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| - I don't typically review restaurants like this (chains, or ones I frequent weekly), but I love Panera. It started out as a place where I could easily take my busy toddler, but not be subject to a greasy lunch. Years later, my son and I make a visit to this Panera every.single.weekend. It's our lunch date mothership.
The food is pretty good, IMO. I most often get the broccoli cheese soup, chicken and wild rice soup, steak/arugula sandwich, chicken caesar salad (really, any of their salads!), napa chicken salad sandwich, avocado BLT, asiago bagel, mediterranean flatbread, and if I'm early enough - I love their savoury soufflés. The only things I haven't enjoyed are the hot chocolate, thai wonton bowl and the basic turkey sandwich.
I guess I could be classified as a regular, which always makes the service special. The staff are SO nice, and they love my kid. I'm always greeted with a smile and some small talk. Big shout outs to Nicole (who no longer works there, cry), William and Cindy. They are all so nice and I enjoy seeing them on my visits.
My only really complaint about Panera is that people come in on the weekends, during the lunch rush, and set up their laptops, BUY NOTHING, and hog the tables. Management told me they can't do anything about it -- they aren't allowed to ask people to vacate. I think that's annoying but at the same time, any time I've ordered with intentions to eat in the restaurant, they've found a way to get me seated.
Coffee is REALLY good. They have pastries and cookies, but I'm really there for the savoury options.
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