, chips and a kids broccoli mac & cheese. And they had given us a broccoli & cheese soup by mistake. I returned to the pick up window and was ignored for the first five minutes. Finally told someone what was missing and they came back with the salad, but said they had already given us the mac & cheese. I told them we had been given a broccoli & cheese soup. So eventually they brought out... yet another broccoli & cheese soup?! After giving me the same wrong item for the second time, I asked for the manager... the shift manager came out (I believe his name was David, but not certain) and I told him what was going on. At this point it was 11:50 and my other food was cold and some of my family had already finished eating. He returned a few minutes later, saying they had already given me the broccoli mac & cheese... visibly aggravated at this point (because this is the second time that I've been told this), I pointed to the receipt and said you keep giving me broccoli and cheddar soup... there are no noodles anywhere and it's in a soup cup. He then leaves and finally returns with broccoli mac & cheese with chips and asks if this is correct?... no apologies... nothing. I just take the food at this point and go back to my table. They were beyond ill-prepared for any type of lunch rush, let alone Mother's Day. And seem to have zero trust in anything I was trying to convey. No employee ever visited our table or checked on...

Just an FYI about Panera rewards and double checking your order before getting to the window. The employee who took my order versus the employee at the window have differing opinions of when to take your Panera phone number and completing your order. This may lead to inaccuracies of what you intend on to order. Explanation below.

I’ve noticed when I order at the drive thru, my order is never entirely filled out (I can’t see my full price). I order a salad, a drink, a bakery item and each time After ordering I only see the salad on the screen. The employee usually says “we will update your total at the window and if you have Panera rewards we can take your number at the window”

The issue with that is whoever took my order didn’t actually put all the items on the ticket! I had failed to pay attention so after I left with my salad and bakery item, I realized I forgot my drink. Which, then I checked the receipt, the drink wasn’t actually listed.

I went back to the drive thru and explained the issue. Honestly thought I’d just be offered my drink for free. At the window I was given a price and asked if I had to pay for an error on their part. Yes, I had to pay. I wasn’t grumpy, but certainly bummed I forgot earlier and use all this time to wait in drive thru. this employee explained that I’m supposed to see my entire order on the screen after ordering - which is where I’m also supposed to provide my phone number for rewards. That would make sense, to double check your order before the window. I should probably do that in the future!

This is all kinda goofy. Giving you two stars so Panera will pay attention to this and as an FYI for anyone who looks at...