Panera Bread - Riverhead

The Green Goddess salad and tomato soup were excellent. The service on a Saturday afternoon was quite good. This place never disappoints and is definitely worth... read more The Green Goddess salad and tomato soup were excellent. The service on a Saturday afternoon was quite good. This place never disappoints and is definitely worth the visit.

The cashier was quite rude. She struggled to hear me and had a very unwelcoming demeanor. I would never treat anyone that way. Unfortunately, her name wasn't on... read more The cashier was quite rude. She struggled to hear me and had a very unwelcoming demeanor. I would never treat anyone that way. Unfortunately, her name wasn't on the receipt, so I can't identify her.

I discovered debris in my food at this restaurant. I reached out to corporate regarding the problem, but they weren't very responsive in addressing the issue. T... read more I discovered debris in my food at this restaurant. I reached out to corporate regarding the problem, but they weren't very responsive in addressing the issue. Their initial response was to offer me a gift card, seemingly assuming I would want to return. They also mentioned that a refund could take as long as 30 days or more.

The young woman who took my phone order, Kristen, was very pleasant. Unfortunately, the pizza we received was terrible. It didn't taste good at all and hardly r... read more The young woman who took my phone order, Kristen, was very pleasant. Unfortunately, the pizza we received was terrible. It didn't taste good at all and hardly resembled pizza. I would definitely not order it again, especially given the price.

I recently visited Panera Bread hoping to enjoy some bagels. I've had their breads and muffins before and thought they were quite good; unfortunately, their bag... read more I recently visited Panera Bread hoping to enjoy some bagels. I've had their breads and muffins before and thought they were quite good; unfortunately, their bagels didn't meet my expectations. First, let me share what I think makes a good bagel. A good bagel should have a crusty exterior, which can be achieved in one of two ways: traditionally, by boiling the dough before baking, or more recently, by using an oven that intermittently mists water on the baking bagels. Inside, a bagel should be soft and airy, and of course, it should have a hole. While the bagels at Panera did have a hole, they were quite tough. It's possible they were boiled or misted but simply overcooked. The interior was dense rather than airy, making for a disappointing experience overall. To make matters worse, Panera charges a premium for specialty bagels. The regular bagels like poppy, sesame, and everything are $0.99 each, which is average. However, the blueberry, chocolate chip, and other specialty varieties are priced at $1.29. I refuse to pay extra for these specialty bagels, especially when I can find them for $0.99 at any corner bagel shop. On top of that, their bagels are quite small, hardly larger than a frozen Lenders bagel. From now on, I'll stick to my local bagel shop, where I can enjoy flavorful, fresh bagels and homemade cream cheeses. The cream cheese at Panera comes in pre-packaged one-ounce packets, which aren’t very appetizing—I opted for the vegetable variety. While I will continue to enjoy their soups and sandwiches, I’ll be steering clear of their bagels.