Panera Bread — Restaurant in Zephyrhills

We went in sometime before 8pm, they close at 10pm. With 2 more hours in their sevice day they were out of the bread for the sandwiches they have photos of plastered all over the windows and menu boards, out of baguette bread, out of bread they give with soup, out of bread bowls. The self serve hazelnut coffee was barley warm and watered down to the point that it did not even taste like coffee, to stretch it I recon verses making more. The medium blend was ice cold. The light roast was hot and tasted as it should. Ohh, and the pitchers of cream/milk were empty...just... seriously?

$51.00 for: one sandwich and medium soup; one bowl + soup pick two combo; one regular coffee and one black cold brew; and two brownies. plus we had to BUY bread to go with the soup because they were out of the bread they give with soup... yet had bread to sell as well as at least 50 bagels they could have substituted.

THE FOOD WE HAD: my Wife's Baja Bowl was missing one of the sauces you can see in the images on the website. My tuna sandwich did not have enough tuna to cover the bread. Quality and quantity very underwhelming for the price point. The soups were very good and the highpoint of the meal, the little tuna present did have great flavor, and the brownies were fantastic.

SERVICE: Our experience was two fold here. Firstly, the kiosks to put your own order in on had some very official sticky notes on them with "kiosk down" written in pen; I suspect because it's easier to have people order at the counter than it is updating the system for 1/2 the things on the menu that have run out for the day.

The counter attendant, Ken, was still training/learning. But, he was very nice, very patient, and very helpful as he had to go to the back and ask several times if they were or were not out of certain things or if we could do substitutions for the breadless Bread company. I felt bad for him since due to the open kitchen we could hear the snarky, nasty, and impatient way the gal in the back was addressing him each time. I'm pretty sure she was new at one point too. I'd like to say it again, Ken's good attitude and friendly disposition turned around what was otherwise an almost completely negative experience. Keep your head up Ken and keep learning. Don't let BOH asshats break your spirit and you'll be running a store some day while they are still scrubbing ovens and flour out of grout.

Ms Bad Attitude informed Ken when he couldn't find where the large cold brew was on the register that cold brew only comes in a small size....as I stand pointing to the menu where it lists pricing and calories for small/large plain cold brew. An assistant manager comes out and tells us you can only get a large cold brew if you buy one of the flavored versions with all the syrup, cream, and sweetener ....again, as I stand pointing to the menu where it lists pricing and calories for small/large plain cold brew. Finally a third employee comes around, showing Ken (still training) how to swipe over on part of the menu for different sizes, what do you know, the...

I was at Panera today at around noon, I order through the touch screen, requesting extra croutons for both as soup and salad that were ordered.

I was not informed until my order was already paid for and ready for pick up at Panera was out of croutons I asked if there was anything to substitute in place of the croutons, and was told all I could be given was wonton pieces or almonds.

I then asked about the availability of any tortilla strips to be given instead and the worker told me they did not have any. It was at this point another helpful worker interrupted and stated "yes we do right here" and pointed to a bin of blue tortilla strips.

The worker then stared at me without saying anything and then I asked her did that girl just say they are tortilla strips? The worker told me yes we have those, but they would not taste good in the soup. I stated I would like some just the same and the worker put a very small handful in a cup.

Upon driving halfway home my wife looked in the bag and noticed she was not given a baguette for her soup either I then had to turn around and go back to Panera upset that after not having any croutons for me, they did not even give me the baguette that is supposed to come with the meal.

Upon re-entering Panera, I observed the helpful employee, and figured I would speak to her rather than the rude one, I told her not only didn’t you have any croutons but you did not give me any bread at all, it was then at the first worker interrupted again And scolded me telling me I was not permitted to stand where I was standing and speak to one of the employees and that I had to come down and see her at the pick up counter.

This annoyed me even further and I did say to her I’m sorry to inconvenience you by talking over here after I had to drive all the way back for my baguette. Again, I was given no apology. The girl just put some bread in a bag and handed it to me and said here you go, I asked her why when I said how important the croutons were, would she also forget to at least give me the baguette And she then lied and said she offered me the tortilla strips and I had to correct her and tell her she did not offer them to me. She told me she didn’t have them until the other worker corrected her.

She then told me well, you have your bread and gave me a sarcastic. Have a nice day, I replied, you too and I left.

It is a shame that this is the way the customers are treated at this Panera because my family and I do enjoy the food but it seems this location quite often has issues which are either never corrected or corrected without an apology as if the customer Whose order is incorrect is the problem.

Please update your touch screens to inform the customer when items or ingredients are not in stock and please inform your employees to try and get the order correct but if they do make a mistake, an apology is much better than scolding the customer for speaking to a worker in the “wrong place”...

My twelve year old daughter broke a tooth one time on a piece of the baguette bread from this location. Since then we always sub for any soft bread. Today I was informed they can no longer do this. So I place a 30 dollar order you skipped her side that comes with the pick two and gave me a hard time about changing the baguette to a tiny piece of white bread. This will be the last visit as the cashier was told to tell me no soft bread substitute ever again. Well Publix here I come I can buy a tub of your soup and a whole loaf of fresh baked bread for less than your cup of soup anyway.

Josh the manager called on Tuesday apologized for this, he advised would not be an issue in future come on back. So today Thursday I go in and order and explain that josh the manager had said they could exchange the baguette for any type of soft bread. Placed my order for two things of soup and sandwiches sides etc. Get the order and there is no bread for the soup I ask for the soft bread we had discussed and was told no they do not care what Josh says he is only the GM the food manager says no swapping of bread! Then why did you lead me to think Rose you were going to swap it then wait until I get the order to say you were not along with another girl that repeated the...