When Melissa B told me there was a new Panera, I didn't believe her b/c I was soooooo happy we finally got one Uptown!
Visually pleasing and definitely not as crowded as other Panera's, the two things that stuck out to me were the layout and clientele. The lay out is different with smaller tables and outdoor seating as well. The clientele--all business folk. I think this is the first Panera I've seen without Stepford wives and misbehaved children!! And that along will keep me coming back in the future!
You can come in through the College Street entrance (beware if you sit near the door-it gets damn chilly) or through the building entrance and when I went this morning, the line moved pretty quickly. I love Panera b/c of the My Panera Rewards club and you can get stuff like free drinks, espressos, pastries and more with it so that is my main reason for visiting Panera plus the free Wi-Fi.
Staff was super friendly.....like Chick Fil A "My pleasure" too friendly....I wondered if I was being punk'd or something b/c I'm not used to people being this nice and it seemed genuine so clicks for that.
My only complaint about this place is the acoustics. No matter where I sat, I could hear folks in the kitchen or conversations that weren't near me. I think someone who works at Panera or their wife just had a baby so that's good to know. Also, the music seemed louder than other Panera's so it was hard to concentrate on my work that needed to get done. I had to move three times just so I could get a spot where I could hear myself think.
Since this is Uptown, it doesn't seem like a Panera that people will just sit and loaf around at but I am curious to check it out on a weekend since I'm almost positive it will be more chill than other locations.
Thanks Panera for finally making it uptown!