[Challenger]

Originally Posted by Johnd

Mostly have had take out sandwiches from both SS and LSL. Some have portion problems and some have had excess spilling all over. Several have been haphazardly (literally) thrown together. Some are OK.

Inattention to customer lines is a consistent problem, especially at LSL. The rule there seems to be a 2nd register only when mutiny is in the air. Staff, taking a cue from management, most often acts like customers are a problem.

My experience at LSL is similiar

[Sandtrap328]

I have found the Panera sandwiches very good at both Lake Sumter and Spanish Springs. No problems with the staff being unfriendly, either. Both have great employees.

Treat them like you want to be treated and you will have no problem.

[Challenger]

Originally Posted by Sandtrap328

I have found the Panera sandwiches very good at both Lake Sumter and Spanish Springs. No problems with the staff being unfriendly, either. Both have great employees.

Treat them like you want to be treated and you will have no problem.

We treat them very well. At LSL the turkey sandwich is awful

[zcaveman]

I always enjoyed the soup and sandwich at Panera's in SS but I have not been there in a while.

Now I an afraid to go there again.

Z

[Loudoll]

We have been to the LS one once. Waited forever. Did not get waited on. Left. Have not been back.

[gerryann]

Originally Posted by Sandtrap328

I have found the Panera sandwiches very good at both Lake Sumter and Spanish Springs. No problems with the staff being unfriendly, either. Both have great employees.

Treat them like you want to be treated and you will have no problem.

That's a nasty comment to make. I treat ALL resturant employees extremely well. What does that have to do with the quality of the food?
Maybe I haven't read all of the comments carefully enough. Did I miss something about bad employees? My comment was about the food.....NEVER had a problem with an employee at ANY Panera!

[justjim]

We have a Panera just a mile from our Illinois summer home and we go for lunch at least once or twice a week. The quality of food and portions are larger than they are in The Villages. Like others we love the coffee.

The only explanation for the small portions in TV is to cut overall "operation cost". I would bet that employee cost are higher in Illinois. The next big cost is facility cost. On that I would bet much higher in The Villages. That said---you can be penny wise but dollar foolish. Regardless, I like Panera and we have always been treated well there.

[tommy steam]

If I go to any place and find the problems with the food , I just don't go back . Simple.

[jblum315]

Originally Posted by Halibut

The differences between locations is interesting. I would assume franchise restaurant owners are expected to adhere to corporate standards, no? Otherwise the Villages locations may be spoiling customers for every other Panera around the country.

I don't know..I have eaten at two or three Cracker Barrels near here, and the difference in the quality and preparation of the foods is amazing. Not saying that C,B. is supposed to be gourmet quality, but it is a franchise so if you get a good bowl of soup at one it should be the same at another one, right? Just saying.

[Sandtrap328]

Originally Posted by gerryann

That's a nasty comment to make. I treat ALL resturant employees extremely well. What does that have to do with the quality of the food?
Maybe I haven't read all of the comments carefully enough. Did I miss something about bad employees? My comment was about the food.....NEVER had a problem with an employee at ANY Panera!

I certainly did not comment about your post or it would have been quoted - as this one.

I guess you did miss posts numbers 4, 8, 22, 29, 30, and 31 regarding the employees and/or managers.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by tbussche

I had the turkey and cranberry on flat bread when in Brandon, No. It was a very good sandwich with lots of turkey on it. The place always had a full parking lot while we were there. I guess the managers at The Villages stores do not understand how not providing a good product for the money will kill a business.

We've had wonderful sandwiches at Paneras in PA, MI, NY, & OH. I thought franchises were supposed to adhere to standards for food presentation so everything is the same across the chains. I'm surprised at the responses people are getting from corporate. Someone should be checking on the TV management.

Also, that "styling" answer is just so much BS. That's not styling. That's deceptive advertising.

[Miles42]

Went there once. Never again.

[VT2TV]

I haven't had any problems with Panera other than it does seem to take a while to be waited on. But , we eat out most of the time, and I have noticed that a lot of the restaurants have cut down either on portion size or sauces, or "something". The quanity of food doesn't bother me as much as quality--but I count expected portions as quality. The food needs to be what a reasonable person would expect. I would have gone back as many times that I had to at Paneras to get enough turkey or chicken salad. I have ordered at Cracker Barrel or Bob Evans, and I would expect the gravy to at least cover the top of the turkey, or the top of fried steak. For months, at these places, I have gotten a small tsp? amount on top of the food. They will bring more if you ask, but it seems to be a bother. I would rather pay more and get the right amount. But we should be able to eat without having to complain at the time, and not have to feel like they are doing us a favor.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by VT2TV

I haven't had any problems with Panera other than it does seem to take a while to be waited on. But , we eat out most of the time, and I have noticed that a lot of the restaurants have cut down either on portion size or sauces, or "something". The quanity of food doesn't bother me as much as quality--but I count expected portions as quality. The food needs to be what a reasonable person would expect. I would have gone back as many times that I had to at Paneras to get enough turkey or chicken salad. I have ordered at Cracker Barrel or Bob Evans, and I would expect the gravy to at least cover the top of the turkey, or the top of fried steak. For months, at these places, I have gotten a small tsp? amount on top of the food. They will bring more if you ask, but it seems to be a bother. I would rather pay more and get the right amount. But we should be able to eat without having to complain at the time, and not have to feel like they are doing us a favor.

Amen.

[SunshineAnytime]

Originally Posted by tbussche

I had the turkey and cranberry on flat bread when in Brandon, No. It was a very good sandwich with lots of turkey on it. The place always had a full parking lot while we were there. I guess the managers at The Villages stores do not understand how not providing a good product for the money will kill a business.

The one in Brandon (Florida that is, not sure if that's the one you're referring to in your post) is owned by the same franchise as both of the Panera locations in The Villages. Do you honestly think that it is up to the managers of the two stores here to decide how much turkey is put on a sandwich? Do you honestly think that they choose to put their jobs in jeopardy by shorting the customer to make an extra dollar on a cost bonus? NO. I'm a regular customer at the LSL location, dining in at least once, sometimes three times a day. I've heard patrons complain to workers and management about these issues and it's not that they go unnoticed, but it's that there is only so much that the people running the individual store can do. One of the managers advised me to do this: if you think the portion is not big enough, ask for extra of each ingredient. You only have to pay extra for meats and cheeses. I have always found the avocado sandwich to be very messy on the small bread slice it comes on, so I changed it to the healthier whole wheat bread and it's much easier to eat.

The workers in both the LSL and SS locations all appear to be very young and it takes as much patience from us customers to handle young people as it takes for those young people to handle us "golden" customers. While I agree that some have better customer service than others, I think that it is up to the management at that point to correct these customer service issues. With as often as I'm in there, I have a pleasurable experience nearly every time and if someone falls short in service, I let the blonde manager lady know and she takes care of it right then and there.

I keep returning because of the good service and good coffee.