Panera Bread — Restaurant in Visalia

The customer service is usually cheerful and attentive. But if you are not a customer that spends money, they know who you are. The ones who spend money on a regular basis are acknowledged courteously with a big smile and, "How are you today?" I'm usually acknowledged with a demeaning attitude, not only from staff, but the stuck up crowd that hounds the place. One day, ordering from my Sip Club, the cashier says sarcastically, 'Just coffee, right?' Well, I rarely eat an early breakfast but usually begin my day with a healthy smoothie and then coffee. I didn't appreciate the attitude but was not surprised by it. Instead, I sit, defrost from exercising in the cold with a hot coffee, then leave to go train some more. But anyway, the restaurant has a pleasant ambience, most of the time, but it comes with a warning, 😂 . I've had people sit across from me and slam their Bibles down loudly on the table, glaring over at me, as if they have a part in my spiritual destination. I had this one woman walk past my table and hiss, Witch!, under her breath. I have had several times people put out their leg to trip me. I've had people sit around me and just laugh like their losing their minds, all together. I figured out where their spiritual destination might be. 😂 Well, I have the "Sip Club" and get billed monthly. I am a regular customer but now I cross myself and my table before venturing in. I love the lemonade and have to tell you , it's worth every penny. If you like sour and tasty, this lemonade is it! A good meal is the Broccoli Cheese Bread Bowl Soup. It needs spices but once you add them it tastes almost homemade. I've had their margherita pizza and it was not tasty. It tasted like it was packaged. Definitely not fresh vegetables but microwaved. Today, I ordered the Chipotle Avocado Chicken Sandwich and Mac n Cheese; $22. I am very disappointed and feel ripped off. There was hardly any chicken on it at all and two half slices of avocado. The chicken was shredded and didn't even cover the bread. It was very dry and you'd need extra saliva just to swallow it. The Mac and cheese was $8 and filled barely halfway in the bowl, equivalent to one full scoop at a deli. I thought there had been a mistake and even asked but was told that was the $8 bowl. The macaroni is good and gooey just like the gooey Kraft Mac n Cheese. For $22, I could have ordered a large pizza at Round Table in the Packwood Shopping Center. For $14, I could have had the all-you-can-eat lunch buffet at Sizzler. And, the margherita pizza at Fugazzi's Pizza is so scrumptious there is absolutely no comparison to it! None. The one solid five star for Panera is their breads and pastry. Oh a man just walked past me and spelled out a-s-s-ole at me. Must have read the reviews on the hacked...

It is May 11th and I'm impressed that some changes were made, the salad to go containers were changed which made the stirring of the salad better and the baking of the tulip and lemon drop cookies is getting more consistent so good job Panera!!😁I really hope this keeps up and thank you,those changes were much appreciated!😍 I'm so dissatisfied with Panera right now because of the plastic salad container they are using now, you can't stir your salad dressing in without the salad going all over the place😣 Most of all those wonderful seasonal cookies now are always overcooked(last week they were great) this week they are backed to being overcooked and the lemon drop cookies this are really overcooked!!!😝 Think I'm going to find another place to eat on Fridays what a shame. They used to be so good😭.. I went back to Panera yesterday and I was very happy with the tulip cookies,they were cooked like they used to be and that alone improved the taste immensely. 😁😁😁 It is April 28th 2018 and here we are again and the baking is inconsistent again, so I won't be going back anymore,you know if the system wasn't broke with Panera before you shouldn't try fixing it. Panera has been around for years without any changes and it was great to go to a place that was consistent but now what are the higher ups going to change...

Esteemed Panera Bread,

I am prompted to extend my sincere appreciation for the culinary delight that graced my palate during a recent visit to your esteemed establishment. The fare, of unparalleled quality, spoke volumes of the culinary mastery at play within your kitchens. The flavors danced in harmonious symphony, truly a feast for the senses.

Regrettably, a solitary blemish marred an otherwise impeccable experience. A gracious worker had pledged assistance in the noble endeavor of connecting to your establishment's WiFi network. Alas, the promise remained unfulfilled, as their attentive presence never graced my vicinity again. This individual, while traversing past my perch on numerous occasions, refrained from offering even the most cursory acknowledgment.

I beseech you, dear Panera, to consider the duality of this review – one, an ode to your culinary prowess; the other, a humble entreaty to mend the seam of service. May the excellence of your victuals ever be matched by the grace of your hospitality.

Yours in earnest...