I came in and ordered a pumpkin pie bagel with NY style cheesecake cream cheese. It definitely tasted good...but I don't even want to think about how many calories that probably was. What wasn't as good as my bagel though was the line I had to wait in before I could order. I agree with other reviewers that this place seems understaffed for how much business they do. For example, instead of someone just taking orders and then other people making the food and calling out the orders, the same person who took orders would also make at least some of the food. This ended up making a lot of people impatient because they were waiting in line and I'm sure was stressful for the person working behind the counter too. The crowd that comes here is really mixed. This place really does seem to attract all kinds of people. It can feel a little suffocating though, so if you like your space I would stay away. If you are looking for some place to work or study this is a decent option, but is definitely not at the top of my list of where to go on a regular basis. And especially don't come over lunch or dinner hours if you want to work/study here.
(3)
Joshua C.
I do enjoy Panera. They have several healthy options (salads, oatmeal and the like). I feel the quality has decreased a bit and sometimes the portions are way too small. The pastries are generally good but usually appear more delicious than they truly are.
(3)
Laura B.
The absolute most awful customer service! sandwiches were made incorrectly, came 2 hours before closing and there was barely any food to pick from and the workers were more worried about closing the place than providing good customer service. The only exception was the lady cleaning who was very nice!
(1)
Robert B.
For breakfast its not bad. Bagels are good and pastries are OK to very good. Coffee is OK to good, but nothing special. The service is very good most of the time and its a good place to hang out and get some work done. Lunch and dinners were much better but have gone down hill in the last few years. The portions are very small and the quality has gone downhill. Mostly flavorless and not all that well presented. That is sad as we used to go there fairly often for lunch and sometimes for dinner when we wanted something nice, but not cost too much.
(2)
Echo Y.
I really love it ! The bread, and coffee there is so fabulous! I really recommend the cherry!!
(5)
Yvonne M.
I'm surprised that Panera's reviews so low! I'm actually glad that Bloomington has Panera. This is one of the places I used to frequent a lot to get either a breakfast or tea time break. I like to have my ham and cheese souffle and sit by the window where the sun light shines in, free coffee refills and occasionally using my laptop to do some work there too. And there also calories count next to each sandwiches and drinks, which is really helpful for me to stay in my daily calories limit (at least I try hard to). Oh and don't forget the cinnamon crunch, it's awesome.
(4)
Thomas R.
Woefully understaffed - there's a consistently long wait to order here at all times of the day. I get it Panera - YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR CUSTOMERS' TIME. Make the switch to table service or beef up your staff and get things moving FASTER.
(1)
Chris M.
3 stars for being a Panera +1 star because it's the only Panera in town -2 stars for being overcrowded and having average service +1 star for being the only Panera in town
(3)
Liz K.
Not a lot of restaurant choices in Indiana. Most of them are restaurant chains like Panera. Mediocre food and mediocre service. I guess us San Franciscans are spoiled when it comes to food choices and quality food. The sandwiches were small, but fresh. I miss San Francisco....
(3)
Jess A.
This Panera was a disappointment. Maybe it's because I'm not originally from a small town that i have a higher expectation? Maybe this place is perfectly acceptable to others, but to our family it was just a disappointment. The place was a MESS with nearly every table dirty, the dishes piled sky high and trash on the floor. We went on a Sunday evening, I believe, and the amount of customers in the store did not seem, to me, to be enough to excuse the unkempt nature of the inside. They weren't stocked on lids for the cups. I have 3 young children- lids are a necessity. They were out of the bread we requested for our sandwiches. My son's grilled cheese was sliding apart and nearly two separate pieces of toast with cheese on them. My daughter's mac and cheese was tasty, I will give them that. That was probably the only plus to our experience. To round off my meal i decided to order a hot chai latte to go as it was cold and someth warm would be nice. What i got was half a chai. Literally. I'll include a picture with this review of what i recieved. As you'll be able to see in the picture the lid is clean as is the inside of the cup, there's no foam residue on the lid or the cup to suggest that i drank some because i didn't! So i spent just over $4 for about 2oz of chai and 2oz of steamed milk. My husband brought this to the attention of the girl who made my chai as he thought she would gladly fix it, but instead she replied something to the effect of 'that's just how it is because there has be room for the steamed milk foam.' Right... so i pay $4 for half a drink? It really was a shame as i spent close to $50 to feed my family of 5. That's the potential for a lot of revenue if you make a repeat customer. Unfortunately, i don't think we'll be going back.
(1)
David B.
Flat bread sandwiches and Mediterranean chicken are very good ! A good lunch place
(3)
Jess M.
So. I'm excited to see my amex tap n pay card (the ones digitally stored inside your phone) works here! At first was not excited pick 2 cannot be two pastas (except Mac n cheese)... But as promised, the pasta portionings are now bigger! Bravo Panera! Bathrooms clean, but floors could be swept a bit more. That said, this location is always busy, and they do well to keep up. All thats really missing for a better atmosphere is some low volume music...a energy seems lacking... Food is great, courteous staff.. Bout 13$ with drink and pastry desert, for a stuffing meal. French onion soup..no complaints!
(4)
Paul J.
Staff is friendly and warm but it's a very disorganized/dirty Panera compared to others. I constantly have found coffee grounds in my coffee despite complaining about it. Paninis are usually cooked thoroughly enough. The bread and bakery items are consistently good, however
(2)
MsAnthro P.
I tend to avoid chains, but sometimes in a pinch I wind up in one. This Panera (whose free wi-fi is helping me write this review) is poorly organized and understaffed. Iced coffee is kept nowhere near the ice. All milks, creamers, etc empty. No simple syrup as an option for iced coffee. (Because everyone loves slurping up huge chunks of raw turbinado in cold brews, right?) Speaking of the cold brew: full of grounds. Seriously, don't serve iced coffee if you don't know what you are doing. Loud as hell. People lined up bunching everywhere. Tables are so close you're practically in other people's loud boring conversations about Disney World. Not enough outlets for those with computers. No gluten-free options. Staff helpful when asked for assistance but not particularly pleasant about giving it. Only plus is that the large sized drinks are HUGE and cost less than smaller items at other chains/local options. That said, the product in said cup is sub-par, so is worth it? Nope. Oh, and the kicker: Wi-fi only lasts 30 minutes before it kicks you off, as if you can even get settled and finish your giant coffee in that amount of time. Not coming back.
(2)
Lia L.
My review might be a bit bias because I love this place. I love it because I came here to study almost daily during the summer and I attribute this place to my good grades haha. I grab lunch and sit in the corner and study away for hours with endless coffee refills. The place can be a bit noisy but the food is good. Their panini's are always crispy and hot, their salads are always fresh, and the service is very good. They open at 6am to 9pm so its a great place to grab some specialty bread and coffee for breakfast before classes.
(5)
J. T.
This Panera used to be great, but lately their service has really slipped. They are constantly out of a large portion of the items on the menu. Its common to only find one or two types of bagels or soups. The Rapid To Go app was great, but now the order is often held behind the counter because something is missing from the menu that day. This occurs at all hours, from early morning to late evening. When it was brought up to the manager, he just shrugged and gave an "oh well". Not the best way to run a business.
(2)
Betsy L.
my favorite place for soups and panini! Always do rapid inline pick-up and when you arrive the store you just escape the rush lines. I love their Friday special New England Clam Crowder and Monday special baked potato soup w/ bacon, the panini called Chipotle Chicken is also good to try, you can actually customize your panini with your choices of ingredients.
(4)
Charcy L.
Cheap price, bread is good, and their soup is tasty, and there has a lot of rooms to seat and enjoy your meal, you could stay there longer if you want to finish your homework there, great place for one or more people going^^
(3)
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Address :322 S College Mall Rd
Bloomington, IN, 47401
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Brunch Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : No Caters : Yes
Regina W.
I came in and ordered a pumpkin pie bagel with NY style cheesecake cream cheese. It definitely tasted good...but I don't even want to think about how many calories that probably was. What wasn't as good as my bagel though was the line I had to wait in before I could order. I agree with other reviewers that this place seems understaffed for how much business they do. For example, instead of someone just taking orders and then other people making the food and calling out the orders, the same person who took orders would also make at least some of the food. This ended up making a lot of people impatient because they were waiting in line and I'm sure was stressful for the person working behind the counter too. The crowd that comes here is really mixed. This place really does seem to attract all kinds of people. It can feel a little suffocating though, so if you like your space I would stay away. If you are looking for some place to work or study this is a decent option, but is definitely not at the top of my list of where to go on a regular basis. And especially don't come over lunch or dinner hours if you want to work/study here.
(3)Joshua C.
I do enjoy Panera. They have several healthy options (salads, oatmeal and the like). I feel the quality has decreased a bit and sometimes the portions are way too small. The pastries are generally good but usually appear more delicious than they truly are.
(3)Laura B.
The absolute most awful customer service! sandwiches were made incorrectly, came 2 hours before closing and there was barely any food to pick from and the workers were more worried about closing the place than providing good customer service. The only exception was the lady cleaning who was very nice!
(1)Robert B.
For breakfast its not bad. Bagels are good and pastries are OK to very good. Coffee is OK to good, but nothing special. The service is very good most of the time and its a good place to hang out and get some work done. Lunch and dinners were much better but have gone down hill in the last few years. The portions are very small and the quality has gone downhill. Mostly flavorless and not all that well presented. That is sad as we used to go there fairly often for lunch and sometimes for dinner when we wanted something nice, but not cost too much.
(2)Echo Y.
I really love it ! The bread, and coffee there is so fabulous! I really recommend the cherry!!
(5)Yvonne M.
I'm surprised that Panera's reviews so low! I'm actually glad that Bloomington has Panera. This is one of the places I used to frequent a lot to get either a breakfast or tea time break. I like to have my ham and cheese souffle and sit by the window where the sun light shines in, free coffee refills and occasionally using my laptop to do some work there too. And there also calories count next to each sandwiches and drinks, which is really helpful for me to stay in my daily calories limit (at least I try hard to). Oh and don't forget the cinnamon crunch, it's awesome.
(4)Thomas R.
Woefully understaffed - there's a consistently long wait to order here at all times of the day. I get it Panera - YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR CUSTOMERS' TIME. Make the switch to table service or beef up your staff and get things moving FASTER.
(1)Chris M.
3 stars for being a Panera +1 star because it's the only Panera in town -2 stars for being overcrowded and having average service +1 star for being the only Panera in town
(3)Liz K.
Not a lot of restaurant choices in Indiana. Most of them are restaurant chains like Panera. Mediocre food and mediocre service. I guess us San Franciscans are spoiled when it comes to food choices and quality food. The sandwiches were small, but fresh. I miss San Francisco....
(3)Jess A.
This Panera was a disappointment. Maybe it's because I'm not originally from a small town that i have a higher expectation? Maybe this place is perfectly acceptable to others, but to our family it was just a disappointment. The place was a MESS with nearly every table dirty, the dishes piled sky high and trash on the floor. We went on a Sunday evening, I believe, and the amount of customers in the store did not seem, to me, to be enough to excuse the unkempt nature of the inside. They weren't stocked on lids for the cups. I have 3 young children- lids are a necessity. They were out of the bread we requested for our sandwiches. My son's grilled cheese was sliding apart and nearly two separate pieces of toast with cheese on them. My daughter's mac and cheese was tasty, I will give them that. That was probably the only plus to our experience. To round off my meal i decided to order a hot chai latte to go as it was cold and someth warm would be nice. What i got was half a chai. Literally. I'll include a picture with this review of what i recieved. As you'll be able to see in the picture the lid is clean as is the inside of the cup, there's no foam residue on the lid or the cup to suggest that i drank some because i didn't! So i spent just over $4 for about 2oz of chai and 2oz of steamed milk. My husband brought this to the attention of the girl who made my chai as he thought she would gladly fix it, but instead she replied something to the effect of 'that's just how it is because there has be room for the steamed milk foam.' Right... so i pay $4 for half a drink? It really was a shame as i spent close to $50 to feed my family of 5. That's the potential for a lot of revenue if you make a repeat customer. Unfortunately, i don't think we'll be going back.
(1)David B.
Flat bread sandwiches and Mediterranean chicken are very good ! A good lunch place
(3)Jess M.
So. I'm excited to see my amex tap n pay card (the ones digitally stored inside your phone) works here! At first was not excited pick 2 cannot be two pastas (except Mac n cheese)... But as promised, the pasta portionings are now bigger! Bravo Panera! Bathrooms clean, but floors could be swept a bit more. That said, this location is always busy, and they do well to keep up. All thats really missing for a better atmosphere is some low volume music...a energy seems lacking... Food is great, courteous staff.. Bout 13$ with drink and pastry desert, for a stuffing meal. French onion soup..no complaints!
(4)Paul J.
Staff is friendly and warm but it's a very disorganized/dirty Panera compared to others. I constantly have found coffee grounds in my coffee despite complaining about it. Paninis are usually cooked thoroughly enough. The bread and bakery items are consistently good, however
(2)MsAnthro P.
I tend to avoid chains, but sometimes in a pinch I wind up in one. This Panera (whose free wi-fi is helping me write this review) is poorly organized and understaffed. Iced coffee is kept nowhere near the ice. All milks, creamers, etc empty. No simple syrup as an option for iced coffee. (Because everyone loves slurping up huge chunks of raw turbinado in cold brews, right?) Speaking of the cold brew: full of grounds. Seriously, don't serve iced coffee if you don't know what you are doing. Loud as hell. People lined up bunching everywhere. Tables are so close you're practically in other people's loud boring conversations about Disney World. Not enough outlets for those with computers. No gluten-free options. Staff helpful when asked for assistance but not particularly pleasant about giving it. Only plus is that the large sized drinks are HUGE and cost less than smaller items at other chains/local options. That said, the product in said cup is sub-par, so is worth it? Nope. Oh, and the kicker: Wi-fi only lasts 30 minutes before it kicks you off, as if you can even get settled and finish your giant coffee in that amount of time. Not coming back.
(2)Lia L.
My review might be a bit bias because I love this place. I love it because I came here to study almost daily during the summer and I attribute this place to my good grades haha. I grab lunch and sit in the corner and study away for hours with endless coffee refills. The place can be a bit noisy but the food is good. Their panini's are always crispy and hot, their salads are always fresh, and the service is very good. They open at 6am to 9pm so its a great place to grab some specialty bread and coffee for breakfast before classes.
(5)J. T.
This Panera used to be great, but lately their service has really slipped. They are constantly out of a large portion of the items on the menu. Its common to only find one or two types of bagels or soups. The Rapid To Go app was great, but now the order is often held behind the counter because something is missing from the menu that day. This occurs at all hours, from early morning to late evening. When it was brought up to the manager, he just shrugged and gave an "oh well". Not the best way to run a business.
(2)Betsy L.
my favorite place for soups and panini! Always do rapid inline pick-up and when you arrive the store you just escape the rush lines. I love their Friday special New England Clam Crowder and Monday special baked potato soup w/ bacon, the panini called Chipotle Chicken is also good to try, you can actually customize your panini with your choices of ingredients.
(4)Charcy L.
Cheap price, bread is good, and their soup is tasty, and there has a lot of rooms to seat and enjoy your meal, you could stay there longer if you want to finish your homework there, great place for one or more people going^^
(3)