I placed an order at 5:45 AM for two egg soufflés (since they usually sell out fast) and one cinnamon roll. It was a special day for my husband, and I wanted to surprise him with a nice breakfast. My pickup time was 8:00 AM. When I arrived shortly after 8:00, they told me they didn’t receive any egg soufflés on the truck this morning.
If that’s the case, why wasn’t I notified by email or phone before I came in? That’s just poor customer service. I would’ve canceled the order entirely if I had known they were unavailable. And if a location isn’t sure whether they’ll even have certain menu items, those items shouldn’t be listed as available for online ordering.
It honestly seemed more like they sold out, forgot to reserve my items, and didn’t want to admit it. The staff barely apologized, didn’t offer any kind of credit, and just asked if I wanted sandwiches instead. I declined and asked for a refund.
I also specifically requested no plasticware for environmental reasons, but they still included it with my cinnamon roll.
Lastly, as someone born and raised in St. Louis, I remember when the original Bread Co. cinnamon rolls were huge, soft, and freshly made. The ones now are smaller, dry, and look prepackaged days in advance.
Panera has really gone downhill ... cutting corners, offering less quality, and delivering frustrating service. I won’t be returning to this location again.