In the vein as Panera, Au Bon Pain serves up calorie-laden treats that are pretty good, but hardly worth the impact on the waistline. The soups are good (although, I'm not sure there's actually any lobster in the lobster and corn bisque), and I like their Greek yogurt parfaits from time-to-time. If you're downtown and need a dependable and quick bite, it's not a bad option, but it's rarely my go-to lunch/snack spot.
The plus side is that it's quick, but this location is a little chaotic with the way the sandwich line fills up and interferes with customers' ability to access the soups easily and the cashiers being in the middle of the restaurant. The layout leads to lines everywhere and a lot of, "excuse me" and, "sorry, can I get...I just need to grab...um, thanks...sorry" interactions from the patrons. Also, the grab-it-yourself approach to the pastries, etc. isn't my favorite, either. For something that I'm not going to heat up, I don't like thinking about the free-for-all of indecisive hands picking up and putting back pastries. The plasticware and napkins are also in a weird location (In the corner, near the lobby-side entrance only). For a chain, I'm surprised by the lack of order, but when you're in a hurry, you're in a hurry, and if you've got the calories to spare, at least you know you'll get a consistent meal at Au Bon Pain.