Panera Bread menu/price changes

[luv2laugh]

This may be OT, but I stopped eating at Panera after I looked at the nutritional information about their food. There are few things on the menu that are not loaded with calories and fat. The salads are really horrifing!!!

Just think, you're saving more than $ by not eating there.

Which salads? I think all of their menu items (well, except for a couple of their cream-based soups) are very healthy. Their paninis can be high in calories, but those calories come from the bread and cheese; a 1/2 panini is only about 350 calories. Pair that with a cup of chicken noodle soup (100 calories) and maybe a whole grain baguette on the side (140) and you have a great, filling meal for under 600 calories.

The thing I like best about Panera, however, is that their food is good for you. They don't use high fructose corn syrup and they make everything to order. Heck, even subway uses high fructose corn syrup in their breads now!

I'm not surprised by the increase in prices though. The cost of the basics (grains, eggs, sugar) have all almost doubled within the last year. Since Panera is a bread based cafe, I figured the prices would half to go up. I'd much rather pay the extra couple of dollars than to have them phase out sugar replaced by HFCS to keep their costs the same.

 

[gina2000]

I would much rather see a sign that says, "Due to the high cost of wheat, our prices have risen and our menus have changed. As a result,our kids' meals no longer contain drinks. Thank you for understanding." Nevermind the "in order to serve you better" crap. Call it what it is. Give the people who normally order without looking a head's up. It's honest and fair.

Businesses need repeat customers especially during the tough times. If you alienate them, they will not come. Why not do some up-front damage control?

 

[hentob]

I would much rather see a sign that says, "Due to the high cost of wheat, our prices have risen and our menus have changed. As a result,our kids' meals no longer contain drinks. Thank you for understanding." Nevermind the "in order to serve you better" crap. Call it what it is. Give the people who normally order without looking a head's up. It's honest and fair.

Agreed!

I think by saying "in order to serve you better", they are really saying "We think you are stupid and will believe this"

 

[kathi29]

We don't have a Panera near us, but we do have Jason's Deli. Near as I can tell, still include drinks with kids meal, which in our area are $1.99 (organic PBJ, Grilled cheese, hotdog, pizza, mac) or $2.99 (baked potato, deli sandwich, spaghetti, salad bar).

I love Jason's Deli. Mmmmmmmm.

And you can see them make your food

Mmmmmmmm... Jason's Deli

I love their chicken salad

 

[PrincessKitty1]

I agree with looking at it from both sides. In our bakery business, wholesale pricea have almost all increased 50-100% for flour, sugar, milk, eggs fillings, etc. For gas prices or whatever reason. Thinking about how much you pay at the grocery store for a dozen eggs, which has doubled, and we use thousands of eggs each week. Our supply cost is huge!!! We tried to raise some wholesale prices by .50 and lost an account. Our prices are the same as they were 10 years ago! The customers start complaining about the prices and it is frustrating. The ingredients cost more than the cake -but it isn't seen like that from the customers viewpoint.

Panera's was very sneaky with excluding the drink, but I do understand their reasons.

I agree that food prices are out of control and restaurants are being hit from both sides--their costs have gone way up, and with the recession (higher costs again!), less people are eating out.

Like many people, DH and I have cut WAY back on eating out. We are frequenting a local, inexpensive diner for an occasional breakfast or lunch, and forgoing our former once-or-twice-a-week dinners out. We are having dinner out maybe once every two weeks now.

Even before the recent cost run-up, though, we weren't eating at places like Paneras, Atlanta Bread Company, and Einstein's Bagels very often--their food is YUMMY but it's hard to justify that much $$ for something that's so easy to make ourselves.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

Mmmmmmmm... Jason's Deli

I love their chicken salad

I forgot about Jason's Deli! We have one of those here in town, too. DH and I have been there on occasion. You can see them make your food there too, so it's on my short list Their food is delicious, and it's all trans-fat free! I wish that it were a little closer to the house. We'd probably go more often. I like their Smoky Jack Panini or whatever it's called. It's probably about a million calories, but hey, it's trans-fat free

 

[nuke]

This was my favorite sandwich at Panera until I read the nutritional info.

Sierra Turkey Sandwich
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 12.25 ounces (349g)
Servings Per Container 1
Amount Per Serving
Calories 840 Calories from Fat 370
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 41g 63%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 80mg 27%
Sodium 2080mg 87%
Total Carbohydrate 83g 28%
Dietary Fiber 4g 16%
Sugars 8g
Protein 35g

 

[scootch]

I am obsessed with their tomato soup with asiago croutons. Good thing the closest Panera is 35 min away!

 

[Juliet25]

....

 

[WheelCEO]

anyone notice the change in the size of soup? I ate there the other day and the soup was about 1/2 the size that it used to be, now in a disposable paper bowl

 

[lisateaches]

A while back there shortbread cookie was increased in price. They posted a sign indicating due to the increase in butter and flour that they would increase the price. I understood the need and warned my husband that he wouldn't be getting his cookie every time now.

Now, with a 9 yo and 3 yo we only go about once every four months. It is as much as a full service chain restaurant. At least at O'Charleys they eat free. Yes, I realize that the shortbread cookie has more fat and calories than a full days worth of food, but it is soooo good.

 

[mom to minnie&mickey]

General Mills did the same thing several years ago with their cereals. They kept the price the same but the size of a 10 oz box went down to 8 oz. I can get the store brand cheerios in a 10 oz box for $1.00 less than Cheerios. How many people will look at the price of an 8 oz box of Cheerios and say "it's only .50 more than the store brand" and not notice it's 2 oz less.

WDW did the same thing to their Quick Service Dining Plan. They kept the price the same but got rid of one snack for 2012. Because of this we may not purchase it and choose to eat offsites sometimes. Restaurants have the right to raise prices or reduce their offerings and customers can choose to go elsewhere.

 

[lovehoney]

I'm surprised food costs haven't gone up more - at least here in Texas. They've estimated a 5.2 billion dollar agricultural loss because of the drought. Those losses will be made up somewhere. There have also been quite a few natural disasters in other parts of the country this year - it all adds up.

 

[disneyhand]

Wow, $40 for Panera is a lot. The 2 of us and our toddler spent like $20 there last weekend for lunch, though, so I can see how you can hit $40 pretty easily with a couple of older kids. We had a gift card from our rewards' credit card, but still...those gift cards used to go a lot farther.

While I don't blame restaurants for raising prices, I DO blame them for doing sneaky things. The price of the meal is the same, but the milk is no longer included. They immediately ask you if you want a drink with that. How many people will say yes, not realizing that they are now paying extra for that drink? How about just putting up a sign that says "we kept our prices the same but reduced what you're getting for them." Let's be honest here at least. I'm not feeling "better served" by the changes. In fact, I'm feeling like I'll be getting this month's cc rewards gift card to Chili's instead and telling DH to use it when he goes out to lunch with his friends

I just ate at Chili's yesterday and couldn't get over the shrunken portion size of the meal I always order there. However the price was about the same. So your comment caught my eye. It's like the opposite of your original post situation, but also sort of sneaky. I always ordered this item because of the portion size and the fact that I could bring half of it home for another meal. We just don't eat out much anymore, both for health as well as $

* Nuts the date slipped by me, I hate when that happens!

 

[kaytieeldr]

I agree that the problem of rising commodity prices is beyond the control of any restaurant right now. While it's fine that they put a sign up, they should train their cashiers to at least say "drinks are no longer included with that meal, but you can add one on for $x.xx?" or something to that effect IMHO. That would be good customer service.

Or even just, "Drinks are no longer included with the price of the kids' meals." But maybe they are, and it's just costly items like organic milk that aren't. Didn't someone say they have no problem or expense ordering soda cups for their kids?

It will be interesting to see if this paticular location survives the price hikes. I think that they will see a big loss of business on a permanent basis, as a lot of their patrons are elderly folks in our area.

I don't get the connection. Do you know without a doubt that all or most of those seniors order kids meals and rely on the included beverage?

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

anyone notice the change in the size of soup? I ate there the other day and the soup was about 1/2 the size that it used to be, now in a disposable paper bowl

Ugh. I love their soups. Next time I want their potato soup I'll have to check it out.

If they do this in my area, I'll just start buying cream of potato soup in the grocery store again. I have a stove and I'm not afraid to use it.

 

[2girls4me]

I love pan era and dd loves the "orange soup.". I usually get the u pick 2 and give her the soup and eat the half sandwich myself. With a drink it's 12 bucks. If it's the 4 of us, over 25 easily. But we go once in a blue moon.

 

[bumbershoot]

The first 3+ pages of the thread are over three years old, fwiw.....

 

[TinkPirateMom]

The first 3+ pages of the thread are over three years old, fwiw.....

LOL! I am so glad you pointed this out because the whole time I was reading this thread all I could think of was the fact that a drink has never been included with a Kid's Meal. However, my son is 2.5 so that explains it. We have never gotten a drink included.

 

[mpls_mm]

Is that how people get such high post counts? Resurrecting dead threads to argue on them again and again?