One of the best things to come out of modern inventions, is the creation of the fast-casual
chain restaurant. Panera Bread, in particular, prides itself on being both convenient and
delicious. Unfortunately, while that may be true for some of the menu, here are things
you should avoid ordering.
One of the biggest menu sections at Panera Bread is the soup. The chain restaurant offers
everything from chicken noodle soup to vegetable soups and so much more. But as tasty, warm,
and comforting as a bowl of soup might sound, at Panera, they're not exactly fresh or healthy.
One Reddit user explained something pretty bleak about the soup at Panera, writing:
"The soups come in frozen bags in boxes that say 'Institution food' on the side of the
box. We would throw them in a hot water cooker that would bring them up to temperature, from
freezing blocks to near boiling hot bags."
Um, yum? But that's not all. A former Panera employee told My Recipes that their manager
gave them an ominous piece of advice when it comes to the soup, saying:
"Never suggest soup to the elderly. The sodium is too high."
Yikes! If a manager says to avoid the soup, then you should probably avoid the soup.
The menu at Panera Bread has obviously undergone some changes over the years, but while the
chain has seemingly always served mac and cheese, they discontinued their other pasta
offerings. Don't mourn, as that actually might be for the best. Not only was the pasta given
some pretty bad reviews on Twitter, but the way in which any pasta is prepared at Panera
makes it a real no-go.
Specifically, none of the pasta at Panera is made fresh in the store. Instead, it arrives
frozen and is then reheated to serve. Obviously, that doesn't sound appetizing, but Panera
maintains its quality assurance despite that awkward reality. A spokesperson for Panera
told TODAY:
"[The] mac and cheese is made offsite with our proprietary recipe developed by our chefs
and using our sourced ingredients that meet our standards for our clean menu offerings."
"I'd eat carbs if an Italian boy bought them for me."
Well, whether or not it's exactly "clean" or meets your own standards, just know that
the pasta at Panera, including the beloved mac and cheese, isn't all that fresh or homemade.
There's really nothing quite like a nice cup of coffee with a pastry on the side, is there?
Whether you're just craving something a little sweet with your caffeine, or want to feel
like you're living it up in Paris, it's a totally classic combo. But at Panera Bread,
not all of the pastries are all that delectable or hot and fresh.
One Panera Bread employee took to Reddit to explain some misconceptions about the chain
restaurant. One revelation is particularly shocking, especially because the menu item
in question is kind of in the title of Panera Bread. You would expect their baked goods
to be special and delicious, but unfortunately, not all of them are. The employee explained,
"Cupcakes and coffee cake are definitely just thawed, but EVERY OTHER baked good is made
fresh daily."
It's unfortunate that the cupcakes and coffee cake aren't as fresh as the bagels or muffins,
but at least now you know what to steer clear of.
Did you even go to Panera Bread if you didn't walk away with at least a side of bread? Not
really. The bread at Panera is fairly iconic for the chain's customers, after all. Whether
it comes in a baguette, on a sandwich, or in high-calorie bowl form, it's always on
point. Right?
Sadly, just like some of the pastries at Panera bread aren't fresh, neither is the famous
bread itself. As delicious as the bread might taste, it's not made fresh in each store,
at least not the way you think it is. The truth is, there is no master artisan baker
at every Panera Bread location, handcrafting bread dough with the perfect amount of salt,
yeast, and tender care.
On the contrary, a Panera Bread employee took to Reddit to explain exactly how the bread
was made in stores, and it was kind of disheartening. They said that the dough is sent fresh nightly
from a regional facility and added:
"[The bread is generally] baked fresh every night for the next day."
So, while the bread might be baked in-store, it isn't freshly made from scratch in-store.
That frankly sneaky loophole might make it not worth it for you.
Chicken is one of the most common forms of protein available out there especially at
fast-casual chains like Panera Bread.
"Chicken!"
But whether it's on a salad or sandwich, the chicken at Panera is really something you
shouldn't mess with, as it has a tendency to be quite dodgy. Not only have people complained
about its appearance and flavor, but Panera Bread workers themselves have advised against
ordering it because of how it arrives.
One TripAdvisor reviewer had a particularly terrible review of the chicken at a Panera
Bread location in Tampa, Florida, writing:
"It looked like 'chainsaw chicken', joints, knuckles, all the reject-parts of chicken
that most people do not want to eat."
Sadly, that kind of makes sense, considering how the chicken is made, or not made, at Panera.
A former Panera Bread employee told Reddit users,
"The chicken comes precooked in bags."
It is definitely far from fresh or gourmet. Apparently, it may also include less than
desirable cuts. Clearly, the chicken is to be avoided at Panera Bread, especially if
you're picky about your meat already.
Whether you grew up ordering breakfast sandwiches on bagels, or they were something you learned
to appreciate later in life, a fresh bagel is always a good idea. Panera Bread is kind
of famous for its bagels, but should the restaurant chain really be given recognition for these
baked goods? While the bagels might be freshly baked and perfectly tasty for most diners,
that doesn't mean they're worth the price. Especially since there are times when the
taste is seriously off and there's no way you can know whether you'll get exactly what
you asked for.
On Reddit, a Panera Bread employee actually took the time to answer some questions about
the chain and its fresh baking practices. When another user asked why their Cinnamon
Crunch bagel always has an onion taste to it, the employee was honest saying,
"The baker might have baked them on the same tray as the everything bagels or they forgot
to change their gloves."
Listen, the bagels at Panera are obviously tasty, but who wants a cinnamon bagel with
garlic or onion served alongside their coffee? No one, that's who.
Obviously, one of the biggest reasons people frequently go to Panera Bread is because the
chain paints itself as a healthy alternative to most other fast food joints. However, not
everything on the Panera menu is all that healthy. In fact, there is one sandwich that
you should never order, at least if you're trying to be health-conscious. The offender
in question is the chain's Modern Caprese Sandwich, which features mozzarella, Parmesan,
and a white bean puree, all topped with a delicious smoked tomato confit, basil, and
a balsamic glaze.
In fact, registered dietitian, Natalie Rizzo told Eat This Not That that the Modern Caprese
is deceptively unhealthy. She said,
"With 19 grams of saturated fat and more than half the amount of sodium you should have
in a day, the Modern Caprese is something to steer clear of."
It might look healthy without any deli meat and some vegetables, but this sandwich is
really high in fat and sodium, making it something you should eat with plenty of caution.
Soups, salads, and sandwiches aren't the only things on the menu at Panera Bread. Turns
out that the chain's beverage menu is actually pretty impressive. Panera serves up everything
from handcrafted coffee to a variety of teas, sodas, and juices, but apparently, it's the
smoothies that should be avoided. They might look refreshing and healthy, but they're actually
high in sugar and kind of a rip-off. Seriously, once you know what's actually in a Panera
Bread smoothie, you probably won't waste your time with one ever again.
As a Panera Bread employee shared on Reddit, the smoothies at the establishment are something
to seriously avoid. They warned:
"STAY AWAY FROM THE SMOOTHIES. [...] They're literally 2 scoops of vanilla yogurt, 'fruit
purée' that comes frozen and we thaw out in half gallon milk jugs, and ice."
Yeah, that isn't exactly the perfect picture of health, but the employee wasn't finished.
They also added that the smoothies were seriously overpriced for something that doesn't contain
any fresh fruit.
When you want something light and healthy for lunch or dinner, a nice, big salad can
definitely hit the spot. And Panera Bread certainly has plenty of salads on the menu,
including the ever-tasty Caesar salad, which isn't Italian, by the way. But before you
order one for dinner, make sure that you're making the best choice from the menu, because
there is one salad at Panera that the workers don't order. Could they be on to something
that you don't know?
A former Panera Bread employee took to Reddit to answer questions about the chain, and when
someone asked what they should never order, the ex-employee was bluntly honest. While
you might not think about it much, they said that the Caesar salad was something everyone
should leave behind the counter. They said,
"You're paying the same as the classic salad: tomato, onion, etc, but you're only getting
croutons and a tablespoon of Parmesan. [There are] no other veggies except lettuce. Talk
about a waste of money!"
Honestly, a Caesar salad is one of the easiest salads to make at home, anyway, so don't shell
out your hard-earned money for a lackluster one made at Panera.
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