Among Friends

[TenderMercies]

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I think I'm the only person I know who doesn't love Panera.  Nothing special IMO.  The bagels aren't real bagels.  I've heard their soups are good, but haven't been back.

Someone mentioned Jason's Deli - they are really good! 

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No, you are not the only one @Mj12. Over salted, standard soups with tons of butter, cream and sodium. The chicken noodle soup tastes like Progresso with extra salt. The calorie counts are off the charts for most of their food. I used to get their Vegetarian Sandwich with cheese until I read the laundry list of ingredients....most of which were unhealthy. They claim to have cleaned up their menu but there are still plenty of unhealthy choices.

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Like I said earlier, it's basically fast food.  The soups come in large frozen bags that they simply reheat, and the deli meats come the same way.  Just like Subway.  

[libbyannE]

I went into Panera once -- and left. I like to sit and look at a menu, especially if the place is new to me. I stood there at the counter, trying to quickly read the posted menu because there was a line of people behind me. I also could see there wasn't enough seating. The atmosphere just wasn't my thing, so I left and went to a real restaurant.

[CherryHugs]

did you see last week they recalled cream cheese due to listeria concerns?

[Elri]

Tomato soup and Fuji apple chicken salad, no onions.   Used to get the addictive cold green tea,but it chnaged.  

[Elri]

Tomato soup and Fuji apple chicken salad, no onions.  I was addicted to the cold green tea, but they changed it upI   

[Moonchilde]

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I think I'm the only person I know who doesn't love Panera.  Nothing special IMO.  The bagels aren't real bagels.  I've heard their soups are good, but haven't been back.

Someone mentioned Jason's Deli - they are really good! 

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No, you are not the only one @Mj12. Over salted, standard soups with tons of butter, cream and sodium. The chicken noodle soup tastes like Progresso with extra salt. The calorie counts are off the charts for most of their food. I used to get their Vegetarian Sandwich with cheese until I read the laundry list of ingredients....most of which were unhealthy. They claim to have cleaned up their menu but there are still plenty of unhealthy choices.

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Like I said earlier, it's basically fast food.  The soups come in large frozen bags that they simply reheat, and the deli meats come the same way.  Just like Subway.  

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And many chain restaurants that have nothing to do with sandwiches - Olive Garden for one. Most or all of their food is basically frozen food they could sell at Costco if they chose. It’s not “bad” food but it has no originality of taste/flavor. Chains in general, of whatever type, often serve frozen food.

[151949]

I'm wondering if the OP went to Panera yet? I am always blown away by the high prices there for a small lunch. The food is tasty but pricey IMO. We had a panera across the street from my workplace, but since we rarely got a lunch break - we very rarely went there.

[Moonchilde]

Don’t hate it/don’t love it.  

I’ve been once, and not knowing the ropes as far as ordering was annoying. My food, however (half a sandwich and soup) was delicious. Not a lot on the menu for me, but there are a few things. I’ll go back at some point. What I didn’t like is that later I was trying to buy something from the bakery to take home and the employees just ignored me. I walked out empty-handed and with a negative feeling. But I know how different franchises can have different vibes, staff and issues.

I don’t think of it as an expensive place, just average for a place that’s not a McDonald’s and not the Ritz. Not cheap, not way out of line.