Panera Bread — Restaurant in Virginia Beach

Food and atmosphere: 5 stars, but service only 2???

It comes to this... if you serve good food with good ambience, but CUSTOMER service is lacking, this is what the review looks like.

Day 1: Iced Coffee with a shot of espresso and a shot of Madagascar Vanilla. Served as rapid pickup, a cup with ice, with the espresso and vanilla in it. Self-serve iced coffee at the fountain.

Day 2: Iced Coffee with a shot of espresso and a shot of Madagascar Vanilla. Served as rapid pickup, a cup with the espresso and vanilla in it. Self-serve ice and iced coffee at the fountain.

Day 3: Iced Coffee with a shot of espresso and a shot of Madagascar Vanilla. Served as rapid pickup, an empty cold cup... with the espresso and vanilla in a separate hot cup. Self-serve ice and iced coffee at the fountain.

All this so far is fine except... every time it has been different and I have to ask questions, it feels like Panera is put off by the fact that I don't understand the individual process each time (because there hasn't been standarization) and that I have to ask for clarification. This doesn't actually fit the process of "rapid pickup". At other locations, since I've joined the Panera Sippers Club, they make the drink: Iced Coffee with a shot of espresso and a shot of Madagascar Vanilla. No questions. Smooth service in and out. Although I don't require them to do everything for me, I would prefer that I felt valued rather than an inconvenience .

To be continued. This may not be a true pattern, but instead, perhaps only a few people taking shortcuts. Or worse... maybe the other locations are just providing unnecessary excellent...

EDIT 3 years later—

Catastrophe. They don't have balsamic vinaigrette (or white balsamic vin) anymore. The cashier was as surprised as I was. The community bulletin board by the bathrooms is gone. The curbside signs are shoved over next to a light post, because curbside isn't an option anymore, of course. My Greek salad came topped with a sad, rotten stem of a pepperoncino on top.

Panera was my first job, at fifteen. Guests lined up to wait outside the doors before opening, before the sunrise. The line circled around the building at lunchtime, fifty people deep! These were the days of the Cinnamon Chip Scone, Panzanella with Buffalo Mozzarella, Sierra Turkey, Italian Combo, Chicken Salad on Nine Grain (with sprouts!!), Asiago Roast Beef, Hazelnut Cream Cheese, Cuban Panini... I could go on but it's just too emotional.

Panera is going the way of Romano's Macaroni Grill: it changed hands, the new hands said, "PIZZA and ultra caffeinated fruit juice!" So we the people revolted, we stopped going, and now, bit by bit, they're having to cut costs/labor which only makes it worse and soon it could all be gone with the wind.

My review 3 years ago—

I love the app, the rewards, and the touch-screen ordering systems that allow you to avoid human interaction altogether. I don't love that they did away with the objectively best cream cheese ever made: hazelnut. I also don't love that the restrooms in this particular Panera REALLY need some upkeep. If you're paying $20 for lunch, you should not have to risk cutting your finger on rusty, peeling metal on the...

This Panera Bread still does not carry some of the items listed on their menu.My wife wanted some kind of spicy chicken pizza which is listed on their menu but the server said it was unavailable. Which is weird considering my sandwich had "CHICKEN" and guacamole on it among other things.

On top of that when I was paged to pick up my order the hot chocolate i ordered was not with the order. And, the server tried to tell me it wasn't on my order until I showed them my receipt! She then proceeded to get another hot chocolate to be made and 5 minutes later I am still waiting for it. In the meantime another server asked what I was waiting for and I told her...a hot chocolate....

She then proceeded to check this stray cup that was way across the counter from where my entire order was placed!

Sure enough, it was my labeled hot chocolate that no one told the serving staff was there and that had been sitting there for quite a while!!!!

Customer service during all my visits the last several months has been quite lacking and could stand quite a bit of improvement!!!!!!

I honestly do not why me and wife keep coming back....considering the shortcomings...

Might be because the place is warm and cozy...

But , considering mine and my wife's current and prior experiences with Panara Bread it may be time to rethink our choices and instead go to...