Panera Bread menu/price changes

[bumbershoot]

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

I have the second highest on this page, and neither I nor the highest were the ones to bump it. The one earliest from today has a low count. But that poster wasn't necessarily the one to bump... Sometimes very obvious spammers will bump a post based on keywords to advertise something...the thread goes to the top, people start replying without realizing the date, then a mod erases the spam making appear like a normal poster bumped it.

 

[karice2]

I'm uber-paranoid about food safety after having food poisoning multiple times from different restaurants over the years I can see what they are doing pretty well at Panera (although it's not a totally open food prep area). I can at least tell if they're coughing on my food or wiping their nose and then touching my food, KWIM? The other places that I'll eat at are The Melting Pot (like twice a year, if that, though$$$), and the local sushi place (again, only a few times a year due to cost). I can watch them make the sushi, and you cook your own food at the melting pot (except the cheese, which they mix up at your table in front of you). I just can't deal with getting sick from a restaurant again if I can help it. We even cook all of our own meals at Disney (in the DVC unit), and we rarely eat out there. We did on our last overnight trip, but only because we didn't stay in a place w/a kitchen.

You do realize that food poisioning does not come from people who have a cough or cold. Food poisoning comes from food that has bacteria that grows from improper hot or cold storage. Also from transfer of bacteria during the preparation process. It is more likely for you to get food poisoning from them using the same cutting board than if they sneezed on your sandwich and then wiped their nose. The idea of bodily fluids on your food is gross I know but that isn't the real danger in a kitchen. I would be looking to see if they changed their gloves in between touching raw food and cooked food over whether someone has a cold.

Just a little factoid. Hope I didn't upset you.

Darn, Just saw how old the post was. Responded before reading all the way through. Info is still true though

 

[GottaLuvMickey]

They had some sign up about changing the menu to better serve their customers or something Yeah. I'm sure that that explains the changes I didn't feel better served, LOL! Seriously, I think we're just at the tip of the iceberg for changes like this being made all around us as the economy continues to tank.

It's to better serve me... I live in Arizona. Up until about a month ago, there was no Panera. We have Paradise Bakery, which is close, but it's no Panera. The closest Panera was in San Diego! And we went to San Diego in September and the manager at the Panera on Coronado Island told me that they had just bought out Paradise in Arizona! So back home... they've merged their two menus (at least in AZ) So I can get the awesome cookies that Paradise has always had, but bagels, bread bowls and the Panera sandwiches that are SO much better than Paradise ever had.

Interesting though... We were just at Paradise (DH has renamed it Paneradise) and got DD a kids meal....... it came with a drink.

Edit - Aw man! I fell victim to the dead thread!

 

[Sandy321]

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

 

[kaytieeldr]

I have the second highest on this page, and neither I nor the highest were the ones to bump it.

We don't need to bump up 'dead' threads to boost post count. We just happen to have comments or opinions or advice on a wide range of topics (and I don't know about bumbershoot, but once in a while I even start a thread of my own).

 

[arihillfarm]

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.

I'm glad someone else noticed too, because I didn't. I was also about to post that a drink has never been included in the Panera Kids meals. Chipotle DOES include organic milk in their kids meals and I think they are the best thing going for kids meals at a fast food place. $2.99 will get you a cheese quesadilla, two sides (rice and beans or something else), chips and organic milk.

-Astrid

 

[Free4Life11]

It wasn't until halfway through this thread that I realized it was 3 years old

I laughed reading all the posts about how healthy Panera is...not having HFCS or Trans Fat is great, but certainly doesn't make something healthy!

 

[emma'smom]

I guess what's old is new again....because in recent weeks, I've noticed the prices in our Panera creeping up about .50 per item. Nothing to break the bank, but a sign of the times. I go to Panera at least a few times a week to use their wifi between appointments. It's a great place to grab a cup of coffee and it is like "community hall" in our small town where everyone comes in and out.

That being said...we skip the kids meals and just get them the soup/bread combo. It's much more filling for just a little bit more $$.

 

[sherry7]

On a similar note....

I went through drive-thru yesterday morning for Wendy's breakfast. I stop a couple of times a week, and I immediately noticed that the Value Menu looked different from my previous visit. It was listed as Value Menu 99 cents, and under that were several items including one listed as Toasted Bagel with Cream Cheese.

So, I ordered only that and the employee told me my total was $1.79. With tax, a 99 cent item should have been $1.05. I looked at the menu closer, and then saw the fine print. It said "Toasted Bagel with Cream Cheese 99 cents (cream cheese is an extra charge)". Ummm, then why call it a Bagel with Cream Cheese on the 99 cent menu? Just call it a plain bagel for 99 cents, which is what it really is.

No big deal, and I didn't go through the trouble to change my order. But, I thought it was a little deceiving and definitely confusing.