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| - Hey, a Panera is a Panera. I have fond memories of this one just because it's located near Pitt, where I attended college; I would meet a number of friends for dinner here and even interview people for the school paper here. Good times!
However, no Panera is perfect. The biggest drawback to this Panera is its location. The service is wonderful and the food is as good as it is at any other Panera, but unfortunately if it's time for the midday/dinner rush nothing will save you from getting lost in the swarm of students and staff members all looking to get a yummy sandwich or bowl of soup. It's always good to have a back-up plan in case the line is really long here - fortunately it's Oakland, so there's no shortage of alternative eateries. Also: if you want parking, try the Panera that's along Boulevard of the Allies; that one has a parking lot, but this one does not.
On the plus side, in recent years this Panera's added a LOT of new space to accommodate the population it feeds, which is wonderful; it doesn't do much to help when you're standing in line, but at least once you get your food you have a greater chance of finding a table hidden in the back corner and you can use the wi-fi in relative peace. Still, fair warning: extra space or not, be ready to compete with a massive student population if you want to sit in here.
One final note and tip: if you're looking to host a class or meeting here, go for it: this Panera, (like many, it seems) has a nice meeting room that's separate from the main dining area. The one here is almost constantly in use - that's how popular this place is. Everyone likes Panera in Oakland, I guess!
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