How does Panera stay in business?

[KC//CRIMSON]

I like their food, but $3.59 for a measuring cup of soup? Sweet Jesus Choclolate Christ!:eek:

[SoonerGirl06]

La Madelines is just as bad if not worse. And their food isn't all that good.

[RacerX]

It's the cinnamon crunch bagels. They contain crack.

[proud gonzo]

i love the asiago cheese bagels. and shortbread cookies. and caesar salads. and cinnamon chip scones. and chai.

[opksooner]

I like their food, but $3.59 for a measuring cup of soup? Sweet Jesus Choclolate Christ!:eek: Shoulda complained. The Clam Chowder in a bread bowl is a full meal. YUM!

[King Crimson]

it's OK stuff--mostly food science to *look* good. but, i hear ya....i was in a hurry to catch a movie one evening and thought i'd grab something just in case i got hungry (a friend and I do a double movie night sometimes--if there are two worth seeing. she's into it, and i don't see her that often since she started her own catering biz)....and 4.00 for 1/3 of a baquette (basically) is a little outrageous. i KNOW how much bulk flour costs per pound--even the really good stuff.

in any event, in similar situation, i pull into the Chipotle a block or so away these days. Chipotle is what it is, but gets the job done and the ingredients are pretty good quality. unlike Qdoba where i've had brownish "guac" a couple times and pico with slimy, old toms.

[birddog]

never been there. i've always thought they just sold bread there, and i'm not a big fan.

[King Crimson]

up late bbq.

[birddog]

the little lad keeps me busy.

:les: HELP ME !!, HELP ME!!

[King Crimson]

the little lad keeps me busy.



i bet.

[birddog]

but hey, my partner is handling everything for me at the restaurant so i'll see this as a vacation. :D

[birddog]

kc, you ever been to the bluebird?

i saw the giraffes and eagles of death metal there. i really like that part of town.

[King Crimson]

kc, you ever been to the bluebird?

i saw the giraffes and eagles of death metal there. i really like that part of town.

in Denver? or CS?

i was wondering about the restaurant....i can only imagine. i ran a small fresh pasta market (long cuts any width, shapes, ravioli, gnocchi, tortellini, fresh bread etc.) with a small lunch counter by myself one summer and i worked my *** off. i did everything. cook, mop, cashier, dishes....me and a mexican guy, the baker, Antonio.

i was on salary, but the owner (my old owner at a different joint) he got a bargain on me that summer.

[birddog]

denver. as you know the music scene is non-existent around here.

and hey if you ever need a job i could use someone competent to make sure the yahoos don't run it into the ground when i get out of there.

[birddog]

thread jack of the year....i'm tuckered.

see you up there in boulder on september 29.

[1stTimeCaller]

I loved the Bluebird and that area is pretty cool

[King Crimson]

denver. as you know the music scene is non-existent around here.

and hey if you ever need a job i could use someone competent to make sure the yahoos don't run it into the ground when i get out of there.

yeah, that's what i was going to say.....maybe something had changed down there.

i like Denver a lot. i'm working on a way to work and live there.....right now, i'm kind of a teaching gypsy shuttling between U of Denver and CU. but, it's nothing secure more than a year at a time.

those residential neighborhoods south of Colfax more south towards 6th between the capital and, say, where the bluebird are pretty cool and funky. i've got several friends who live in the capital hill area. next time you see a show at the BBird, there's a few really good ethiopian restaurants in that stretch of Colfax. and Pete's Kitchen is a Denver legend, and the Satire Lounge is cool for a drink. used to be at least.

you never know, i could maybe use a job. i miss being around the food.

[King Crimson]

thread jack of the year....i'm tuckered.

see you up there in boulder on september 29.

if i'm still where i'm at now, i can maybe hook you up with a place to park that is a 5 minute walk to Folsom Field.

[MamaMia]

The turkey artichoke sandwich with the vegetarian creamy tomato soup keeps bringing me back. Squisito!

[jk the sooner fan]

i love the asiago cheese bagels

you do realize that qdoba is owned/operated by jack in the box?

[King Crimson]

you do realize that qdoba is owned/operated by jack in the box?

that figures.

and to demonstrate my commitment to stay on topic: soup is always overpriced, no matter where. and it's not like they are making it there at your Panera satellite franchise location. i could be wrong, but i bet it comes in cans or mylar bags and they pour it into a steam kettle. Panera is owned by someone like McD's, Chili's forget who. but, there is no reason corporate food HAS to suck, it just usually does. Panera is good, but overpriced.

it's just demographics. good food has to be overpriced and "atmosphieric" to make it "good food". it's about creating identities. corporate professionals and food tv are the "new connoisser" culture. Rachel Ray: Prophet.

i overstate for effect.

[OhU1]

Chick food.

Remember the Hungry Man commercials where the fat guy from "My Fat Obnoxious Fiancé" gets blown away by a hair dryer after revealing he had a watercress sandwich for dinner. He bought it at Panera Bread.

[TopDaugIn2000]

I was there for a meeting yesterday. got a medium iced tea and a chocolate cookie, was nearly $4. :eek:

Their sammiches are good, but I'd MUCH rather go to Bison Witches.

[crawfish]

Atlanta Bread Company >>> Panera.

However, the bread bowls rock at either place.

[jk the sooner fan]

ABC has GREAT chicken salad

[mdklatt]

$3.59 for a measuring cup of soup

You just answered your own question.

[royalfan5]

that figures.

and to demonstrate my commitment to stay on topic: soup is always overpriced, no matter where. and it's not like they are making it there at your Panera satellite franchise location. i could be wrong, but i bet it comes in cans or mylar bags and they pour it into a steam kettle. Panera is owned by someone like McD's, Chili's forget who. but, there is no reason corporate food HAS to suck, it just usually does. Panera is good, but overpriced.

it's just demographics. good food has to be overpriced and "atmosphieric" to make it "good food". it's about creating identities. corporate professionals and food tv are the "new connoisser" culture. Rachel Ray: Prophet.

i overstate for effect.
Panera is an independent spin-off of Au Bon Pain.

[Hamhock]

I like their food, but $3.59 for a measuring cup of soup? Sweet Jesus Choclolate Christ!:eek:


when you figure this out, then tackle Marble Slab ice cream

[King Crimson]

Panera is an independent spin-off of Au Bon Pain.

i'm not sure what you mean by independent, and i admit any wrong implications about Panera (though i do think they have some cross thing with CHili's).....but the fact of the matter....is that good bread should not cost so much.

when what you are paying for, like Starbucks, is the experience of being there.

[royalfan5]

i'm not sure what you mean by independent, and i admit any wrong implications about Panera (though i do think they have some cross thing with CHili's).....but the fact of the matter....is that good bread should not cost so much.

when what you are paying for, like Starbucks, is the experience of being there.
Panera is a publicly traded company on NASDAQ. No other food service companies own a major position in the company.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/mh?s=PNRA

They may have some sort of alliance but no cross ownership.

[King Crimson]

fair enough RF. i still think they get their bread stuffs frozen....none of those stores i've seen have the space, skilled employees, or ovens to make and bake that many types of bread/pastry products in one morning. the soups are premade in mylar bags. at best, everything is par-baked.

it's all off a truck.

and a good loaf of sourdough SHOULD not cost 6 bucks.

[royalfan5]

All I am saying is that they are on their own. I've never been impressed with their product and almost never get food from there but they aren't doing what they are doing at the behest of another company.

[HskrGrl]

Atlanta Bread Company >>> Panera.

However, the bread bowls rock at either place.

Is Atlanta Bread Company the same thing as St. Louis Bread Company (only in Atlanta obviously)? We ate there once while in St. Louis and it was EXACTLY like Panera. The food items, atmosphere, uniforms... everything. Hubby and I just figured it was just what they called Panera Bread in St. Louis.

[royalfan5]

Is Atlanta Bread Company the same thing as St. Louis Bread Company (only in Atlanta obviously)? We ate there once while in St. Louis and it was EXACTLY like Panera. The food items, atmosphere, uniforms... everything. Hubby and I just figured it was just what they called Panera Bread in St. Louis.
It is what they call Panera in st. Louis. Panera is based out of St. Louis and that was their original name, and they just never changed it on the local stores.

[MamaMia]

i love the asiago cheese bagels

you do realize that qdoba is owned/operated by jack in the box?I've been meaning to try one of those. They sound really good. I usually have the plain with cream cheese. :)

[swardboy]

It's the cinnamon crunch bagels. They contain crack.

Werd. And for 89 cents...."I'll take ten!"

[proud gonzo]

I've been meaning to try one of those. They sound really good. I usually have the plain with cream cheese. :)asiago cheese bagel, lightly toasted, with butter AND cream cheese.... tasty :D


i should go to panera later

[yermom]

Werd. And for 89 cents...."I'll take ten!"

my mom used to just get whatever they had on hand at the time

those things were always gone fast

[Boomer.....]

you do realize that qdoba is owned/operated by jack in the box?
Qdoba = great nachos and decent burritos
Moe's = great burritos

[KC//CRIMSON]

Shoulda complained. The Clam Chowder in a bread bowl is a full meal. YUM!


Your Comments Have Been Sent
Thank you for contacting Panera Bread. We appreciate your interest in our company and value your comments. Your message will be reviewed shortly and someone from our Customer Relations team will be in touch with you.

Return to the Panerabread.com home page

Buncha Soup Nazis!

[SoonerAtKU]

I just moved to St. Louis. They're EVERYWHERE. I'm not kidding, I see more of these than I do Burger Kings. Also, it's hard for me to say "BreadCo" like the locals do. I call it Panera.

[KC//CRIMSON]

Dear SO Poster,
Thank you for contacting Panera Bread about our soup. We are sorry to
hear that you about your disappointment with the soup serving. According
to our Purchasing department, we have not made a change in the size of
the soup container or the serving size of the carry out soup. (total bull****. I've ate there enough to know) The
serving of soup is 8 ounces and the carry out container is 10 ounces to
prevent spillage. Please note, we also offer for carry out: Soup for a
Group, which is 30 ounces of soup and serves 3-4.

Thanks again for contacting us. We appreciate your business and value
your comments.
Sincerely,
Alice
Customer Comment Coordinator

to be continued........:D

[King Crimson]

wow, 8 ounces. one cup. it's like the musical Oliver.

if 30 oz. serves 4, that's about 7.25 oz. way to go Panera.

[bluedogok]

Panera was known as St. Louis Bread Company as that is where they started and are based out of, the StL burbs, that is probably why the locals call it that. They were still under that name when they opened in Tulsa then when they opened in OKC the name was changed to Panera Bread and later the rest of them changed name. I ate at an Atlanta Bread Company in Tulsa and thought it was better, but they were different. We had an ABC here in Austin for awhile but it closed not too long after I moved down here. The only thing that I would get at Panera is breakfast type foods.

Now the Chili's connection may be whoever is the local franchise owner may own both franchises (among others) in any particular market.

[KC//CRIMSON]

Alice,

Can your company seriously justify selling eight ounces of pre-made soup for $3.59? And also for what it's worth, I've ate at Panera enough times to know that they have gone to a smaller size styro-foam bowl. It use to be much larger. At least at the location I use to frequent.

No offense to you, I know you're just doing your job, but it's a total rip off. They're not serving liquid gold over there........:D

Dear SO Poster,

Please let me know which location you visit and I will forward your comments to an appropriate representative for the area for review and follow up on this issue.

Sincerely,
Alice

to be continued.......

[Sooner Born Sooner Bred]

Dear Alice,

Why do the pictures of your French Onion Soup make it look like the cheese is going to be browned on top when in actuality, it's not?

TIA

[Newbomb Turk]

I don't get the bitch - go somewhere else.

[william_brasky]

$3.59 for a measuring cup of soup

I believe you answered your own question.

[KC//CRIMSON]

I believe you and mdklatt are twins.

[ChickSoonerFan]

Best Chai of all, ever. Much better than Starbucks.

[william_brasky]

I believe you and mdklatt are twins.

http://www.lib.unc.edu/ncc/gallery/images_more/twins_large.gif

I didn't read the entire thread. :P

[stoopified]

i love the asiago cheese bagels. and shortbread cookies. and caesar salads. and cinnamon chip scones. and chai.
I think this guy is the reason they are still in busuness.

[Rogue]

I like Panera much better'n Atlanta Bread. The food's pretty comparabel but every AB I've been to has this wide open seating like you're in a damn warehouse or something. Give me some half-walls and booths dammit!