Double Check your to go orders. We eat here 2-3 times a week because we really love the food. However the online rapid to go orders are almost ALWAYS wrong. So double check when you pick it up. Cobb with chicken salads are awesome with the low fat balsamic. Paleo and whole 30 friendly items too.
(4)
Emily J.
I am a die hard Panera fan. It's definitely a favorite of mine as far as chain restaurants go. I love the wide selection, especially during the summer time when they come out with some seriously tasty menu items. The frozen lemonade and poppyseed chicken salad are delicious! However, this location has consistently not met the expectations I have come to expect from Panera. My biggest gripe has to be how sparse they are when it comes to their to-go orders. There has not been one time where I haven't been disappointed when opening my food. It's been about three months since I've last been to this particular location, and I decided to give it another try today. Big mistake. I found that their portion sizes have gotten even worse. My salad filled less than 1/4th of the already small to-go box they give you. At four dollars for a simple half Cesar salad I expect more than a small handful of lettuce and five croutons. When dining in it's not as bad. If you come in after five they're almost always out of a lot of things (baguettes, bread bowls, and pastries mainly) which can be frustrating. The staff is friendly, although a bit slower than other Panera locations I've been to. This layout is also weird. When it gets crowded, finding a seat is a struggle. I want to love this Panera location because it's close to home, but overall I would say you're better off going to Keizer instead.
(2)
James M.
We waited to try this Panera Bread Cafe, #1710, until they completed their new fast-casual restaurant "shakedown." Two months seemed long enough, so the four of us came by for dinner, and I am glad we waited -- Matt, the Manager, seems to have gotten the wrinkles out, and the whole process, from ordering (Thank You, Elliott, for you patience as we stand there and hem & haw over the menu) to picking up food (fast-casual means no table service / you pick up the food when your pager lights up and vibrates, signaling that your food is ready) to cleanup (fast-casual means you clear the tables), went smoothly.** We each had the "You Pick 2" combinations, and everybody was pleased with their selections. I had a BBQ Chicken Flatbread sandwich ($4.59 / .40 savings), a half Mac & Cheese ($4.59 / .40 savings), a bag of kettle-style chips (included), a soft drink with unlimited refills ($1.69 / .20 savings). When you buy a beverage with your meal, you can add a bakery item for .99 cents (which wiped out any savings from buying the combo), but what the hey -- I added a Fudge Brownie, which I ended up taking home. Everything was fresh, tasted good, and came hot, like it is supposed to. All and all, very good. Four Stars. ** But what is Panera's problem? No Coke products? Panera, you are missing out. (Yea, no, I don't work for Coke ... I'm just a FanBoy of THE MOST AWSOME PRODUCT EVER PRODUCED BY THE HAND OF MAN!)
(4)
Suzannah P.
They have a great selection of baked goods for breakfast as well as lunch. Service can be a little spotty, but price for the fare is reasonable. Associates could use a little more training in customer service, and maybe a little more communication as far as ETA of your order while sitting in the drive thru. Other than that, it's a great option for a snack or lunch !
(3)
Karin H.
As an alternative to the burger drive through, I will take Panera any day. They happen to be conveniently located for me to hit the drive through on my way home from an evening meeting when I don't want to cook dinner. I do make sure to always check what is in the bag they hand me before I drive off as I have gotten home more than once with the wrong order when going through the drive thru. Just know that you will be taking your life in your hands in their parking lot.
(3)
Alex B.
We've been back twice more and tried some other things from the menu, and overall everything seems to be a bit on the bland side, and definitely a few dollars more expensive than it should be.
(2)
Roger S.
This business has a wonderful following. Plain simple sandwiches and salads nothing real special. Yes the bread is nice . Much better than eating Burger King or McDonalds or Wendys
(4)
Ben M.
I've been here several times with my girlfriend and I can honestly say I enjoy it a lot. I've tried several items on their menu including their Smoked Ham and Swiss, Sierra Turkey and their Grilled Cheese (with bacon) sandwiches and their Tortellini Alfredo (with and without chicken) and Pesto Sacchettini pastas. I've tried all of their sides (dinner roll, French baguette, potato chips and apple). I've also tried several of their pastries including their Bear Claw, Chocolate Chipper cookie, brownie and carrot cake muffin and of all of the items on the menu I've tried, I like the Tortellini Alfredo with the Sierra Turkey sandwich with the French baguette or potato chips (don't get the dinner roll or the apple, both taste cheap and are of cheap quality) and a carrot cake muffin for dessert (AMAZING). Their service is fast and friendly though their food is a tad pricy. The restaurant interior is clean and orderly with mellow music playing and intriguing artwork. If you're looking for a new place to try out, I'd definitely recommend Panera!
(4)
Mitch C.
First time at this new place and it was terrible. I ordered the Smoked Turkey Panini (see picture)and picked a side of an apple and it was almost 8 bucks. The portion was ridiculously small and the apple was whole and looked like it came out of a bag from Walmart. My wife had to return her Grilled Cheese because it was as hard as a rock. We walked out pretty upset and still hungry. Our bill was almost $19 and we felt we were ripped off. In today's economy you have to provide a product that is good and plentiful. Panera Bread failed both, miserably.
(1)
Pixie S.
Great service, great food. Lots of healthy selections. My son called it "comfort food at its best!" Loved the homey atmosphere.
(4)
Katherine B.
Truly in love with fast, fresh, wonderful Panera food. Salads, soups, pasta, bakery with breads and sweets, sandwiches, even mac and cheese. There is something for everyone here. Newly open June 2014. Welcome to the neighborhood.
(4)
Brian R.
13.50 for a sandwich and a half i can get 2 cheese burgers and fries at my local watering hole for .50 more a sandwich from Safeway is just as good as the one I had
(2)
Jessica U.
Every time my husband and I come here, regardless of the time of day (it could be dinnertime or 2 hrs before closing), they're ALWAYS out of something - bread, chips, their classic side baguettes, SOMETHING that makes or breaks the dish (like a certain kind of flatbread). I understand the food industry- you're always going to run out of things, at least once. But running out of 3 different types of your bread, all in one night? Kinda makes for poor selection (and isn't the bread what you're known for?) And if this was a one time, maybe a couple time thing of running out of your ingredients, I would objectively understand. But every. Single. Time. It's kinda getting a bit ridiculous! One should learn their lesson and over compensate a bit on how much bread to make considering the higher demand from being in a higher traffic area of Salem. Other than that, food is usually great (which is why I'm giving 2 vs 1 star) but I agree with some that the prices are a bit overpriced for the portions. I will say that I will not and also would not recommend their pasta dishes- kinda bland, and the 1 time that I was sitting in the drive through and saw them put my pasta dish in the microwave. Yeah...no go. And not fresh in my opinion once I saw this. My husband will go here if it's our last option. But too many second chances have been given here, and the same mistake keeps being made.
(2)
Andrew P.
What a joke! Got a Turkey Avocado BLT, a cup of soup and water. $10.87. When I got out to the car the "sandwich" was 3 bites. The cup of soup was almost half full. They tossed in a hunk of bread in the bag, apparently realizing the food wouldn't even feed an ant. The sandwich tasted good, the bacon went directly from the fridge to the sandwich. The cheddar broccoli soup is identical to Subways. They literally must order from the same company. The soup tasted good, just VERY commercialized and wholesale. Same with the free hunk o' bread they threw in the bag. The place was clean and the employees were nice. The food was Subway quality with an enormously inflated price tag. Two thumbs way down.
(1)
Mae B.
Went to Panara for a late evening (7:00) dinner. Just wanted a bowl of soup . They were out of bread, no rolls or crackers, just potato chips. They are a bread restaurant! And don't close for 3 hours. No too impressed
(2)
Terry M.
We've only been a few times, but each time we felt the same. OK food, but kind of pricey for what you get. Today we both had the "2 For" special, which real doesn't seem to come out all that special price wise. People are nice and attentive and the food is fine, but for what we paid for two basic lunches we could have gone across the street to Acme and had something wonderful for about the same price.
(3)
Krista K.
12/20/2014 I did a rapid order pick up on my way to work with half a steak sandwich (which was yummy), an a tai chicken salad. i asked for no edemame on the salad and extra cilantro. The site offered me to set up a rewards card to earn a free pastry for setting it up. I added a peanut butter cookie to my order totalling 9.98. When my lunch break came around no cookie, and there was no cilantro and a ton of edemame in my salad. I called the store and spoke with a very pleasant manager (should have gotten his name) I wasnt even upset about my order as i picked the edemame out, was just calling as a this was my first time ordering you might want double check orders before puting out. Anyways he apologized for the mess up and said he was sending me a $10 gift card so I could try them out again. He said it will take a couple days but he would personally send it out that day the 20th of december. I live right down the street from panera, it is now the first of January and I havent gotten the card. I wouldnt even care except he said thats what he was going to do. falls short big time on the customer service aspect
(1)
Prag M.
Always great food and drink. Free self serve refills on drinks, including coffee. Outlets are limited but plenty if cozy seating throughout.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Brunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : No Caters : Yes
Steve M.
Double Check your to go orders. We eat here 2-3 times a week because we really love the food. However the online rapid to go orders are almost ALWAYS wrong. So double check when you pick it up. Cobb with chicken salads are awesome with the low fat balsamic. Paleo and whole 30 friendly items too.
(4)Emily J.
I am a die hard Panera fan. It's definitely a favorite of mine as far as chain restaurants go. I love the wide selection, especially during the summer time when they come out with some seriously tasty menu items. The frozen lemonade and poppyseed chicken salad are delicious! However, this location has consistently not met the expectations I have come to expect from Panera. My biggest gripe has to be how sparse they are when it comes to their to-go orders. There has not been one time where I haven't been disappointed when opening my food. It's been about three months since I've last been to this particular location, and I decided to give it another try today. Big mistake. I found that their portion sizes have gotten even worse. My salad filled less than 1/4th of the already small to-go box they give you. At four dollars for a simple half Cesar salad I expect more than a small handful of lettuce and five croutons. When dining in it's not as bad. If you come in after five they're almost always out of a lot of things (baguettes, bread bowls, and pastries mainly) which can be frustrating. The staff is friendly, although a bit slower than other Panera locations I've been to. This layout is also weird. When it gets crowded, finding a seat is a struggle. I want to love this Panera location because it's close to home, but overall I would say you're better off going to Keizer instead.
(2)James M.
We waited to try this Panera Bread Cafe, #1710, until they completed their new fast-casual restaurant "shakedown." Two months seemed long enough, so the four of us came by for dinner, and I am glad we waited -- Matt, the Manager, seems to have gotten the wrinkles out, and the whole process, from ordering (Thank You, Elliott, for you patience as we stand there and hem & haw over the menu) to picking up food (fast-casual means no table service / you pick up the food when your pager lights up and vibrates, signaling that your food is ready) to cleanup (fast-casual means you clear the tables), went smoothly.** We each had the "You Pick 2" combinations, and everybody was pleased with their selections. I had a BBQ Chicken Flatbread sandwich ($4.59 / .40 savings), a half Mac & Cheese ($4.59 / .40 savings), a bag of kettle-style chips (included), a soft drink with unlimited refills ($1.69 / .20 savings). When you buy a beverage with your meal, you can add a bakery item for .99 cents (which wiped out any savings from buying the combo), but what the hey -- I added a Fudge Brownie, which I ended up taking home. Everything was fresh, tasted good, and came hot, like it is supposed to. All and all, very good. Four Stars. ** But what is Panera's problem? No Coke products? Panera, you are missing out. (Yea, no, I don't work for Coke ... I'm just a FanBoy of THE MOST AWSOME PRODUCT EVER PRODUCED BY THE HAND OF MAN!)
(4)Suzannah P.
They have a great selection of baked goods for breakfast as well as lunch. Service can be a little spotty, but price for the fare is reasonable. Associates could use a little more training in customer service, and maybe a little more communication as far as ETA of your order while sitting in the drive thru. Other than that, it's a great option for a snack or lunch !
(3)Karin H.
As an alternative to the burger drive through, I will take Panera any day. They happen to be conveniently located for me to hit the drive through on my way home from an evening meeting when I don't want to cook dinner. I do make sure to always check what is in the bag they hand me before I drive off as I have gotten home more than once with the wrong order when going through the drive thru. Just know that you will be taking your life in your hands in their parking lot.
(3)Alex B.
We've been back twice more and tried some other things from the menu, and overall everything seems to be a bit on the bland side, and definitely a few dollars more expensive than it should be.
(2)Roger S.
This business has a wonderful following. Plain simple sandwiches and salads nothing real special. Yes the bread is nice . Much better than eating Burger King or McDonalds or Wendys
(4)Ben M.
I've been here several times with my girlfriend and I can honestly say I enjoy it a lot. I've tried several items on their menu including their Smoked Ham and Swiss, Sierra Turkey and their Grilled Cheese (with bacon) sandwiches and their Tortellini Alfredo (with and without chicken) and Pesto Sacchettini pastas. I've tried all of their sides (dinner roll, French baguette, potato chips and apple). I've also tried several of their pastries including their Bear Claw, Chocolate Chipper cookie, brownie and carrot cake muffin and of all of the items on the menu I've tried, I like the Tortellini Alfredo with the Sierra Turkey sandwich with the French baguette or potato chips (don't get the dinner roll or the apple, both taste cheap and are of cheap quality) and a carrot cake muffin for dessert (AMAZING). Their service is fast and friendly though their food is a tad pricy. The restaurant interior is clean and orderly with mellow music playing and intriguing artwork. If you're looking for a new place to try out, I'd definitely recommend Panera!
(4)Mitch C.
First time at this new place and it was terrible. I ordered the Smoked Turkey Panini (see picture)and picked a side of an apple and it was almost 8 bucks. The portion was ridiculously small and the apple was whole and looked like it came out of a bag from Walmart. My wife had to return her Grilled Cheese because it was as hard as a rock. We walked out pretty upset and still hungry. Our bill was almost $19 and we felt we were ripped off. In today's economy you have to provide a product that is good and plentiful. Panera Bread failed both, miserably.
(1)Pixie S.
Great service, great food. Lots of healthy selections. My son called it "comfort food at its best!" Loved the homey atmosphere.
(4)Katherine B.
Truly in love with fast, fresh, wonderful Panera food. Salads, soups, pasta, bakery with breads and sweets, sandwiches, even mac and cheese. There is something for everyone here. Newly open June 2014. Welcome to the neighborhood.
(4)Brian R.
13.50 for a sandwich and a half i can get 2 cheese burgers and fries at my local watering hole for .50 more a sandwich from Safeway is just as good as the one I had
(2)Jessica U.
Every time my husband and I come here, regardless of the time of day (it could be dinnertime or 2 hrs before closing), they're ALWAYS out of something - bread, chips, their classic side baguettes, SOMETHING that makes or breaks the dish (like a certain kind of flatbread). I understand the food industry- you're always going to run out of things, at least once. But running out of 3 different types of your bread, all in one night? Kinda makes for poor selection (and isn't the bread what you're known for?) And if this was a one time, maybe a couple time thing of running out of your ingredients, I would objectively understand. But every. Single. Time. It's kinda getting a bit ridiculous! One should learn their lesson and over compensate a bit on how much bread to make considering the higher demand from being in a higher traffic area of Salem. Other than that, food is usually great (which is why I'm giving 2 vs 1 star) but I agree with some that the prices are a bit overpriced for the portions. I will say that I will not and also would not recommend their pasta dishes- kinda bland, and the 1 time that I was sitting in the drive through and saw them put my pasta dish in the microwave. Yeah...no go. And not fresh in my opinion once I saw this. My husband will go here if it's our last option. But too many second chances have been given here, and the same mistake keeps being made.
(2)Andrew P.
What a joke! Got a Turkey Avocado BLT, a cup of soup and water. $10.87. When I got out to the car the "sandwich" was 3 bites. The cup of soup was almost half full. They tossed in a hunk of bread in the bag, apparently realizing the food wouldn't even feed an ant. The sandwich tasted good, the bacon went directly from the fridge to the sandwich. The cheddar broccoli soup is identical to Subways. They literally must order from the same company. The soup tasted good, just VERY commercialized and wholesale. Same with the free hunk o' bread they threw in the bag. The place was clean and the employees were nice. The food was Subway quality with an enormously inflated price tag. Two thumbs way down.
(1)Mae B.
Went to Panara for a late evening (7:00) dinner. Just wanted a bowl of soup . They were out of bread, no rolls or crackers, just potato chips. They are a bread restaurant! And don't close for 3 hours. No too impressed
(2)Terry M.
We've only been a few times, but each time we felt the same. OK food, but kind of pricey for what you get. Today we both had the "2 For" special, which real doesn't seem to come out all that special price wise. People are nice and attentive and the food is fine, but for what we paid for two basic lunches we could have gone across the street to Acme and had something wonderful for about the same price.
(3)Krista K.
12/20/2014 I did a rapid order pick up on my way to work with half a steak sandwich (which was yummy), an a tai chicken salad. i asked for no edemame on the salad and extra cilantro. The site offered me to set up a rewards card to earn a free pastry for setting it up. I added a peanut butter cookie to my order totalling 9.98. When my lunch break came around no cookie, and there was no cilantro and a ton of edemame in my salad. I called the store and spoke with a very pleasant manager (should have gotten his name) I wasnt even upset about my order as i picked the edemame out, was just calling as a this was my first time ordering you might want double check orders before puting out. Anyways he apologized for the mess up and said he was sending me a $10 gift card so I could try them out again. He said it will take a couple days but he would personally send it out that day the 20th of december. I live right down the street from panera, it is now the first of January and I havent gotten the card. I wouldnt even care except he said thats what he was going to do. falls short big time on the customer service aspect
(1)Prag M.
Always great food and drink. Free self serve refills on drinks, including coffee. Outlets are limited but plenty if cozy seating throughout.
(5)