Panera Bread

I love going to Panara Bread, i feel like im eating more healthier, i had the half roasted turkey sandwich which was very tasty, and i had the french onion soup, i think the soup could have been hotter and the cheese was clumpy ill try it again because it could have just been an off day. I have to comment on the cashier she was AWESOME what a great personality im looking forward to going back she is just so friendly and loves people, i cant wait till summer so I can sit outside on Michigan Ave. and do some people watching, hope to see you there.

I just dealt with the rudest cashier ever. I’m typically very nice and friendly but he completely took me out my element. I run a business not to far from this location in the South Loop. I came from a meeting to grab lunch and his diva attitude was completely inappropriate. I’ve notice at this location in particular the staff has changed a lot. As a manager your staff reflects you. And I think Steven needs some more training in customer service and etiquette. Bad day or not, you should be able to turn it off.

This is a cool location. It’s a few steps from Michigan ave.
Space: Huge. The dining area at this location is very large by Chicago standards. Lots of breathing room and a variety of table styles — round tables, booths, rectangular tables, bar stools against the window. Whatever your seating desires, I’m sure this location has got you covered.
Customer Service: When I walked in I was greeted right away and there was no line so I was able to order and get moving. The guy that took my order was pleasant and personable.
Dining Area: Notwithstanding what I said above about the space, and the great customer service from the guy who took my order, I saw more than too many booths cluttered with customer aftermath. With all of the staff I saw walking around doing nothing and on their phones, it’s easy to figure out why the tables were so dirty. Nonetheless, I was able to find a round table in the corner against the wall (no outlets, though, which sucks). I had to go get some napkins to wipe off all the crumbs on my table, but I guess that’s par for course at Panera (hence why I frequent Corner Bakery more often — at least their staff clean the dining area on a regular basis so you don’t have to clean it yourself). Panera should post this sign: BYO Clorox Wipes and clean spoons.
Would I return? Maybe. I’m often on this side of town, so chances are that I will.

This place is absolutely disgusting!
I go to it because it is close and convenient.
I order through the app.
They constantly mess up my order when I ask to have my sandwich toasted, or extra croutons and don’t put the avocado that I have to pay extra for.
But I never complain because it’s just whatever.
But today I ordered, picked up my food, got to work and seen the most disgusting thing ever. First thing the avocado tasted disgusting and was old. Then (after eating half of the veggie sandwich) I see that there is hair in the container! At least 5 small pieces. And then I flip the sandwich over to see if any is on it and I see dried up meat on my vegetarian sandwich.
I will never eat here again and I hope no one else does.

table service food was brought right out to our table and hot drinks as well. nice to be catered to hot and yummy! lots of seating upfront and in back for more casual or computer hookup. good food bathroom clean not far from millennium park come in heat up then head back out to the snow

Coming out from the suburbs, this was a new Panera I was trying downtown. It was a close walking distance from Millenium park, which was why we chose this Panera. This experience was just terrible. The tables were dirty, they did not have the «self-​order» station stocked with cups, soup options were limited. The soup that we did order, the infamous Broccoli Cheddar, had an old film on the top, like it had been left out. The 99 cent bakery item I ordered was not the bakery item I received. Employees were on their cell phones while customers needed assistance, and the place was just overall very dirty. Would not come back again.

I am a MyPanera rewards member so I have been to many Panera Breads across the US and this is by far the worst experience I have had yet. The line was long and there was only one cashier and a second cashier that would come and go. The cashier (Malonie) who rang me up had no sense of urgency and had a terrible attitude. She found it inconvenient that I ordered the chicken frontega because they ran out of the shredded chicken and took several minutes to confirm that. She didn’t know if they had clam chowder and had to wait for the other cashier to finish to find out, which she stated they didn’t have that either. She was just very unprofessional and just a mess. Working in food service for over ten years I know what customer service looks like and that was a very poor representation.
The restaurant was dirty and had several unbussed tables and the floors had trash everywhere and soda spilt.
Towards the end of my visit the gentleman who served my meal, possibly the manager, was very personable and the woman who cleared my plate was very polite and wonderful. Maybe the cashier should be put in the back or work somewhere else and the managers should hired better workers.

This is a real model … I accidentally on a Sunday since I took a wrong bus # 151 and landed near Michigan and Madison. This Panera was real close– it was good to go at the dinner time.
This was on December 13’2015 on a Sunday
This was around 8:48:08 PM. Super good work by Matt– one of the managers…
a. he was able to find the dish for me related to Vegetarian — that was very nice of him.
b. he went ahead and brought the food out, busted the table
c. he also helped other customer
d. he was not looking for an appreciation –that’s true employee spirit — very modest
Please ensure to send a good recommendation –real true example of Panera Bread

I wish I could give less! This Panera is terrible.
I’ve come here multiple times for break since my job is just right around the corner. I know a meal in 30 minutes can be asking a lot, but you’d think a fast sandwich place in the Loop would be equipped for this.
The staff seems to be entirely compromised of disgruntled teenagers who would rather be licking the floor than take your order. The more I look around, the more mess and dirty surfaces I see. Not only are the tables constantly unbussed, the garbage is overflowing, the walls are dirty, the ice dispenser is dirty– it’s appalling.
Coming from a background of working in restaurants, I’d say there’s a lazy manager behind all these problems. Hopefully panera can get it together.

Food is ok, sometimes the salad and spinach isn’t very fresh. Today, I used the rapid order and I got a half-​full fruit cup. Really? At least they got the order right this time. Photo to come.

Meh. It’s a popular location so I guess they don’t really care about how your food is prepared and up charge like crazy. Crazy packed during lunch. I ordered a you pick two with a frontera chicken sandwich which only had one sad piece of chicken on burnt bread and the other part was a creamy tomato soup which was on the cooler side. I asked for mozzarella on my soup and they charged me $ 1 for a sad piece of cheese. Even if I complained everything would have taken too long… Next time I’ll know to walk a little further and go to the other location.

Service was great but that’s about it. My chicken Caesar sandwich hardly had any chicken. My bowl of broccoli cheddar soup was hardly warm. My friend’s Mac and cheese came completely cold, like refrigerator cold.
Get it together, Panera!

Came here around 1pm for lunch on Friday during work. Wow, was it packed! The line was almost out the door then there was another line to pick your food up. Some how everyone behind us ended up getting their food before because by the time we got our grilled cheese and smokehouse turkey and pasta, there was no more line. It took 30 minutes, and I understand it was a busy lunch time, I just don’t understand why everyone after us got their order first. My friend thought his pasta was oily and the portion tiny. My sandwich and other friends grilled cheese were pretty good. At least the bread was on point and you could tell the staff was trying their best with the frantic lunch crowd.

Today when I walked into Panera for lunch, it was pure chaos (more so then usual). I ordered a wild rice soup and chicken cesar salad. My soup was perfect but they got a little confused on the salad. They started making the salad I ordered but midway though decided to make a strawberry and dried apple salad instead. Boo, Panera!

I decided to come back to this location after a couple of months of not coming here because of the rudeness of one particular food runner. Customer service is a thought industry and if you don’t have the touch for it, get out !
Today I asked for a pick two item, with the cheddar soup and chicken Cesar salad. My salad came with out the chicken. I let know one of the associates working here, which was the same person who brought my food, but I never got the chicken. Incredible how quickly he forgot that ! The Two stars are for the food that is always good !
I hardly believe I will be coming back to this location !

I love to came to panera. Nice food, nice place, so price is good, and I just love it, my favorite bread now is Asiago cheese delicious.

I’ve had nothing but solid experiences here (though I usually only go in the mornings, so I cant speak for later in the afternoon). The line usually move along quick.
The service is pretty fast for dining in. It may take a lil longer for sandwiches and what not – but toasted bagels come out usually within 5 minutes. The mornings they used to play jazz music in the back ground, but now I think its more pop music. It can be relaxing in the middle of the week if you need to get away from the office for 20 minutes in the morning.
Once you eat their Honey Walnut bagel spread, you’ll start fantasizing about it.

Since starting work downtown, this Panera has become my go to for a quick lunch. I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for Panera due to my love of baked goods, and their soups and salads are pretty tasty, too. I’m not a fan of their pastas or sandwiches, but the BBQ Chicken Salad hits the spot everytime, and all of the soups are a solid choice when you are craving something warm.
This location is increidbly conventient, located at Michigan and Madison, but that means that it gets pretty busy right around lunch time and also gets a lot of tourists due to its proximity to attractions like the bean and the art institute, which can cause long lines and long waits, especially if you are getting your order to go. I’ve even encountered long wait times during non peak hours, so either order in advance or be prepared to wait a bit.
The potential for a long wait is why Panera’s rapid pick up has become my best friend. You can order online and tell them exactly when you’ll be in to pick up your food, and your order will be ready and waiting for you when you arrive. The rapid pick up area is a cabinet against the wall next to the Madison entrance — just look for the to go bag with your name and order, grab it, and you are on your way. My order has always been ready at my chosen time, and I’ve never had a problem with order accuracy.
Service can be hit or miss (note the long waits), but it is usually ok to good. Just be aware that if you love Panera’s breakfast menu, then this location is very strict about the cut off time for breakfast orders. Ordering at 11:01am on Saturday? Sorry, no breakfast for you.
Are you going to be dazzled by the food and service here? No. But if you need a reliable meal or snack when downtown, then this is a pretty safe bet.

Sometimes the work day gets hectic and you hardly have any time to do anything save for the piles and piles of work on your desk. Lunch is the last thing on your mind. Panera’s Rapid Pick-​Up service is key during these times when you’re hard-​pressed for time. You simply place and pay for your order online and it’s ready at the time you select to pick it up.
Truthfully, I haven’t dined in at this location since I’ve taken advantage of the Rapid Pick-​Up during my three visits. My order was correct each time and was ready and waiting for me when I stepped into the store.
If you’re picking up an online order, enter from the door Madison Street. There’s a cabinet against the wall where the online orders are housed. This saves you from having to entered from the Michigan Avenue side and walking through the crowds of people that may be gathered about placing and waiting for their orders.
As for food, my go-​to choices are definitely the You Pick Two. I enjoy their Broccoli Cheddar soup, Bistro French Onion Soup, Low-​Fat All Natural Chicken Noodle Soup and the Bacon Turkey Bravo sandwich. You really cannot go wrong with either of those options.
The only downside would be the price. My You Pick Two with a cup of chicken noodle soup and half of a Bacon Turkey Bravo sandwich with a side of chips cost me $ 9.17. You can easily spend over $ 10 if you were to get a drink and/​or any dessert. A cup of Bistro French Onion Soup with a French Baguette side cost me $ 4.75. I mean, the food is good, but it’s not *that* good.
I can’t really say much for the service and environment because I’ve only ordered online. It does seem pretty busy during the lunch hours since it’s located on Michigan Avenue by Millennium Park and the Art Institute. I definitely will keep my trips to a minimum or when I’m in an absolute pinch due to the high prices.

I went to this Panera with a friend for a quick work lunch. This location is fantastic, big, open, clean, and busy as hell.
Like I have mentioned before you can not really judge one chain from another on the food since they all follow the same recipes. The food was fresh and the bread with my soup was warm, which was actually a first. I will say you could tell the employees cared about this place as they kept that place spotless and the food tasted fresh and was nicely crafted, instead of those Paneras you go to that are in a suburban mall with «I hate the world» teenagers that just slop the ingredients together and god knows what else.
A word to other Panera managers, this is a model store with great staff, fresher food, and quality of care. Take note.