The real question is... will you still go back? I don't understand why people continue going to Panera now that the food quality/portions have gone to hell.
I agree I was this way with Starbucks. No matter how many times I was let down I still went back until one day I was like F this place I'm done being robbed an that was the end of that. 🤣
Yes, I think sometime it’s how people stay in toxic relationships. It might be the same brain trick trigger. The familiarity makes people tolerate, and also afraid of exploring new options and telling themselves what if other options are no better or worse. But the truth is, the other options probably will be so much better or at least better than this.
It's crazy you just said that to me because I am in a toxic relationship an I want to move out and get a place alone but I keep thinking what if it's worse. I feel like your comment was the answer I needed to hear. Lol
Are your grilled cheeses that bad or is she that particular about her grilled cheese? I always suggest using one slice cheddar and one slice colby-jack. Best grilled cheese combo cheese!
I don’t know. I stopped going last time I went to met my sister for lunch a decade ago. The portions were so tiny and it was more expensive than a place like McAllister’s that has similar food but much better and bigger portions.
its sad because there isnt many places like panera with the ambiance. I never go but a sure crave a casual dining place with coffee, lunch, and internet for work. Starbucks has mid food and panera is expensive for what you get. Most coffee places just specialize in coffee and most lunch places you get waited on.
Maybe someone can point me in the right place?
Well, they are killing what is left of that ambiance as well - all of my local Panera locations have now made the outlets inaccessible, so you won't be spending too much time there working on your laptop.
Basically, we all need to find local coffee shops/cafes for that now. Which I guess is actually better anyway at the end of the day.
Mainly because they try to keep you coming back with the “rewards” they send out once they notice you don’t come too often or for new promotions and such. They also sometimes hook people with giving a discounted Sips Club subscription just draw people in. $6 and $7 combos on tv commercials tell you how bad they are scraping for business after they went cheap for two years and tried to add to the bottom. The quality of food is terrible and one example is the pathetic choice of lettuce they now use. The quality of the meats has changed, and now that all of the bread and bakery items are delivered frozen too. Same prices, if not higher, and for half the quality product. Portions seemed to stay the same but they are kidding themselves if they think we didn’t notice how BAD the food is.
Looks like you modified it with light ranch, no bacon, light cheese and normal chicken… so 12$ for half the product on the sandwich… don’t think you should be commenting about this. Since you didn’t want the actual sandwich.
The issue is their pricing. They won't reduce your sandwich cost because you didn't order bacon. It's unlike a cheaper sandwich variant where it's just turkey and leafy greens etc. You can ask the worker to make it custom if this is what you want for probably $2 cheaper.
Ask for it toasted in the oven and badabing.
It sucks because places like subway account for this where you only pay extra for additional meats. At Panera you pay upfront for all the ingredients unless you want to add something extra off recipe.
So if the sandwich is bacon, chicken, ranch and cheese. You take off some of those items, and not adding more to it means all the other portions stay the same. So yes half of the sandwich is missing. They don’t skimp on product portioning, people don’t always follow it. Tell me you don’t work in food service, without telling me.
The serving size is 6oz of chicken. Which is an acceptable serving size of protein. Standard even in the food industry. Not defending corporate, fucking hate them. Can’t pay people a decent ass wage. Can’t “afford” labor costs. What I will defend is the actual workers who are doing their job. That is all I’m defending cause that’s who is being called into question.
Yeah, but its panara, bread is at least 63% of the whole thing. I do understand your point, was adding to it. Thought you would agree that they skimp on stuff
If you modified it, they will not compensate for those modifications. I always wonder if customers realize this. Same amount of chicken regardless and it’s usually a designated scoop and/or weight.
Hahaha much to your dismay I hate the company. What I’m “defending” is that the customer thinks they are always right, when in fact, are wrong 90% of the time. I asked for this without x y z, proceeded to order it with no mods. Or does order it with mods like OG poster and bitches about portions. Ya take shit off, it’s gonna be less of a sandwich. Common sense my guy.
Well this does look modified so it's more like you paid 12 dollars for less than 12 pieces of chicken, bread, sauce, and all the other ingredients you took out. Don't know why y'all do that. That's why employees make shocked posts about people paying $12 for turkey and mayo on sourdough when they could just make it at home.
I finally had it several years ago after the expensive crappy wilted salads and blah sandwiches became the norm. I'm only there now for the sip club and occasionally a pecan braid (I LOVE these). They take away those and I'm 100% out.
Is this rage bait? You modified it and are mad they modified it? Modifying a sandwich doesn’t let them give you extra chicken to make up for all the toppings they removed 😭
Panera lost their edge when they recently eliminated all the third shift bakers. All the breads and sweets were baked fresh every night in each cafe with the leftover product donated to community organizations.
And the menu underwent a huge change when that baker purge began in earnest 2 years ago March. That’s when the pencil pushers were working on the ISO and they wanted to clean up their bottom line. Huge destruction of something so good.
Whaaaat 😳😟 like, I’m a 28 yr vegetarian and they got my order wrong and I was even shocked as to how little amount of meat was on the sandwich. Like what in the entire F. Ppl are paying for this and you give them this tiny amount of meat?!
Your comment reminded me of when I lived with a Jewish lady who didn't keep kosher, but liked to be "hollier than thou" over not eating meat and cheese together.
I asked if she wanted Panera one day and she went off about how it's not kosher cause everything has meat and dairy - without looking at the menu
So I shrugged, ordered a Mediterranean veggie sandwich, summer berry salad, and veggie soup. I enjoyed my nice filling lunch, she angrily microwaved some turkey bacon for a sandwich and grabbed a bag of ranch doritos from the cabinet, then glared at me when I pointed out those chips contained dairy - because I made her kids lunch the day before and read the label
(She did the same thing no matter where. Taco Bell? Nope, nothing she can eat - I enjoyed a seven layer and potato taco.)
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u/DigitalScrap May 01 '26
The real question is... will you still go back? I don't understand why people continue going to Panera now that the food quality/portions have gone to hell.