I haven't been back to this Panera in the evening since my initial horrendous review so I can't say for sure that anything has improved with those employees. However, I have been back for lunch several times, and it has been a normal great Panera experience. The one gripe is that the wait time to place your order can be quite long, but they're good about getting your food out quickly.
(4)
Bill D.
Just slap me for stepping foot in here. It's the usual: Momzillas and their Urban Assault Strollers crashing into everyone. Excessive numbers of yuppies and wannabes nursing their small coffees taking up entire tables so they can show off their iPads or MaxiPads or whatever stupid gadget they've brought. Perhaps it's because it's Reston Town Center, where the self important go to be seen when they can't get down to Tyson's Galleria. Very long lines to order anything, including coffee. It wasn't good.
(2)
Karl W.
Very sterile environment. Food mediocre at best. Outside tables dirty and unattractive.
(1)
Nikki L.
Ugh. Ok, I love the food, but as for this place in particular, ugh, no good! There is always a super long line, for no other reason than the extremely slow service behind the counter! There are almost always huge events going on in the Town Center and this Panera seems to be caught like deer in headlights every time!! Always understaffed, always slow, always annoying, but hey, at least the food is good.
(1)
Dominic L.
Panera is Panera everywhere you go. Solid food, seems pretty healthy, and you could probably find something tastier somewhere else. This location, in particular, had slower service than I am used to. But, as always, Panera is a good spot for some soup and getting work done.
(2)
Iris F.
Before coming to Virgina this May I had never tried Panera before. During my one week stay - I actually went there (not same place) not one, not two but THREE times. I came to like their Rustic Penne Bolognese very much. Insane I know. Same pasta three times in a week... I made the mistake to order a small portion the first time, so I had ti try the large portion (hence the second time). The third time was here in Reston and just because every lunch place in town was crowded and also I wanted an light and easy lunch, without sitdown service. It is perfect to order take away from Panera and have you lunch at the tables by the town fountain. This is super! Be late or super-early to get a seat. On the downside of this chain is that it is impossible to do any changes of your order as everything comes preprepared before they put the finishing touches before serving. meaning you cannot add or take away anything from the sandwich or pasta. (The guest before me wanted the pasta "dry" and the sauce beside which was impossible since the dish is already mixed in a bag before shipping...) Also, supernice girl taking my order! They accept AMEX.
(4)
Sarrah N.
I love panera, but this location needs some maintenance. Friendly staff, but I found the food to be sloppy and the restaurant in need of repairs and updating.
(2)
Amanda K.
Being at the Reston Town Center you are looking at a busy location. I was able to get in and out fairly quickly since I ordered an ice tea and my friend ordered a coffee. Both our drinks required us to fill our own. I thought this was weird since when I go to Starbucks someone hands me my drink.
(4)
Charlotte S.
Yikes! This place, just by virtue of its location, is obviously going to be super-busy and it is pretty busy. Given this, it's horribly staffed. They only had 1 person taking orders for the majority of the time I was there. Oddly enough, the seating area is pretty empty, but I think that's because most people take their food to go as they check out. I stopped by twice in one morning (once to sit and eat a bagel and once to get a muffin to go) and this seemed to be the general trend. The seating area is nice, however. It's good to finally see a Panera where tables and chairs aren't a measly 1 foot away from each other.
(2)
Carm C.
It was day after Christmas and my son and I happened upon this Panera while waiting for the friend I was staying with in VA to get her hair done down the street. I am not a big complainer, but I must say this was the rudest staff I have ever encountered. If being snarly when we ordered wasn't enough, they practically threw our food at us and when we politely questioned about something incorrect on our order. The man behind the counter looked at us like we had three heads and then snapped at us. After our initial shock, we actually laughed, because being from Boston we thought we knew rude. That is, until we encountered the staff at this Panera. Overall, the food I've gotten at all the Panera's has been ok. Nothing great, nothing awful. However, the service and attitude at this particular Reston one was beyond horrid. Why do people like this work in the service industry? A better question might be, how do they keep their jobs with attitudes like this?
(1)
Ted C.
I was in the area recently and a friend and I tossed a coin between this and LaMadeline. Guess who won? bleh... This Panera bread is in an ideal location, but the service and attitude of the employees SUCK!! We placed our orders, but there was no coffee. I told the one server who seemed bothered, but she said she would get to it. In the meantime, other customers were getting annoyed that there was no coffee made. I go 15 minutes later and still no coffee made nor did anyone attempt to make any. Avoid this place at all costs. There are much better places in the area. This was a true waste of time.
(1)
Ryan S.
Free Internet is what brought me there, and it delivered reasonably well in that respect. But that is essentially where the praise will end. Like other Panera Breads, I find find the menu uninteresting, and the food mediocre at best. I agree with others who believe the bread isn't very good, and find it ironic that the word "Bread" is in the name. Service was immature. The word ditz comes to mind. When the cashier was out of pennies, she asked if it was ok if she shorted me 4 cents. Obviously I don't care about the 4 cents, but that is not the way to handle the situation... you give me a nickel instead, and let the company take the 1 cent hit. My drink was forgotten, and I had to ask for it a second time. I was not asked if I wanted a side other than chips, which I would have wanted, but I forgot to specify when ordering. And the guy busing the tables looked as though he'd rather be having a root canal than doing what he was doing. Go for the free internet, otherwise skip this place.
(2)
Milo R.
Excellent location with many variety of small shops, ice-rink, cinema, Hyatt Regency Hotel & other things to see and do, good place for a date night.
(3)
Annie A.
I like the place irrelevant of what people might have to say. It's good for a nice and light bite. I would rather eat a panera sandwhich than a mac n cheese burger @ fastfood joint. They have excellent salads, soups, sandwhiches, breakfast sandwhiches, bagels and all the fresh bakery products. One of those places which is very affordable and you know your food is fresh and has not been messed around with. I ve a membership with them and every other day I ve a free coffee or a bagel or something waiting on my card.
(4)
Aaryn P.
This is probably the worst Panera I've been to in a long time. On two separate occasions friends and I were let down here. The first time we came, they were not serving sweet tea, which is what my pregnant friend was craving. Strike one. One morning we came in here for breakfast around 10 and they were not only out of fruit cups, but the lady said she was going to make me one fresh. That statement was clarified when I got my fruit cup and most of the fruit in it looked like it was a week old. The strawberries were barely clinging to life and looked slimy...several of the blueberries were starting to disintegrate. She didn't make me a "fresh" fruit cup, she made me "an additional fruit cup" because they had sold out of them that morning. Big difference, it was awful. On top of the fruit cup disaster, my apple crumble muffin tasted oddly stale which was a real bummer. Definitely not baked fresh. After the last incident, we steered clear of this location - and I suggest you do as well. Management is obviously not paying attention here, and it shows.
(2)
Cher B.
This Panera bread location has gone downhill fast. They don't even deserve the one star. The coffee station is always out of milk. The bakery cookies and desserts Always seem to be a day or so old. When you order sandwiches the presentation is sloppy with the way they cut the bread and just throw it on the plates is unappetizing. The booths are in bad repair and falling apart some have exposed wood and nails. The ladies bathroom is filthy. They have the rudest manager her name is Trish don't ever think about doing work here or sitting to have a conversation because you're not welcome even when you buy lunch. Save yourself the time and money and go to a better Panera location or one of the finer restaurants in Reston town center.
(1)
Lindsay S.
Without a doubt the worst Panera I have ever visited. I work in the town center, so I would appreciate having Panera as a quick and easy option for lunch during breaks. However, I have eaten here probably about 5 times and will never go back, unless the management changes their practices. No visit has ever been enjoyable. For starters, they are frequently out of items on the menu. This wouldn't be a huge deal if they let you know when you order the item they're out of. Instead, they let you wait for 10 minutes, thinking your food is being made, then they turn on your buzzer, but when you go to pick up your food, that's when they tell you they're out of what you ordered (in a rather rude manner, may I add). So at this point, you have to make a split decision on what else you want because the "cooks" are just standing there staring at you. In addition to this, service takes forever. Every time I have gone in, there's only one cashier working and a line of 10 people. Waiting for your food is also a time consuming process because then the people standing behind the counter making the food are either talking and socializing or no where to be found. You can't really do this sort of slow service when you're a fast-food style restaurant in an area that's business is mostly people on timed lunch breaks from work. In addition to this, they are rude. Heaven forbid you need an extra fork or something. They act like you're asking them to move a mountain. Finally, the restaurant is dirty. Other Panera's usually have high standards of cleanliness: tables are clean for use, the floor is swept, etc. There is no indication of that there.
(1)
Larry R.
I'm a huge fan of Panera, in general. That said, if this was the first Panera I ever visited, I'd just assume the entire chain had some major quality issues. The food is quite tasty, as with other Panera stores. The issues are the cleanliness and upkeep of the facilities, the level of staffing, and the follow up by management. The tables are not always kept clean, which means the patrons either have to wipe down a table from the mess left by others, or wait for an employee to get around to it. If I go find a manager and mention it to them, they are always quick to address the problem. I question whether it is my job to be their quality monitor. In general, there are ripped seats, broken booths, and dirt on the carpets, and having been here a half dozen times in the last few months, I've seen no attempt at repairs or improvement. While I very much appreciate the free Wi-Fi, this is the only Panera where I consistently have connectivity issues. When I mentioned it to a manager, I was told it was because of an issue with the Hyatt (where the Panera is located). Interesting,but whatever the issue is, it would be nice if they addressed it and didn't just use it as an explanation of why things are problematic. Trying to purchase anything between 2 and 5 PM is a huge risk. There is one person behind the counter taking orders and making coffee drinks, and another person making sandwiches, etc. There are another half dozen people behind the counter doing other things, but they don't seem to be doing anything related to serving the current customers. If one person in line orders a couple of drinks that take time to prepare, the whole process comes to a screeching halt as the person behind the register has to also prepare the drinks. Finally, by that time in the afternoon, the floor behind the counter is usually fairly dirty. It's disconcerting to see such a mess and makes me worry about the general cleanliness of their food preparation. I'd encourage the management to keep the floor swept. I still visit this store, but really wish it was up to the standard of the chain in general.
(2)
Sarah W.
I'm going to preface this by saying I love Panera - love the convenience of popping in to get a salad or soup and doing homework or something. However, this location fails epically at staffing properly. I came here tonight on Feb 21, and there was a line 20 people long and ONE person taking orders and what looked like 1-2 people filling orders. WTF. You are located next to a hotel and there happens to be a convention this weekend. As a manager, don't you think you would staff more people for this particular friday night knowing people are rolling for a convention? Geez.........
(2)
James G.
Panera Bread is no one's idea of fine dining, which is OK. You don't come here for dining, you come here to eat. There is nothing wrong per se with the food here, it's pretty fresh, tastes good enough, etc. Where they fail however is in their cleanliness. We saw two of their cleaning crew hanging out and chatting during the entirety of our stay here, completely unconcerned with the filthy tables and bathrooms in the place. I have never seen such a slovenly place, which made it rather unpleasant to eat here. Added to this is the restriction of wifi privileges to just 30 minutes, and I cannot see why people go here when there are so many better choices nearby.
(3)
Lisa L.
I decided that I had to write a review about this location for one main reason. They took away my favorite sandwich without warning. The cuban chicken sandwich was amazing and without warning they removed it from the menu calling it "seasonal." I am not sure why this would be considered seasonal. When I asked the workers there, they told me they did not know if and when it would be returning. I think it would be absurd to rate a franchise chain based on a corporate decision to remove a sandwich. That is why I feel it necessary to comment on some other issues I have with this location and others. The overhead menus found about the cash registers are hard to read while you are in line. I often find myself making quick decisions because I feel pressured to select something to order. In general, the food is ok, but it is nothing to get too excited about. If you are going for lunch at the Reston Town Center I recommend stopping by Pot Belly instead. You will be much more satisfied.
(3)
Azucena H.
This is a convenient but crowded Panera there are always plenty of customers crowding the place especially at lunch time. It is challenging getting a table which makes it a little annoying when you have a limited time to dine. Also there are a set of glass doors in the front that are always kept locked so when people try them they find that they must go around through the hotels entrance to get in. The food is good you know what to expect if you have eaten at one Panera before. It is consistent with other locations. I do like the variety of cookies. The Toffee Nut is quite good. I also enjoy the half salad half soup option for lunch which allows you to pair any soup with any salad. The Asain Sesame Chicken salad is my favorite.
(3)
Sade P.
Was ok but the dine in area had knats or some type of flying bugs. Also the morning experience was ok until the coffee was disgusting. Had to return it and get my money back
(3)
Josue E.
This place gets really busy because of it's location. I have been to this Panera a few times to do homework. It's not the quietest place to go but they have free wifi and really good food. The wifi is not the greatest but it's free. The service has always been good.
(4)
Mike H.
Long line, in the AM?, maybe if you manage a Panera you have more staff in the AM. Order was incorrect. In theory my bagels were toasted, they were just above room temperature. Bad experience overall.
(1)
U.S. A.
I've not had a bad experience at Panera. The bagels are decent, but this isn't' a bagelry so I won't hold them to a higher standard. The bread is good. The sammiches always make my stomach happy and the price is right.
(4)
Aisha B.
I love Panera Bread but this location has a lot to be desire. As others noted, the staffing is below average making the service mediocre to say the least. My sandwich was not put together well and I had to return my soup due to it being cold. Go to Potbelly instead, until they address their staffing concerns stay away.
Clueless kids running restaurant, DEAD BIRD in restroom, Stay Away! Had lunch there on Saturday and had numerous issues. We waited over 5 minutes for the cashier to actually greet us - There was a line of folks behind us and these kids were running around, playing games with other co-workers rather than taking orders, hence the long line. They were out of soup, which was annoying. We had to repeat our order a few times because the woman was looking around and not paying attention to our order. The manager, who was also a kid, was snapping at customers (yes, there were a ton of people complaining that day - orders were wrong) and he did nothing to get the crew back to work. My wife tried to use their restrooms, but there was a DEAD BIRD flying on the floor. No napkins. No drink lids. Trash piling up all over the place.
(1)
Suzanne M.
I have been to many panera's. The food of course I enjoy, however this one is inside a hotel. So the parking is an interesting. I like the set up though and the hotel does have free parking.
(3)
Luther S.
I love Panera. I even bought stock in the company years ago. It makes it so much more disappointing that the coffee is inferior and the service is so poor at this location. There was one pleasant early morning cashier in 2006 who made a good cappuccino but since then, there has been a string of bumbling unhelpful employees in her wake. I rarely patronize the Reston store anymore, and anytime I do, there is a new batch of scowling incompetents to greet me. If you do find yourself at this location avoid the coffee drinks and if you get anything to go, always check your order. It is rare that the order is complete.
(1)
Joanna C.
I like Panera cafes... just not this one. The lines are always long and the service (once you make it to the front of the line) is slow. SLOOOOWWWWWWW.... painfully slow. Even on mornings when it isn't busy, expect to wait at LEAST 15 minutes for them to toast your bagel and pour you an iced tea.
(1)
Sarah L.
3.5 stars. Went here for breakfast last week. This location is like a machine. They were adequately staffed when I arrived, and everyone was friendly and polite. I was waiting for a bus that wasn't supposed to arrive for 40 minutes, so I used the wi-fi and had breakfast. They must have about 30-40 people come and go in the time I was there. Every customer was sir'd/ma'am'd and thank you'd. I ordered their egg souffle with potato and sausage. I wasn't enthusiastic about the souffle, but it was brought to me a few minutes after I ordered. Tea is self-serve and they offer Republic of Tea sachets. They're now offering a rewards card/membership, much like Cosi. The cashier who rung me up and brought my food also explained to me the benefits of the card, but did not ask if I wanted to sign up for it; he just activated the card and gave it to me. Upon reading all the details, this card is only valid in Northern Virginia locations. I live in Silver Spring, Maryland and there is a Panera in downtown Silver Spring. Hopefully I will be able to use it in non-NoVa locations. Otherwise, what a waste of plastic.
(3)
Ruth C.
Convenient to the parking garage by the Cosi. Layout of this Panera could be better though. You duck into the building hallway before you can enter the establishment, and there's way more seating inside than necessary in my opinion. Great view of the outdoor seating area. Booth was a bit dirty. Baked potato soup was piping hot, slightly watery, and not very flavorful-- more potato than anything else. I've had better soup from a Costco tub of powdered mix, made by an incompetent frat guy with shredded cheese and bacon bits sprinkled in. Sauce in the mac and cheese was actually a tad thicker than the soup; in that respect I enjoyed the mac'n'cheese, especially after crumbling their bagged kettle chips over it. I was enticed by the inclusion of gouda in the bacon turkey bravo, but ultimately the sandwich disappointed with a boring flavor profile, soggy tomato basil bread, and oversized tomato slice. Cobblestone was much too sweet. Raisins riddled the pastry like a case of bad acne, and the cinnamon/icing ratio to dough was way too high.
(2)
Katherine A.
Great of your looking for a quick breakfast. You can never go wrong with a bagel and coffee. For lunch.. Eh, unless its the only quick restaurant around which was my case. Had there vegetable minestrone soup which I so like. Very flavorful. However there sandwiches leave much to be desired.
(3)
Lucy G.
As an internet-dependant young adult who works in Reston Town Center and loves soup, I have made a (admittedly reluctant) habit of eating lunch at this Panera 5 days a week. While I can't say much about the quality of the sandwiches, the soups are all very good, especially the broccoli cheddar. I usually get either the hot tea or one of the smoothies to drinks, and and while all of them are at least okay, the black cherry smoothie is head and shoulders above the rest. It's really amazingly delicious, and is much lower in fat than most of the other blended drinks. Like many of the other reviews have said, it does get very crowded at lunchtime, the lines do get long, and it's difficult to find a seat. However this usually starts to clear up by about 1:30 or 2, and I've never had to wait very long for my meal regardless of the length of the line.
(4)
Alexa C.
As Paneras go, this one is sloooooow. But, food is always good, and hot, just give yourself an extra ten minutes. Also, plenty of seating and good for groups with quality wi-fi.
(3)
Dominique F.
I honestly don't get the low reviews. This is my first time at a Panera and I actually really enjoyed it. The location of the restaurant is perfect. I came here for lunch hour and even if the line was huge there were three open counters and it moved very quicky. I had my food in max 10 mins. There's a big seating area; however it was all full when I came with my coworkers. But on such a sunny warm day, I didn't care because there was space outside where you could enjoy the sun. Will def. be back :)
(4)
Jen H.
I generally get the same thing when I'm at Panera - the 1/2 sandwich and soup combo (Sierra Turkey and Broccoli and Cheese soup). I always find it tasty... but I can't vouch for the rest of the menu items. Free WiFi is always a plus in my book. I am one of the few people left in the world who doesn't have the "everything" plan on their phone... so I don't have the ability to connect to the internet/check my email/hop on Yelp without the use of free WiFi and my iPod touch... so whenever someone gives me free WiFi I'm excited. The space here is quite large, so you should have no problem to find seating most times of the day (not sure how crazy it gets during lunch time), and it provides a nice alternative to the other sit down restaurants in RTC. During the winter if you go ice skating, this would be a highly convenient spot (considering it's directly accross the street) to get yourself some warm beverage or soup to warm up. All in all I would say that I enjoy Panera, but it's so corporate that I have to only give it 3 stars.
(3)
Danilo B.
Decent food, decent prices, OK service. New wi-fi rules are pretty lame - they're in place because they don't want to spend any money on decent technology/bandwith/etc. It's convenient so I go from time to time. But I try to avoid if possible especially if I have to go during lunch because parking is a pain in the a$$.
(3)
Cheryl B.
This place is incredibly convenient if you're staying at the Hyatt. So far I've had the bacon and egg breakfast sandwich (no cheese), the Asian Sesame Chicken Salad, the Smokehouse Turkey Panini and the Summer Corn Chowder. Breakfast sandwich and salad - great. Panini - just okay (cheese not melted all the way through). Summer Corn Chowder - Bleeeccchhhhh! Sometimes simple is better. They added too many ingredients to this chowder that ithey overwhelm the corn flavor and made it too heavy to be a "summer" chowder. The orange juice is delicious! Going back for more in the morning. :) Oh, and I appreciate the free Wi-Fi!
(3)
D D.
Good service...good food...price definitely was right. I don't know what the low reviewers were looking for but this store lived up to its menu selection
(3)
Begench A.
I've been here a couple times, and it is always dirty, slow, and crowded. The crash cans are full of garbage and the management does not seem to care. Lots of teens crowding the place without actually buying anything. Do not go here.
(1)
Darren G.
Panera is a large chain with quality food. This one's a nice place to go for a bread bowl of soup and coffee on a cold winter day, especially after ice skating next door.
(4)
Jeff W.
You'd think you were at Disneyworld for how long the lunch lines get at this place, but in spite of that one major flaw, I still hate this place! Everyone that worships Panera must never have eaten fresh bread before. I find it ironic that a place with the word "bread" in their title can produce such stale, flavorless, disappointing bread. The only thing saving it from a one-star rating is the fact that the place is packed with attractive women, for whatever reason.
(2)
Shane M.
I usually love Panera - typically excellent quality-control with their salads, soups, and sandwiches, not to mention their wonderful bagels and souffles. The Reston location, however, has consistently employed morning staff that act irritable, and seem annoyed that customers are patronizing their location. Not only that, yesterday was the 3rd time in a row that my order was filled incorrectly.
(1)
F B.
fresh orange juice excellent coffee delicious soups i like the french onion! delicious samwitches i like their salads with the orange slices in it to-get-cancer-for bagels n cream cheeses and pasteries are worthy of accumulating diabetes for + prices r fine, service is fine = definitely a five star joint ****ATTENTION: This review is for 10 or so years ago, i've read that they've changed since then. i wouldn't know bc nowadays i wouldn't touch this stuff. it's delicious, i just care about my health more than my tastebuds now, and to be honest nothing here is worth splurging over for me, but i can understand how it can be for those who are mostly interested in taste and not too interested in their health as i used to be*****
(5)
Betsy S.
Great for online ordering! Saves credit card info, always on time, not always hot, but great bagels and always plenty of coffee!!!!
(4)
Neal E.
I've hit this Panera a couple of times this week for hot soup - French Onion Soup and Chicken Noodle Soup. Both were hot, tasty, and hit the spot on a cold day!
(4)
Mark H.
Customer service is the worst I experienced in Virginia and DC. Slow, rude, confrontational when asked if the tuna was albacore. The manager stood and stared at me while this went on as I did something wrong. Panaera get it together, rude employees is what will drive everyone away.
(1)
Andres C.
Wrost location ever! Customer service was horrible. The cashier was rude she didn't ask us what side we wanted and when we asked the server if we could have chips she said no and that they were out of apples. Not only that but when we got to the drinks and expected there to be water cups there weren't any when we requested one from the cashier she threw it at us. Overall worst Panera I've ever been to.
(1)
Susan H.
Yeah, Panera is a chain restaurant but it does hit the spot when craving a good sandwich. I like the Chicken Frontega---mozzarella, basil, tomatoes, onions and white meat chicken. It comes out hot everytime. I hadn't had it in quite some time but noticed something better about it than last time --- there were fewer onions. In the past, I used to pull out the onions because there were way too many. Plus, they won't make it without onions. The reason I was given was that the sandwich is prepared in advance so it's ready to grill. This time we went because my husband was craving their ham and Swiss cheese sandwich. It comes with lettuce, tomatoes and onions on it with a mayonnaise-like dressing. If he were to make a ham and Swiss sandwich at home, he would keep it more simple but he says he likes it the way Panera makes it. We also like that they have Jones soda, thus we're always willing to pay a bit more to get it. Of all the Paneras within easy driving distance from our house, we like the Reston Town Center one best. It's good-sized so it doesn't feel cramped. Plus going there gives an excuse to walk around in the area and see what's new (something different everytime...).
(3)
J S.
You'd think you'd be able to get inside through the main entrance, but there's a sign on it that says exit only, use the side entrance. Why? So you have to walk around to the side, through two sets of glass doors and enter on the right. All I wanted was my asiago cheese bread so I grabbed it and went to the cashier. She told me no and shooed me away to the other cashier (there are three registers, two were currently being manned). Why? So I waited in front of the other cashier and yet another came and took me at the unmanned registered. Whatever. I got what I wanted.
(3)
Xi H.
This Panera is a clean, orderly, and well-functioning sandwich stop with friendly and capable staff. It's always a good option, though during rush hours it can be hard to get in and out quickly due to traffic and the long lines that develop in the store. If you're in a hurry, call-in the order ahead of time.
(4)
Lily L.
The last time I ate at a Panera's in Jersey, I was scarred for life! The bread was much too hard, and tasted slightly off (i.e. old). So, I had to bite my tongue when my coworker suggested getting lunch there yesterday. I ended up ordering their half sandwich and half soup deal, hoping to mitigate my risks of getting a bad sandwich again. The service was quite nice, and I received my meal (a Mozzarella / Tomato sandwich and Chicken Noodle Soup) approximately 5 minutes after I placed the order. The sandwich was fab-u-lous! It was perfection - soft enough to bite into, but with an outer ring of crunchiness that kept you wanting more! The soup on the other hand left more to be desired - the ratio between the noodle/chicken and soup was about 80/20. One of the main reasons we chose Panera was to use their free wi-fi. Maybe we caught them on an off day, but their wi-fi was not working properly, and no one at the restaurant knew what was wrong. I understand that you may not have IT Support on site, but shouldn't there be one person the restaurant can contact when problems arise with the store's wi-fi?
(3)
Ryan M.
2.5 stars (A-OK, but I've experienced better.). It's a Panera, so you know what you're getting into, but for a Panera the location is surprisingly poor. It's pretty walled off and confusing to get in and out of, and agree with others that the tables tend to be dirty quite often.
(3)
Lynn S.
In one of the best locations in Reston Town Center this fast food spot is wasting a unique opportunity and turning off customers. Not only are they at the back of the Hyatt Hotel and across the street from a winter skating rink (which becomes a busy concert site each summer), but they are in the midst of a thriving business community. Still, this Panera is rarely clean or staffed with people who communicate effectively. It's a simple concept: Customers stand in slow moving lines, order at the counter, then seat themselves and wait for their orders. Sandwiches, soups, desserts, a variety of drinks including smoothies are on the menu. It's not rocket science, but you would think it was judging by how annoyed customers are. Their pastries look appetizing, but taste stale. They also sell loaves of bread and bagels. It is a wonder how they are still in business.
(1)
Rebecca E.
It's a Panera. They move their lunch line really fast. Food is good. It works.
(3)
Kevin L.
So I've been knocked out with this killer bug for the past week, and I'm still trying to recover from it. While on duty at the fire station last week, the one thing I was truly craving was a big bowl of soup, and the thing on my mind most: Panera's soup in a bread bowl. I know, I know. I've voiced my distaste for Panera many many times, and it still holds true... mostly. Now, when I first discovered Panera, they had just opened up a shop in Evanston, where I went to school. I loved it. New, efficient, great food, reasonable prices - what more could you ask for in a sandwich shop? Then somehow the supercorporateness of it took over, and I had a multitude of awful experience at various other locations, often ending in incorrectly filled (or completely unfilled) orders. The RTC location has put some of my faith back into this chain that I used to love. The space is huge - cavernous inside. There's a ton of seating, and although some of the leather benches to their booths are ripped up and the stuffing coming out, it almost adds a human lived-in quality to the space, as opposed to a sketchy run-down Denny's air. And I did get my chicken noodle soup in a bread bowl while the boy had his half-sandwich and soup... both huge meals. Plus, with free wi-fi, I question why I don't work from here more often! Oh, that's right. It's apparently the unofficial corporate meeting space for whatever company is attached to Panera - wow, I haven't heard that much talk about data models and network security since... my last place of employment!
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Garage Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : No Caters : Yes
Kim D.
I haven't been back to this Panera in the evening since my initial horrendous review so I can't say for sure that anything has improved with those employees. However, I have been back for lunch several times, and it has been a normal great Panera experience. The one gripe is that the wait time to place your order can be quite long, but they're good about getting your food out quickly.
(4)Bill D.
Just slap me for stepping foot in here. It's the usual: Momzillas and their Urban Assault Strollers crashing into everyone. Excessive numbers of yuppies and wannabes nursing their small coffees taking up entire tables so they can show off their iPads or MaxiPads or whatever stupid gadget they've brought. Perhaps it's because it's Reston Town Center, where the self important go to be seen when they can't get down to Tyson's Galleria. Very long lines to order anything, including coffee. It wasn't good.
(2)Karl W.
Very sterile environment. Food mediocre at best. Outside tables dirty and unattractive.
(1)Nikki L.
Ugh. Ok, I love the food, but as for this place in particular, ugh, no good! There is always a super long line, for no other reason than the extremely slow service behind the counter! There are almost always huge events going on in the Town Center and this Panera seems to be caught like deer in headlights every time!! Always understaffed, always slow, always annoying, but hey, at least the food is good.
(1)Dominic L.
Panera is Panera everywhere you go. Solid food, seems pretty healthy, and you could probably find something tastier somewhere else. This location, in particular, had slower service than I am used to. But, as always, Panera is a good spot for some soup and getting work done.
(2)Iris F.
Before coming to Virgina this May I had never tried Panera before. During my one week stay - I actually went there (not same place) not one, not two but THREE times. I came to like their Rustic Penne Bolognese very much. Insane I know. Same pasta three times in a week... I made the mistake to order a small portion the first time, so I had ti try the large portion (hence the second time). The third time was here in Reston and just because every lunch place in town was crowded and also I wanted an light and easy lunch, without sitdown service. It is perfect to order take away from Panera and have you lunch at the tables by the town fountain. This is super! Be late or super-early to get a seat. On the downside of this chain is that it is impossible to do any changes of your order as everything comes preprepared before they put the finishing touches before serving. meaning you cannot add or take away anything from the sandwich or pasta. (The guest before me wanted the pasta "dry" and the sauce beside which was impossible since the dish is already mixed in a bag before shipping...) Also, supernice girl taking my order! They accept AMEX.
(4)Sarrah N.
I love panera, but this location needs some maintenance. Friendly staff, but I found the food to be sloppy and the restaurant in need of repairs and updating.
(2)Amanda K.
Being at the Reston Town Center you are looking at a busy location. I was able to get in and out fairly quickly since I ordered an ice tea and my friend ordered a coffee. Both our drinks required us to fill our own. I thought this was weird since when I go to Starbucks someone hands me my drink.
(4)Charlotte S.
Yikes! This place, just by virtue of its location, is obviously going to be super-busy and it is pretty busy. Given this, it's horribly staffed. They only had 1 person taking orders for the majority of the time I was there. Oddly enough, the seating area is pretty empty, but I think that's because most people take their food to go as they check out. I stopped by twice in one morning (once to sit and eat a bagel and once to get a muffin to go) and this seemed to be the general trend. The seating area is nice, however. It's good to finally see a Panera where tables and chairs aren't a measly 1 foot away from each other.
(2)Carm C.
It was day after Christmas and my son and I happened upon this Panera while waiting for the friend I was staying with in VA to get her hair done down the street. I am not a big complainer, but I must say this was the rudest staff I have ever encountered. If being snarly when we ordered wasn't enough, they practically threw our food at us and when we politely questioned about something incorrect on our order. The man behind the counter looked at us like we had three heads and then snapped at us. After our initial shock, we actually laughed, because being from Boston we thought we knew rude. That is, until we encountered the staff at this Panera. Overall, the food I've gotten at all the Panera's has been ok. Nothing great, nothing awful. However, the service and attitude at this particular Reston one was beyond horrid. Why do people like this work in the service industry? A better question might be, how do they keep their jobs with attitudes like this?
(1)Ted C.
I was in the area recently and a friend and I tossed a coin between this and LaMadeline. Guess who won? bleh... This Panera bread is in an ideal location, but the service and attitude of the employees SUCK!! We placed our orders, but there was no coffee. I told the one server who seemed bothered, but she said she would get to it. In the meantime, other customers were getting annoyed that there was no coffee made. I go 15 minutes later and still no coffee made nor did anyone attempt to make any. Avoid this place at all costs. There are much better places in the area. This was a true waste of time.
(1)Ryan S.
Free Internet is what brought me there, and it delivered reasonably well in that respect. But that is essentially where the praise will end. Like other Panera Breads, I find find the menu uninteresting, and the food mediocre at best. I agree with others who believe the bread isn't very good, and find it ironic that the word "Bread" is in the name. Service was immature. The word ditz comes to mind. When the cashier was out of pennies, she asked if it was ok if she shorted me 4 cents. Obviously I don't care about the 4 cents, but that is not the way to handle the situation... you give me a nickel instead, and let the company take the 1 cent hit. My drink was forgotten, and I had to ask for it a second time. I was not asked if I wanted a side other than chips, which I would have wanted, but I forgot to specify when ordering. And the guy busing the tables looked as though he'd rather be having a root canal than doing what he was doing. Go for the free internet, otherwise skip this place.
(2)Milo R.
Excellent location with many variety of small shops, ice-rink, cinema, Hyatt Regency Hotel & other things to see and do, good place for a date night.
(3)Annie A.
I like the place irrelevant of what people might have to say. It's good for a nice and light bite. I would rather eat a panera sandwhich than a mac n cheese burger @ fastfood joint. They have excellent salads, soups, sandwhiches, breakfast sandwhiches, bagels and all the fresh bakery products. One of those places which is very affordable and you know your food is fresh and has not been messed around with. I ve a membership with them and every other day I ve a free coffee or a bagel or something waiting on my card.
(4)Aaryn P.
This is probably the worst Panera I've been to in a long time. On two separate occasions friends and I were let down here. The first time we came, they were not serving sweet tea, which is what my pregnant friend was craving. Strike one. One morning we came in here for breakfast around 10 and they were not only out of fruit cups, but the lady said she was going to make me one fresh. That statement was clarified when I got my fruit cup and most of the fruit in it looked like it was a week old. The strawberries were barely clinging to life and looked slimy...several of the blueberries were starting to disintegrate. She didn't make me a "fresh" fruit cup, she made me "an additional fruit cup" because they had sold out of them that morning. Big difference, it was awful. On top of the fruit cup disaster, my apple crumble muffin tasted oddly stale which was a real bummer. Definitely not baked fresh. After the last incident, we steered clear of this location - and I suggest you do as well. Management is obviously not paying attention here, and it shows.
(2)Cher B.
This Panera bread location has gone downhill fast. They don't even deserve the one star. The coffee station is always out of milk. The bakery cookies and desserts Always seem to be a day or so old. When you order sandwiches the presentation is sloppy with the way they cut the bread and just throw it on the plates is unappetizing. The booths are in bad repair and falling apart some have exposed wood and nails. The ladies bathroom is filthy. They have the rudest manager her name is Trish don't ever think about doing work here or sitting to have a conversation because you're not welcome even when you buy lunch. Save yourself the time and money and go to a better Panera location or one of the finer restaurants in Reston town center.
(1)Lindsay S.
Without a doubt the worst Panera I have ever visited. I work in the town center, so I would appreciate having Panera as a quick and easy option for lunch during breaks. However, I have eaten here probably about 5 times and will never go back, unless the management changes their practices. No visit has ever been enjoyable. For starters, they are frequently out of items on the menu. This wouldn't be a huge deal if they let you know when you order the item they're out of. Instead, they let you wait for 10 minutes, thinking your food is being made, then they turn on your buzzer, but when you go to pick up your food, that's when they tell you they're out of what you ordered (in a rather rude manner, may I add). So at this point, you have to make a split decision on what else you want because the "cooks" are just standing there staring at you. In addition to this, service takes forever. Every time I have gone in, there's only one cashier working and a line of 10 people. Waiting for your food is also a time consuming process because then the people standing behind the counter making the food are either talking and socializing or no where to be found. You can't really do this sort of slow service when you're a fast-food style restaurant in an area that's business is mostly people on timed lunch breaks from work. In addition to this, they are rude. Heaven forbid you need an extra fork or something. They act like you're asking them to move a mountain. Finally, the restaurant is dirty. Other Panera's usually have high standards of cleanliness: tables are clean for use, the floor is swept, etc. There is no indication of that there.
(1)Larry R.
I'm a huge fan of Panera, in general. That said, if this was the first Panera I ever visited, I'd just assume the entire chain had some major quality issues. The food is quite tasty, as with other Panera stores. The issues are the cleanliness and upkeep of the facilities, the level of staffing, and the follow up by management. The tables are not always kept clean, which means the patrons either have to wipe down a table from the mess left by others, or wait for an employee to get around to it. If I go find a manager and mention it to them, they are always quick to address the problem. I question whether it is my job to be their quality monitor. In general, there are ripped seats, broken booths, and dirt on the carpets, and having been here a half dozen times in the last few months, I've seen no attempt at repairs or improvement. While I very much appreciate the free Wi-Fi, this is the only Panera where I consistently have connectivity issues. When I mentioned it to a manager, I was told it was because of an issue with the Hyatt (where the Panera is located). Interesting,but whatever the issue is, it would be nice if they addressed it and didn't just use it as an explanation of why things are problematic. Trying to purchase anything between 2 and 5 PM is a huge risk. There is one person behind the counter taking orders and making coffee drinks, and another person making sandwiches, etc. There are another half dozen people behind the counter doing other things, but they don't seem to be doing anything related to serving the current customers. If one person in line orders a couple of drinks that take time to prepare, the whole process comes to a screeching halt as the person behind the register has to also prepare the drinks. Finally, by that time in the afternoon, the floor behind the counter is usually fairly dirty. It's disconcerting to see such a mess and makes me worry about the general cleanliness of their food preparation. I'd encourage the management to keep the floor swept. I still visit this store, but really wish it was up to the standard of the chain in general.
(2)Sarah W.
I'm going to preface this by saying I love Panera - love the convenience of popping in to get a salad or soup and doing homework or something. However, this location fails epically at staffing properly. I came here tonight on Feb 21, and there was a line 20 people long and ONE person taking orders and what looked like 1-2 people filling orders. WTF. You are located next to a hotel and there happens to be a convention this weekend. As a manager, don't you think you would staff more people for this particular friday night knowing people are rolling for a convention? Geez.........
(2)James G.
Panera Bread is no one's idea of fine dining, which is OK. You don't come here for dining, you come here to eat. There is nothing wrong per se with the food here, it's pretty fresh, tastes good enough, etc. Where they fail however is in their cleanliness. We saw two of their cleaning crew hanging out and chatting during the entirety of our stay here, completely unconcerned with the filthy tables and bathrooms in the place. I have never seen such a slovenly place, which made it rather unpleasant to eat here. Added to this is the restriction of wifi privileges to just 30 minutes, and I cannot see why people go here when there are so many better choices nearby.
(3)Lisa L.
I decided that I had to write a review about this location for one main reason. They took away my favorite sandwich without warning. The cuban chicken sandwich was amazing and without warning they removed it from the menu calling it "seasonal." I am not sure why this would be considered seasonal. When I asked the workers there, they told me they did not know if and when it would be returning. I think it would be absurd to rate a franchise chain based on a corporate decision to remove a sandwich. That is why I feel it necessary to comment on some other issues I have with this location and others. The overhead menus found about the cash registers are hard to read while you are in line. I often find myself making quick decisions because I feel pressured to select something to order. In general, the food is ok, but it is nothing to get too excited about. If you are going for lunch at the Reston Town Center I recommend stopping by Pot Belly instead. You will be much more satisfied.
(3)Azucena H.
This is a convenient but crowded Panera there are always plenty of customers crowding the place especially at lunch time. It is challenging getting a table which makes it a little annoying when you have a limited time to dine. Also there are a set of glass doors in the front that are always kept locked so when people try them they find that they must go around through the hotels entrance to get in. The food is good you know what to expect if you have eaten at one Panera before. It is consistent with other locations. I do like the variety of cookies. The Toffee Nut is quite good. I also enjoy the half salad half soup option for lunch which allows you to pair any soup with any salad. The Asain Sesame Chicken salad is my favorite.
(3)Sade P.
Was ok but the dine in area had knats or some type of flying bugs. Also the morning experience was ok until the coffee was disgusting. Had to return it and get my money back
(3)Josue E.
This place gets really busy because of it's location. I have been to this Panera a few times to do homework. It's not the quietest place to go but they have free wifi and really good food. The wifi is not the greatest but it's free. The service has always been good.
(4)Mike H.
Long line, in the AM?, maybe if you manage a Panera you have more staff in the AM. Order was incorrect. In theory my bagels were toasted, they were just above room temperature. Bad experience overall.
(1)U.S. A.
I've not had a bad experience at Panera. The bagels are decent, but this isn't' a bagelry so I won't hold them to a higher standard. The bread is good. The sammiches always make my stomach happy and the price is right.
(4)Aisha B.
I love Panera Bread but this location has a lot to be desire. As others noted, the staffing is below average making the service mediocre to say the least. My sandwich was not put together well and I had to return my soup due to it being cold. Go to Potbelly instead, until they address their staffing concerns stay away.
(2)Kellye W.
I'd give this place zero stars if I could based on the crappy service alone. But since I have to give it one star, I'll say it's for the bagels & egg soufflés. I work in RTC, so I've given this place plenty of chances. There always seem to be at least 10 people working, but only 1...maybe 2...people working the counter at any given time. The rest stare at you behind the racks of bagels. They couldn't be less helpful if they tried. The manager is always smiling and cheerful - mostly because he knows he's screwing you and because of the location, he doesn't have to do a thing about improving the service. The most aggravating experience came a few months ago when I got in line at 10:20am. I finally got to the counter and ordered my egg sandwich. The woman said, "No more breakfast sandwiches. That stops at 10:30." I kid you not, I looked down at my phone to see the time and saw that it was 10:31. She would not budge from the "policy." Argggh, I hate this location. Also - they cap your wifi access to 30 minutes between 11:30 and 1:30.
(1)Jason S.
Clueless kids running restaurant, DEAD BIRD in restroom, Stay Away! Had lunch there on Saturday and had numerous issues. We waited over 5 minutes for the cashier to actually greet us - There was a line of folks behind us and these kids were running around, playing games with other co-workers rather than taking orders, hence the long line. They were out of soup, which was annoying. We had to repeat our order a few times because the woman was looking around and not paying attention to our order. The manager, who was also a kid, was snapping at customers (yes, there were a ton of people complaining that day - orders were wrong) and he did nothing to get the crew back to work. My wife tried to use their restrooms, but there was a DEAD BIRD flying on the floor. No napkins. No drink lids. Trash piling up all over the place.
(1)Suzanne M.
I have been to many panera's. The food of course I enjoy, however this one is inside a hotel. So the parking is an interesting. I like the set up though and the hotel does have free parking.
(3)Luther S.
I love Panera. I even bought stock in the company years ago. It makes it so much more disappointing that the coffee is inferior and the service is so poor at this location. There was one pleasant early morning cashier in 2006 who made a good cappuccino but since then, there has been a string of bumbling unhelpful employees in her wake. I rarely patronize the Reston store anymore, and anytime I do, there is a new batch of scowling incompetents to greet me. If you do find yourself at this location avoid the coffee drinks and if you get anything to go, always check your order. It is rare that the order is complete.
(1)Joanna C.
I like Panera cafes... just not this one. The lines are always long and the service (once you make it to the front of the line) is slow. SLOOOOWWWWWWW.... painfully slow. Even on mornings when it isn't busy, expect to wait at LEAST 15 minutes for them to toast your bagel and pour you an iced tea.
(1)Sarah L.
3.5 stars. Went here for breakfast last week. This location is like a machine. They were adequately staffed when I arrived, and everyone was friendly and polite. I was waiting for a bus that wasn't supposed to arrive for 40 minutes, so I used the wi-fi and had breakfast. They must have about 30-40 people come and go in the time I was there. Every customer was sir'd/ma'am'd and thank you'd. I ordered their egg souffle with potato and sausage. I wasn't enthusiastic about the souffle, but it was brought to me a few minutes after I ordered. Tea is self-serve and they offer Republic of Tea sachets. They're now offering a rewards card/membership, much like Cosi. The cashier who rung me up and brought my food also explained to me the benefits of the card, but did not ask if I wanted to sign up for it; he just activated the card and gave it to me. Upon reading all the details, this card is only valid in Northern Virginia locations. I live in Silver Spring, Maryland and there is a Panera in downtown Silver Spring. Hopefully I will be able to use it in non-NoVa locations. Otherwise, what a waste of plastic.
(3)Ruth C.
Convenient to the parking garage by the Cosi. Layout of this Panera could be better though. You duck into the building hallway before you can enter the establishment, and there's way more seating inside than necessary in my opinion. Great view of the outdoor seating area. Booth was a bit dirty. Baked potato soup was piping hot, slightly watery, and not very flavorful-- more potato than anything else. I've had better soup from a Costco tub of powdered mix, made by an incompetent frat guy with shredded cheese and bacon bits sprinkled in. Sauce in the mac and cheese was actually a tad thicker than the soup; in that respect I enjoyed the mac'n'cheese, especially after crumbling their bagged kettle chips over it. I was enticed by the inclusion of gouda in the bacon turkey bravo, but ultimately the sandwich disappointed with a boring flavor profile, soggy tomato basil bread, and oversized tomato slice. Cobblestone was much too sweet. Raisins riddled the pastry like a case of bad acne, and the cinnamon/icing ratio to dough was way too high.
(2)Katherine A.
Great of your looking for a quick breakfast. You can never go wrong with a bagel and coffee. For lunch.. Eh, unless its the only quick restaurant around which was my case. Had there vegetable minestrone soup which I so like. Very flavorful. However there sandwiches leave much to be desired.
(3)Lucy G.
As an internet-dependant young adult who works in Reston Town Center and loves soup, I have made a (admittedly reluctant) habit of eating lunch at this Panera 5 days a week. While I can't say much about the quality of the sandwiches, the soups are all very good, especially the broccoli cheddar. I usually get either the hot tea or one of the smoothies to drinks, and and while all of them are at least okay, the black cherry smoothie is head and shoulders above the rest. It's really amazingly delicious, and is much lower in fat than most of the other blended drinks. Like many of the other reviews have said, it does get very crowded at lunchtime, the lines do get long, and it's difficult to find a seat. However this usually starts to clear up by about 1:30 or 2, and I've never had to wait very long for my meal regardless of the length of the line.
(4)Alexa C.
As Paneras go, this one is sloooooow. But, food is always good, and hot, just give yourself an extra ten minutes. Also, plenty of seating and good for groups with quality wi-fi.
(3)Dominique F.
I honestly don't get the low reviews. This is my first time at a Panera and I actually really enjoyed it. The location of the restaurant is perfect. I came here for lunch hour and even if the line was huge there were three open counters and it moved very quicky. I had my food in max 10 mins. There's a big seating area; however it was all full when I came with my coworkers. But on such a sunny warm day, I didn't care because there was space outside where you could enjoy the sun. Will def. be back :)
(4)Jen H.
I generally get the same thing when I'm at Panera - the 1/2 sandwich and soup combo (Sierra Turkey and Broccoli and Cheese soup). I always find it tasty... but I can't vouch for the rest of the menu items. Free WiFi is always a plus in my book. I am one of the few people left in the world who doesn't have the "everything" plan on their phone... so I don't have the ability to connect to the internet/check my email/hop on Yelp without the use of free WiFi and my iPod touch... so whenever someone gives me free WiFi I'm excited. The space here is quite large, so you should have no problem to find seating most times of the day (not sure how crazy it gets during lunch time), and it provides a nice alternative to the other sit down restaurants in RTC. During the winter if you go ice skating, this would be a highly convenient spot (considering it's directly accross the street) to get yourself some warm beverage or soup to warm up. All in all I would say that I enjoy Panera, but it's so corporate that I have to only give it 3 stars.
(3)Danilo B.
Decent food, decent prices, OK service. New wi-fi rules are pretty lame - they're in place because they don't want to spend any money on decent technology/bandwith/etc. It's convenient so I go from time to time. But I try to avoid if possible especially if I have to go during lunch because parking is a pain in the a$$.
(3)Cheryl B.
This place is incredibly convenient if you're staying at the Hyatt. So far I've had the bacon and egg breakfast sandwich (no cheese), the Asian Sesame Chicken Salad, the Smokehouse Turkey Panini and the Summer Corn Chowder. Breakfast sandwich and salad - great. Panini - just okay (cheese not melted all the way through). Summer Corn Chowder - Bleeeccchhhhh! Sometimes simple is better. They added too many ingredients to this chowder that ithey overwhelm the corn flavor and made it too heavy to be a "summer" chowder. The orange juice is delicious! Going back for more in the morning. :) Oh, and I appreciate the free Wi-Fi!
(3)D D.
Good service...good food...price definitely was right. I don't know what the low reviewers were looking for but this store lived up to its menu selection
(3)Begench A.
I've been here a couple times, and it is always dirty, slow, and crowded. The crash cans are full of garbage and the management does not seem to care. Lots of teens crowding the place without actually buying anything. Do not go here.
(1)Darren G.
Panera is a large chain with quality food. This one's a nice place to go for a bread bowl of soup and coffee on a cold winter day, especially after ice skating next door.
(4)Jeff W.
You'd think you were at Disneyworld for how long the lunch lines get at this place, but in spite of that one major flaw, I still hate this place! Everyone that worships Panera must never have eaten fresh bread before. I find it ironic that a place with the word "bread" in their title can produce such stale, flavorless, disappointing bread. The only thing saving it from a one-star rating is the fact that the place is packed with attractive women, for whatever reason.
(2)Shane M.
I usually love Panera - typically excellent quality-control with their salads, soups, and sandwiches, not to mention their wonderful bagels and souffles. The Reston location, however, has consistently employed morning staff that act irritable, and seem annoyed that customers are patronizing their location. Not only that, yesterday was the 3rd time in a row that my order was filled incorrectly.
(1)F B.
fresh orange juice excellent coffee delicious soups i like the french onion! delicious samwitches i like their salads with the orange slices in it to-get-cancer-for bagels n cream cheeses and pasteries are worthy of accumulating diabetes for + prices r fine, service is fine = definitely a five star joint ****ATTENTION: This review is for 10 or so years ago, i've read that they've changed since then. i wouldn't know bc nowadays i wouldn't touch this stuff. it's delicious, i just care about my health more than my tastebuds now, and to be honest nothing here is worth splurging over for me, but i can understand how it can be for those who are mostly interested in taste and not too interested in their health as i used to be*****
(5)Betsy S.
Great for online ordering! Saves credit card info, always on time, not always hot, but great bagels and always plenty of coffee!!!!
(4)Neal E.
I've hit this Panera a couple of times this week for hot soup - French Onion Soup and Chicken Noodle Soup. Both were hot, tasty, and hit the spot on a cold day!
(4)Mark H.
Customer service is the worst I experienced in Virginia and DC. Slow, rude, confrontational when asked if the tuna was albacore. The manager stood and stared at me while this went on as I did something wrong. Panaera get it together, rude employees is what will drive everyone away.
(1)Andres C.
Wrost location ever! Customer service was horrible. The cashier was rude she didn't ask us what side we wanted and when we asked the server if we could have chips she said no and that they were out of apples. Not only that but when we got to the drinks and expected there to be water cups there weren't any when we requested one from the cashier she threw it at us. Overall worst Panera I've ever been to.
(1)Susan H.
Yeah, Panera is a chain restaurant but it does hit the spot when craving a good sandwich. I like the Chicken Frontega---mozzarella, basil, tomatoes, onions and white meat chicken. It comes out hot everytime. I hadn't had it in quite some time but noticed something better about it than last time --- there were fewer onions. In the past, I used to pull out the onions because there were way too many. Plus, they won't make it without onions. The reason I was given was that the sandwich is prepared in advance so it's ready to grill. This time we went because my husband was craving their ham and Swiss cheese sandwich. It comes with lettuce, tomatoes and onions on it with a mayonnaise-like dressing. If he were to make a ham and Swiss sandwich at home, he would keep it more simple but he says he likes it the way Panera makes it. We also like that they have Jones soda, thus we're always willing to pay a bit more to get it. Of all the Paneras within easy driving distance from our house, we like the Reston Town Center one best. It's good-sized so it doesn't feel cramped. Plus going there gives an excuse to walk around in the area and see what's new (something different everytime...).
(3)J S.
You'd think you'd be able to get inside through the main entrance, but there's a sign on it that says exit only, use the side entrance. Why? So you have to walk around to the side, through two sets of glass doors and enter on the right. All I wanted was my asiago cheese bread so I grabbed it and went to the cashier. She told me no and shooed me away to the other cashier (there are three registers, two were currently being manned). Why? So I waited in front of the other cashier and yet another came and took me at the unmanned registered. Whatever. I got what I wanted.
(3)Xi H.
This Panera is a clean, orderly, and well-functioning sandwich stop with friendly and capable staff. It's always a good option, though during rush hours it can be hard to get in and out quickly due to traffic and the long lines that develop in the store. If you're in a hurry, call-in the order ahead of time.
(4)Lily L.
The last time I ate at a Panera's in Jersey, I was scarred for life! The bread was much too hard, and tasted slightly off (i.e. old). So, I had to bite my tongue when my coworker suggested getting lunch there yesterday. I ended up ordering their half sandwich and half soup deal, hoping to mitigate my risks of getting a bad sandwich again. The service was quite nice, and I received my meal (a Mozzarella / Tomato sandwich and Chicken Noodle Soup) approximately 5 minutes after I placed the order. The sandwich was fab-u-lous! It was perfection - soft enough to bite into, but with an outer ring of crunchiness that kept you wanting more! The soup on the other hand left more to be desired - the ratio between the noodle/chicken and soup was about 80/20. One of the main reasons we chose Panera was to use their free wi-fi. Maybe we caught them on an off day, but their wi-fi was not working properly, and no one at the restaurant knew what was wrong. I understand that you may not have IT Support on site, but shouldn't there be one person the restaurant can contact when problems arise with the store's wi-fi?
(3)Ryan M.
2.5 stars (A-OK, but I've experienced better.). It's a Panera, so you know what you're getting into, but for a Panera the location is surprisingly poor. It's pretty walled off and confusing to get in and out of, and agree with others that the tables tend to be dirty quite often.
(3)Lynn S.
In one of the best locations in Reston Town Center this fast food spot is wasting a unique opportunity and turning off customers. Not only are they at the back of the Hyatt Hotel and across the street from a winter skating rink (which becomes a busy concert site each summer), but they are in the midst of a thriving business community. Still, this Panera is rarely clean or staffed with people who communicate effectively. It's a simple concept: Customers stand in slow moving lines, order at the counter, then seat themselves and wait for their orders. Sandwiches, soups, desserts, a variety of drinks including smoothies are on the menu. It's not rocket science, but you would think it was judging by how annoyed customers are. Their pastries look appetizing, but taste stale. They also sell loaves of bread and bagels. It is a wonder how they are still in business.
(1)Rebecca E.
It's a Panera. They move their lunch line really fast. Food is good. It works.
(3)Kevin L.
So I've been knocked out with this killer bug for the past week, and I'm still trying to recover from it. While on duty at the fire station last week, the one thing I was truly craving was a big bowl of soup, and the thing on my mind most: Panera's soup in a bread bowl. I know, I know. I've voiced my distaste for Panera many many times, and it still holds true... mostly. Now, when I first discovered Panera, they had just opened up a shop in Evanston, where I went to school. I loved it. New, efficient, great food, reasonable prices - what more could you ask for in a sandwich shop? Then somehow the supercorporateness of it took over, and I had a multitude of awful experience at various other locations, often ending in incorrectly filled (or completely unfilled) orders. The RTC location has put some of my faith back into this chain that I used to love. The space is huge - cavernous inside. There's a ton of seating, and although some of the leather benches to their booths are ripped up and the stuffing coming out, it almost adds a human lived-in quality to the space, as opposed to a sketchy run-down Denny's air. And I did get my chicken noodle soup in a bread bowl while the boy had his half-sandwich and soup... both huge meals. Plus, with free wi-fi, I question why I don't work from here more often! Oh, that's right. It's apparently the unofficial corporate meeting space for whatever company is attached to Panera - wow, I haven't heard that much talk about data models and network security since... my last place of employment!
(3)