Had to fuel my Panera addiction so I thought I'd try another one in the area! Service was great as usual, and it was very clean, tables were wiped multiple times while I was there eating and studying. It was pretty chilly though, I wore my jacket all evening! I got the Thai chicken salad and garden veggie soup, which were both AMAZING as usual - beautiful and perfectly made :) They didn't offer me a baguette but had no problem when I asked for one in place of that nightmare-ish dinner roll they've started trying to push, so I was happy about that! Except when I got the baguette it was cold and soft, sort of like it was day-old bread or stale or something. Certainly not the warm, crunchy French baguette you usually get - even if it's not warm it's always crunchy and delicious. Are they down-grading their baguette so people want that new dinner roll? I really hope that's not the case! Hopefully it was just this one time experience and I got a bad loaf or something. I'll give it another chance since the rest of my meal was prepared wonderfully, but we really need to stop messing with the bread here Panera. Don't fix what isn't broken!
(4)
Cammy K.
Love this place. Autumn squash soup (seasonal) is so good, and the Fuji Apple chicken salad is my second favorite. To go soup portions are sometimes not filled up enough, but that would be my only complaint. Staff & management are always awesome. :)
(5)
Bob R.
Stopped here for a quick lunch with my parents and my son after arriving at Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton airport. Panera seems to be the same whether it is in one city or another. The menus are the same, the service seems to be the same. Their bread is consistently good. I've also had luck with their soups. The one difference I've noticed across Paneras are the consistency of the portion sizes. Here, I ordered an almond chicken salad sandwich. I was disappointed with the amount of chicken relative to the amount of bread. Getting the same in other places there was more chicken. The taste is pretty consistent though. I would say that you can get pretty much the same taste and the same service at any of their locations. Other than portion size, Panera is good in a pinch.
(3)
D. Ann S.
I though Panera had high standards but this time the food was barely edible . I got a creamy tomato soup , which was very hot ( good) but only had a few croutons ( which makes that soup). I asked for a slice of tomato in my grilled cheese. It came out with grill marks on it, but it wasnt grilled at all on one side. There was none of the golden crispy crust you get when you smear a little butter and place it between the grill - just bland rubbery bread . No tomato either . My friend had some kind of meat sandwich on a long roll. He said he would never get it again. The bagette piece ( now why would I get a bagette if I was already getting croutons and a half sandwich - because the cash register lady never asked me and I got side tracked because she shoved my chocolate croissant in the bag on a pile of napkins on top of my friends sticky bun box- thats why) was dry and almost burnt . The prices can be high - so from now on I will just stay here for the hot tea ( whose quality has also gone down over the years ) and occasional coffee. Last year the staff was great and so were the chefs- this year not so good.If you like meat , cheese or other fillings there arent much on the sandwiches. The tortolini are also small sized for the price .
(2)
Tommer B.
Panera is always a casual lunch favorite. I mostly order a You Pick 2, with the Sierra Turkey half sandwich and a Caesar salad. This particular branch is incredibly chilly inside. It's a packed house today but the body heat is no consolation. I should have ordered a hot coco instead of a lemonade.
(3)
Sui B.
A mediocre Panera chain store. The cashier took a while taking our order, which isn't abnormal at all at all the Panera stores. The soup is above luke warm, but watery. My whole wheat baguette was pretty hard too.
(2)
Alison H.
My to-go order was wrong, but I like just about everything at panera so I wasn't that disappointed. I love their chicken salad sandwich and soup in the sour dough bread bowl!
(3)
Robert F.
Never had an issue. Food is quick, to order, and the location is clean. Staff is pleasant. Frequent go-to location for a quick meal.
(5)
Candi K.
If I need to take a supplier out to lunch, this is normally one of my first picks. The food is decent and the price is right. Even though this location is always packed, food normally comes out pretty quickly. I normally get the pick 2 combo with a cup of soup and 1/2 a sandwich. It's always been plenty for me, but I know my husband would complain about being hungry afterwards. You can check the website for the soup listings before you leave the house, since they do change daily. Downfall of this location is that it is so busy. I've had trouble finding a table from time to time.
(3)
Ryan M.
I am ashamed to say that I had never eaten at a Panera Bread before. Going to this location was my first time. I have to say that I really enjoyed it. One thing this location has that others do not is the pond/lake view you get if you sit towards the back of the dining room. I am from California - noting but concrete and strip malls. Sitting there eating my panini and soup while looking out at trees and water with ducks was pretty nice. Next time I have a craving for some soup and salad and find myself in Bethlehem, PA I will stop here.
(4)
Kylie C.
Although the service is usually great, this panera is really stingy with their portions. The last 5 times I've been here they've given me virtually no meat on my sandwhiches and smaller than normal salad servings... i recommend driving the extra ten minutes and drive to a different panera location
(2)
John K.
The food here is great as well as the service. The place is always clean too. I just don't understand why the hell I have to sort the dishes. I didn't pay to do someone elses job that they already hired to do.
(4)
Quinn R.
Pleasantly surprised. Sure it's a chain, sure it seems a little corporatey but that doesn't bother me (if it bothers you best to stay away). The food was tasty all around.
(3)
Andrea W.
I use Panera to cater small business lunches. I like the order online option and they are generally ready pretty quick. I stress this was for catering. The service was fine. I was in a hurry so I didn't check my order too thoroughly when I got to the venue and got the salad out, it looked like shit. Brown ends on the lettuce, the container only half full. Kind of embarrassing. Everything else was of its usual high quality . If I have to use this location again I am defiantly going to call ahead and tell the manager about this experience to make sure everything is perfect.
(2)
Rebecca S.
the food is ok...I appreciate the organic yogurt for my young son, but the portions are small and the restaurant itself is kind of dirty. There is always garbage around the outside and one of the far windows that is very visible to the parking lot looks very dirty and unappetizing. CLEAN IT UP!!! That kind of stuff makes people look elsewhere for lunch..
(2)
Brian L.
Chain restaurant, yes....but, Panera is one of those chains that I don't feel bad about going to. I've gotten bread here a couple times and their asiago cheese and cinnamon crunch bagels are pretty good.
(3)
Charly J.
I did not have a good experience at this particular Panera, which is unfortunate because I really enjoy their pastries & breads. The staff at this location needs to be better trained & there need to be more staff in general. It is pure chaos when there's even a small group of people waiting in line at this location. We had never been to the Rt 512 Panera, but we had been to the Panera on MacArthur Rd a few times. We decided to give the Rt 512 Panera a try since it is closer to where we live. Panera's counter is split into two sections - The Cafe & the Bakery. It has been my past Panera experience that the Cafe counter is usually closed in the mornings & doesn't officially open until lunch time since this is where the lunch items are served - plus, on this morning, the Cafe counter lights were dimmed & the only person I saw behind the Cafe counter was pushing around a mop bucket. My hubby ordered a breakfast sandwich (we had never tried one of Panera's bfast sandwiches before) & I ordered an egg souffle. My egg souffle was put on a tray & left on the Bakery counter while I was still @ the register. I didn't realize this was where my souffle had been left, but was told that my name would be called when my order was ready. Then a large group of people showed up & crowded up to the Bakery counter to see the selections (blocking access to my tray w/ the egg souffle which I still didn't know was there). After a few mins we hear my name called over the intercom. The Bakery counter was completely flanked on one side w/ customers, so I stood in line @ the registers (behind more people) until my turn so I could pick up my food. The same girl @ the register who had waited on me earlier gave me the "deer in headlights" look when I asked her where my food was. I started to become irate since after 10 mins I still did not have any food & people being waited on AFTER me were being handed their trays of food. The, I assume, manager finally came from behind the counter to assist me. I asked her where my order was. She walked me over to the Cafe counter (which appeared to be closed) & there, shoved up against the side barrier of the Cafe counter was the bfast sandwich (the tray was not visible any distance from the counter unless you were practically right on top of it). Ok, I asked, so where's my souffle? She then pointed to the complete opposite end of the restaurant @ the Bakery counter where a lone tray was sitting. She then told me (in a patronizing way) that Panera is "self-serve" & that the items are not brought to the tables. I already understood this & NEVER expected the food to be brought to my table - but the manager cut me off & continued to speak to me as if I were a lost child. What I DID expect was to at least be told BY THE CASHIER where I can expect to pick up my food if my order is going to be split up & served separately. Besides, I tried to point out, the groups that had been served after me had been HANDED THEIR TRAYS OF FOOD & not just absently left on two counters at opposite ends of the restaurant like my food was - but she cut me off AGAIN & said that I could have a free cookie. I next expected her to pat me on my head & shoo me out the door to go play. VERY INSULTING & UNPROFESSIONAL. She would not SHUT UP long enough to listen to my concerns & instead tried to band-aid the situation w/ a free cookie which I didn't even want, nor did I accept. TELL YOUR STAFF TO COMMUNICATE BETTER!
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 Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : No Caters : Yes
Shaina F.
Had to fuel my Panera addiction so I thought I'd try another one in the area! Service was great as usual, and it was very clean, tables were wiped multiple times while I was there eating and studying. It was pretty chilly though, I wore my jacket all evening! I got the Thai chicken salad and garden veggie soup, which were both AMAZING as usual - beautiful and perfectly made :) They didn't offer me a baguette but had no problem when I asked for one in place of that nightmare-ish dinner roll they've started trying to push, so I was happy about that! Except when I got the baguette it was cold and soft, sort of like it was day-old bread or stale or something. Certainly not the warm, crunchy French baguette you usually get - even if it's not warm it's always crunchy and delicious. Are they down-grading their baguette so people want that new dinner roll? I really hope that's not the case! Hopefully it was just this one time experience and I got a bad loaf or something. I'll give it another chance since the rest of my meal was prepared wonderfully, but we really need to stop messing with the bread here Panera. Don't fix what isn't broken!
(4)Cammy K.
Love this place. Autumn squash soup (seasonal) is so good, and the Fuji Apple chicken salad is my second favorite. To go soup portions are sometimes not filled up enough, but that would be my only complaint. Staff & management are always awesome. :)
(5)Bob R.
Stopped here for a quick lunch with my parents and my son after arriving at Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton airport. Panera seems to be the same whether it is in one city or another. The menus are the same, the service seems to be the same. Their bread is consistently good. I've also had luck with their soups. The one difference I've noticed across Paneras are the consistency of the portion sizes. Here, I ordered an almond chicken salad sandwich. I was disappointed with the amount of chicken relative to the amount of bread. Getting the same in other places there was more chicken. The taste is pretty consistent though. I would say that you can get pretty much the same taste and the same service at any of their locations. Other than portion size, Panera is good in a pinch.
(3)D. Ann S.
I though Panera had high standards but this time the food was barely edible . I got a creamy tomato soup , which was very hot ( good) but only had a few croutons ( which makes that soup). I asked for a slice of tomato in my grilled cheese. It came out with grill marks on it, but it wasnt grilled at all on one side. There was none of the golden crispy crust you get when you smear a little butter and place it between the grill - just bland rubbery bread . No tomato either . My friend had some kind of meat sandwich on a long roll. He said he would never get it again. The bagette piece ( now why would I get a bagette if I was already getting croutons and a half sandwich - because the cash register lady never asked me and I got side tracked because she shoved my chocolate croissant in the bag on a pile of napkins on top of my friends sticky bun box- thats why) was dry and almost burnt . The prices can be high - so from now on I will just stay here for the hot tea ( whose quality has also gone down over the years ) and occasional coffee. Last year the staff was great and so were the chefs- this year not so good.If you like meat , cheese or other fillings there arent much on the sandwiches. The tortolini are also small sized for the price .
(2)Tommer B.
Panera is always a casual lunch favorite. I mostly order a You Pick 2, with the Sierra Turkey half sandwich and a Caesar salad. This particular branch is incredibly chilly inside. It's a packed house today but the body heat is no consolation. I should have ordered a hot coco instead of a lemonade.
(3)Sui B.
A mediocre Panera chain store. The cashier took a while taking our order, which isn't abnormal at all at all the Panera stores. The soup is above luke warm, but watery. My whole wheat baguette was pretty hard too.
(2)Alison H.
My to-go order was wrong, but I like just about everything at panera so I wasn't that disappointed. I love their chicken salad sandwich and soup in the sour dough bread bowl!
(3)Robert F.
Never had an issue. Food is quick, to order, and the location is clean. Staff is pleasant. Frequent go-to location for a quick meal.
(5)Candi K.
If I need to take a supplier out to lunch, this is normally one of my first picks. The food is decent and the price is right. Even though this location is always packed, food normally comes out pretty quickly. I normally get the pick 2 combo with a cup of soup and 1/2 a sandwich. It's always been plenty for me, but I know my husband would complain about being hungry afterwards. You can check the website for the soup listings before you leave the house, since they do change daily. Downfall of this location is that it is so busy. I've had trouble finding a table from time to time.
(3)Ryan M.
I am ashamed to say that I had never eaten at a Panera Bread before. Going to this location was my first time. I have to say that I really enjoyed it. One thing this location has that others do not is the pond/lake view you get if you sit towards the back of the dining room. I am from California - noting but concrete and strip malls. Sitting there eating my panini and soup while looking out at trees and water with ducks was pretty nice. Next time I have a craving for some soup and salad and find myself in Bethlehem, PA I will stop here.
(4)Kylie C.
Although the service is usually great, this panera is really stingy with their portions. The last 5 times I've been here they've given me virtually no meat on my sandwhiches and smaller than normal salad servings... i recommend driving the extra ten minutes and drive to a different panera location
(2)John K.
The food here is great as well as the service. The place is always clean too. I just don't understand why the hell I have to sort the dishes. I didn't pay to do someone elses job that they already hired to do.
(4)Quinn R.
Pleasantly surprised. Sure it's a chain, sure it seems a little corporatey but that doesn't bother me (if it bothers you best to stay away). The food was tasty all around.
(3)Andrea W.
I use Panera to cater small business lunches. I like the order online option and they are generally ready pretty quick. I stress this was for catering. The service was fine. I was in a hurry so I didn't check my order too thoroughly when I got to the venue and got the salad out, it looked like shit. Brown ends on the lettuce, the container only half full. Kind of embarrassing. Everything else was of its usual high quality . If I have to use this location again I am defiantly going to call ahead and tell the manager about this experience to make sure everything is perfect.
(2)Rebecca S.
the food is ok...I appreciate the organic yogurt for my young son, but the portions are small and the restaurant itself is kind of dirty. There is always garbage around the outside and one of the far windows that is very visible to the parking lot looks very dirty and unappetizing. CLEAN IT UP!!! That kind of stuff makes people look elsewhere for lunch..
(2)Brian L.
Chain restaurant, yes....but, Panera is one of those chains that I don't feel bad about going to. I've gotten bread here a couple times and their asiago cheese and cinnamon crunch bagels are pretty good.
(3)Charly J.
I did not have a good experience at this particular Panera, which is unfortunate because I really enjoy their pastries & breads. The staff at this location needs to be better trained & there need to be more staff in general. It is pure chaos when there's even a small group of people waiting in line at this location. We had never been to the Rt 512 Panera, but we had been to the Panera on MacArthur Rd a few times. We decided to give the Rt 512 Panera a try since it is closer to where we live. Panera's counter is split into two sections - The Cafe & the Bakery. It has been my past Panera experience that the Cafe counter is usually closed in the mornings & doesn't officially open until lunch time since this is where the lunch items are served - plus, on this morning, the Cafe counter lights were dimmed & the only person I saw behind the Cafe counter was pushing around a mop bucket. My hubby ordered a breakfast sandwich (we had never tried one of Panera's bfast sandwiches before) & I ordered an egg souffle. My egg souffle was put on a tray & left on the Bakery counter while I was still @ the register. I didn't realize this was where my souffle had been left, but was told that my name would be called when my order was ready. Then a large group of people showed up & crowded up to the Bakery counter to see the selections (blocking access to my tray w/ the egg souffle which I still didn't know was there). After a few mins we hear my name called over the intercom. The Bakery counter was completely flanked on one side w/ customers, so I stood in line @ the registers (behind more people) until my turn so I could pick up my food. The same girl @ the register who had waited on me earlier gave me the "deer in headlights" look when I asked her where my food was. I started to become irate since after 10 mins I still did not have any food & people being waited on AFTER me were being handed their trays of food. The, I assume, manager finally came from behind the counter to assist me. I asked her where my order was. She walked me over to the Cafe counter (which appeared to be closed) & there, shoved up against the side barrier of the Cafe counter was the bfast sandwich (the tray was not visible any distance from the counter unless you were practically right on top of it). Ok, I asked, so where's my souffle? She then pointed to the complete opposite end of the restaurant @ the Bakery counter where a lone tray was sitting. She then told me (in a patronizing way) that Panera is "self-serve" & that the items are not brought to the tables. I already understood this & NEVER expected the food to be brought to my table - but the manager cut me off & continued to speak to me as if I were a lost child. What I DID expect was to at least be told BY THE CASHIER where I can expect to pick up my food if my order is going to be split up & served separately. Besides, I tried to point out, the groups that had been served after me had been HANDED THEIR TRAYS OF FOOD & not just absently left on two counters at opposite ends of the restaurant like my food was - but she cut me off AGAIN & said that I could have a free cookie. I next expected her to pat me on my head & shoo me out the door to go play. VERY INSULTING & UNPROFESSIONAL. She would not SHUT UP long enough to listen to my concerns & instead tried to band-aid the situation w/ a free cookie which I didn't even want, nor did I accept. TELL YOUR STAFF TO COMMUNICATE BETTER!
(2)