I don't think I've ever felt so put off from a restaurant that I planned a negative review before even looking at my food (in fact, this is the only time I've ever felt compelled to leave a review). I came in during lunch hour because I had a gift card, and was promptly invited to the register by an employee whose name badge indicated he was new and in training. I'm happy to be patient with someone in service who is learning. The trainee was very nice. He called his manager, Bryan, over for assistance entering the gift card into the register. Bryan is the reason I will not return to this location. He took my order, entered my gift card number, looked at me, jerked his thumb toward the trainee, and gruffly said, "He's got fat fingers," and walked away. I was floored. I will never, ever support a business where managers throw their employees under the bus. I don't care if he was joking or not, it was a horrible comment to make. He was dismissive and rude to his employee in front of a customer (and was not very polite to me), and that's unacceptable. Unless you can treat your employees with respect, they aren't going to be happy working there. I took my sandwich to go and when I got home, I opened it up to find that it wasn't even close to what I had ordered. Not even the same kind of meat. Bryan also took my receipt with him instead of handing it to me, so unfortunately there is no easy official way for me to register a formal complaint. Honestly, I had never been to Panera before today. I'm not interested in becoming a return customer.
(1)
Michelle F.
Panera: it is what it is. A perfectly adequate place for coffee, a sandwich, pastries, whatever. (OK--I take the coffee part back, because I've been to several different locations and have never cared for the coffee.) The service has been fine the few times I've been here. The food is okey-dokey but completely unremarkable. I'd describe what I ate today, but why bother? I already don't remember what it was. See what I mean? An unintended plus to today's outdoor dining experience: being entertained as I watched people react with varying degrees of horror as they clapped their peepers on a couple of mice frolicking under one of the tables. But I digress. In sum: if you come here for fine dining you're bound to be disappointed (p.s. you're bonkers, so you deserve what you get). Panera: at the pinnacle of mediocrity. It is what it is.
(3)
Steve K.
I normally get my favorite: Bacon Turkey Bravo with extra sauce on side. For an average size deli sandwich, how much should it cost? $4?... $5?... $6? Try $8. Yes you get a small bag of chips and small pickle slice with your sandwich, but the price is to steep for me to make it a regular stop. I find the food very good and a healthy choice alternative to other fast food restaurants. Service is normally quick, especially during their busy lunch hour. I rate 4.5 stars for cleanliness, service, and food... but with the price factor for what you get, I had to rate 3 stars.
(3)
Kenny S.
I have always liked panera and this location is no exception. I always get the same thing (a chicken Caesar salad) and it always tastes delicious. The service I got here was pretty decent. The line moved quickly, my food was out about the same time I filled my coffee and everything was about exactly what you expect... BUT... But here's the deal. I know you can't expect to keep a dining room like this perfect all the time. But when I see an employee empty a trash can an walk right past tons of food on the ground some kid probably spilled... I mean really? It isn't the hardest thing to walk by once every 15 min or so (with as many people as they have working there) and quick sweep up big spills. Also, none of the tables were cleaned off when I got there or when Ieft. It would have been 5 stars from me... But alas.
I live right between 2 paneras and this location is probably the best for parking. That is a big criteria since panera is a popular meeting place or place to go if you want to get lunch and enjoy some alone time to read or use the internet away from your apartment. The big downside to this location is that it often is tough to find a spot to sit and an outlet for your computer. Another downside is that the Mineral Point location feels like a senior center. It's not unusual to see multiple groups of senior citizens camping out at tables near outlets for over an hour at a time. The staff doesn't want to ask them to move to another spot freeing up a spot for someone else to sit and enjoy lunch or get some work done. The food, especially the breakfast food is good. Coffee is better than Starbucks. Prices have gone up quite a bit, so eating there is an occasional treat now, thus the complaint about the senior campers. If I'm going to eat out and spend almost $10 on lunch, I want to have a nice spot to sit, not have to hunt for an open spot.
(3)
Forthe W.
Paneras are generally the same. This one falls in line with others. Good service, clean eating area. This is also a great location. Though, of course, I couldn't give it five stars because of the atrocious prices, especially for a drink ($2+ for a tea!). If you like the food and don't mind the cost, you'll love this Panera.
(4)
Jenny L.
It's Panera--you know what to expect. The service sucks at this location. I ordered a french toast bagel. While getting the rest of the bagels for us, they came back and said they were out of french toast. There was a whole basket full on the bottom--they just didn't look! I had to point it out to them. I then picked up my latte and it was COLD. Not cold as in it had been sitting too long, but just plain cold. Annoying.
(2)
Lana Y.
Like the food, a little overpriced. Long lines during lunch hours but go quickly, enough to be the reason for me to choose another place over it.
(4)
Marnie R.
I love Panera for their variety and lack of fried food. I'll admit it isn't the best soup, salad or sandwich I've ever had, but overall it's consistent and offers healthy options at all hours. They are good about changing their menu seasonally and to test new options. Right now they are featuring a thai chopped salad. While I prefer for the classics and steer clear of the calorie induced panini, I like that I can come and hour and a half before a lunch appointment and utilize their wifi to take care of important tasks. (like yelping...)
(3)
James M.
Crappy WiFi. Good turkey sandwich. Bravo.
(3)
Joy W.
I really like Panera for their convenience. I find most of their food to be just okay but I continue to return as I really like their mac and cheese and their lemonade.
(3)
Thomas T.
We've been Panera customers for many years. My wife loves their bagels and cream cheese, so we ring that bell often. But for me, a bagel is a bagel - not very exciting. However, today I'm fully enjoying their Asiago Steak sandwich. There's just something magical about the ingredients - I can't put my finger on it. The hint of smokey flavor (from the smoked cheddar? The steak?) along with the asiago roll - OH MY! My plans were to nibble on half of it for an early lunch, then finish the other half later. NOPE! It's goin' down... I can't let this sit any longer. As a whole, Panera stores are nice and clean. Their coffee is good too. While not my first choice for a lunch, I do know their sandwiches are solid, and this Asiago Steak is going to be on my radar in the future!
(4)
Nancy W.
I love this Panera! It is on my way to work so I stop there often for both breakfast and lunch items. The good thing is you can pick up a salad for lunch at 7:00 a.m. if you need to. Their food is always fresh and my order is always accurate. The people working are friendly and pleasant. Two other benefits are their rewards card that gives you freebies and their Rapid Order system. You order and pay online and your order is waiting for you to pick-up. My order has never not been ready, and has never been wrong! Love, love, love that feature. You bypass everyone waiting in line and are in and out in minutes.
(4)
Troy P.
I have been to a number of Paneras in my life. This is the first one I've been to in Madison, WI. This Panera is in a convenient location with lots of parking! Very clean and it actually smelled like Apple pie when we entered! The food came out quick and my Turkey and Avocado sandwich was delicious!!! I definitely will return!
(4)
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Address :6613 Mineral Point Road
Madison, WI, 53705
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Breakfast Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : No Caters : Yes
Laura B.
I don't think I've ever felt so put off from a restaurant that I planned a negative review before even looking at my food (in fact, this is the only time I've ever felt compelled to leave a review). I came in during lunch hour because I had a gift card, and was promptly invited to the register by an employee whose name badge indicated he was new and in training. I'm happy to be patient with someone in service who is learning. The trainee was very nice. He called his manager, Bryan, over for assistance entering the gift card into the register. Bryan is the reason I will not return to this location. He took my order, entered my gift card number, looked at me, jerked his thumb toward the trainee, and gruffly said, "He's got fat fingers," and walked away. I was floored. I will never, ever support a business where managers throw their employees under the bus. I don't care if he was joking or not, it was a horrible comment to make. He was dismissive and rude to his employee in front of a customer (and was not very polite to me), and that's unacceptable. Unless you can treat your employees with respect, they aren't going to be happy working there. I took my sandwich to go and when I got home, I opened it up to find that it wasn't even close to what I had ordered. Not even the same kind of meat. Bryan also took my receipt with him instead of handing it to me, so unfortunately there is no easy official way for me to register a formal complaint. Honestly, I had never been to Panera before today. I'm not interested in becoming a return customer.
(1)Michelle F.
Panera: it is what it is. A perfectly adequate place for coffee, a sandwich, pastries, whatever. (OK--I take the coffee part back, because I've been to several different locations and have never cared for the coffee.) The service has been fine the few times I've been here. The food is okey-dokey but completely unremarkable. I'd describe what I ate today, but why bother? I already don't remember what it was. See what I mean? An unintended plus to today's outdoor dining experience: being entertained as I watched people react with varying degrees of horror as they clapped their peepers on a couple of mice frolicking under one of the tables. But I digress. In sum: if you come here for fine dining you're bound to be disappointed (p.s. you're bonkers, so you deserve what you get). Panera: at the pinnacle of mediocrity. It is what it is.
(3)Steve K.
I normally get my favorite: Bacon Turkey Bravo with extra sauce on side. For an average size deli sandwich, how much should it cost? $4?... $5?... $6? Try $8. Yes you get a small bag of chips and small pickle slice with your sandwich, but the price is to steep for me to make it a regular stop. I find the food very good and a healthy choice alternative to other fast food restaurants. Service is normally quick, especially during their busy lunch hour. I rate 4.5 stars for cleanliness, service, and food... but with the price factor for what you get, I had to rate 3 stars.
(3)Kenny S.
I have always liked panera and this location is no exception. I always get the same thing (a chicken Caesar salad) and it always tastes delicious. The service I got here was pretty decent. The line moved quickly, my food was out about the same time I filled my coffee and everything was about exactly what you expect... BUT... But here's the deal. I know you can't expect to keep a dining room like this perfect all the time. But when I see an employee empty a trash can an walk right past tons of food on the ground some kid probably spilled... I mean really? It isn't the hardest thing to walk by once every 15 min or so (with as many people as they have working there) and quick sweep up big spills. Also, none of the tables were cleaned off when I got there or when Ieft. It would have been 5 stars from me... But alas.
(4)Colin U.
Panera Bread ah yes, a wonderful modern day fast food café. Well I do happen to enjoy Panera Bread although it is an ironic modern depiction of what a Café is. They have some pretty tasty almost-homemade soups and sandwiches and some fantastic coffee. A nice bakery to keep your sweet tooth satisfied and your belly full. More specifically though. I despise this location. I have been to this location a bunch of times (over 20 at least) and every time I go it seems the same kind of disappointing experience. A couple examples: First of all the first time I went here in my life I was still in high school and was here just doing some homework. Not one single table was clean so I cleaned it myself. I went to the front and ordered some soup, a coffee, and a water and got to work on some un-important English paper that I would never remember. The second I opened my laptop to start working, an employee comes over and very rudely says "how old are you? you can't sit here all night doing homework." Keep in mind I had only a few sips from my soup and coffee when she arrived in front of me. I look up and say excuse me? So she repeats herself. I said well I am a paying customer and you have free wifi, so if people are welcome to use free wifi and you have coffee and a bakery, what kind of place is this? She proceeded to say that they were a Fast-food Restaurant and that she didn't want to get stuck there after her shift to clean my table. I told her not one of these tables were cleaned when I sat down. She grunted and said "yeah right" and trotted away. So, having felt extremely disrespected; packed up my laptop and homework, left my full cup of coffee along with the water and full bowl of soup and walked to the front cash register where her, and her manager were standing. As I walk up I even hear her bitching to her manager about me sitting and doing homework. She notices me out of the corner of her eye and immediately stops talking and walks into the back. So I say, "too late". I tell the manager I want my money back for what she had just said to me while I was sitting down. I said I did not feel welcome and would like to take my money elsewhere. The manager agreed but only because I had walked up on them talking about me. I got my money back and said I left my entire meal at my table and left. I couldn't believe it. Quickly 2 others, one for some reason one of the booths was just missing an entire bench. so their replacement was a random chair which I will try to put in the pictures section of this location. Also I just went here today and ordered and just got a very "hurry up so I can do nothing" response. No thank you just here is your change and move on. Again I love Panera but this location is just awful, over crowded, rude employees, and just a lack of convenience to customers (i.e. fixing a booth, cleaning tables, etc.)
(2)Kelly T.
I live right between 2 paneras and this location is probably the best for parking. That is a big criteria since panera is a popular meeting place or place to go if you want to get lunch and enjoy some alone time to read or use the internet away from your apartment. The big downside to this location is that it often is tough to find a spot to sit and an outlet for your computer. Another downside is that the Mineral Point location feels like a senior center. It's not unusual to see multiple groups of senior citizens camping out at tables near outlets for over an hour at a time. The staff doesn't want to ask them to move to another spot freeing up a spot for someone else to sit and enjoy lunch or get some work done. The food, especially the breakfast food is good. Coffee is better than Starbucks. Prices have gone up quite a bit, so eating there is an occasional treat now, thus the complaint about the senior campers. If I'm going to eat out and spend almost $10 on lunch, I want to have a nice spot to sit, not have to hunt for an open spot.
(3)Forthe W.
Paneras are generally the same. This one falls in line with others. Good service, clean eating area. This is also a great location. Though, of course, I couldn't give it five stars because of the atrocious prices, especially for a drink ($2+ for a tea!). If you like the food and don't mind the cost, you'll love this Panera.
(4)Jenny L.
It's Panera--you know what to expect. The service sucks at this location. I ordered a french toast bagel. While getting the rest of the bagels for us, they came back and said they were out of french toast. There was a whole basket full on the bottom--they just didn't look! I had to point it out to them. I then picked up my latte and it was COLD. Not cold as in it had been sitting too long, but just plain cold. Annoying.
(2)Lana Y.
Like the food, a little overpriced. Long lines during lunch hours but go quickly, enough to be the reason for me to choose another place over it.
(4)Marnie R.
I love Panera for their variety and lack of fried food. I'll admit it isn't the best soup, salad or sandwich I've ever had, but overall it's consistent and offers healthy options at all hours. They are good about changing their menu seasonally and to test new options. Right now they are featuring a thai chopped salad. While I prefer for the classics and steer clear of the calorie induced panini, I like that I can come and hour and a half before a lunch appointment and utilize their wifi to take care of important tasks. (like yelping...)
(3)James M.
Crappy WiFi. Good turkey sandwich. Bravo.
(3)Joy W.
I really like Panera for their convenience. I find most of their food to be just okay but I continue to return as I really like their mac and cheese and their lemonade.
(3)Thomas T.
We've been Panera customers for many years. My wife loves their bagels and cream cheese, so we ring that bell often. But for me, a bagel is a bagel - not very exciting. However, today I'm fully enjoying their Asiago Steak sandwich. There's just something magical about the ingredients - I can't put my finger on it. The hint of smokey flavor (from the smoked cheddar? The steak?) along with the asiago roll - OH MY! My plans were to nibble on half of it for an early lunch, then finish the other half later. NOPE! It's goin' down... I can't let this sit any longer. As a whole, Panera stores are nice and clean. Their coffee is good too. While not my first choice for a lunch, I do know their sandwiches are solid, and this Asiago Steak is going to be on my radar in the future!
(4)Nancy W.
I love this Panera! It is on my way to work so I stop there often for both breakfast and lunch items. The good thing is you can pick up a salad for lunch at 7:00 a.m. if you need to. Their food is always fresh and my order is always accurate. The people working are friendly and pleasant. Two other benefits are their rewards card that gives you freebies and their Rapid Order system. You order and pay online and your order is waiting for you to pick-up. My order has never not been ready, and has never been wrong! Love, love, love that feature. You bypass everyone waiting in line and are in and out in minutes.
(4)Troy P.
I have been to a number of Paneras in my life. This is the first one I've been to in Madison, WI. This Panera is in a convenient location with lots of parking! Very clean and it actually smelled like Apple pie when we entered! The food came out quick and my Turkey and Avocado sandwich was delicious!!! I definitely will return!
(4)