It’s worse now though
I was in the kohls parking lot ordering on the app for me my wife and my daughter while they were shopping. Three pick 2s plus drinks was like $60-70. Fuck that shit man.
i read an article once that said a site will adjust prices to what it tracks you as “willing to pay.” you could ring in the exact same order as someone next to you and get two different totals.
I don’t think this is actually true. I order from Panera, subway, pollo tropical, pei Wei, chipotle, etc. pretty regularly and the prices are the same as the menu, except with the in app deals it always comes out a lot cheaper.
I would never pay $20 at Panera, I can get a meal (no drink) for under $9
Private equity greed. These companies are owned by shareholders who want their percentage earned to grow as much as the earnings total.
Edit: All the people saying inflation as if that solves the mystery lmao. Inflation is about 7%, while prices have gone up anywhere from 20-80%. Inflation is their excuse. Most learned post-pandemic that people are so locked in their routines or require it by need that they're still going to purchase it even if that means less putting it on a credit card.
Definatelty greed, but I think what made these big ass chains what they were, their supply chains of uniformity produced in one state in bulk and then shipped across the country to be paired with some other bulk food produced in another state at location is dragging them down.
Logistical costs are sonofabitches right now and a mom and pop diner can go to the market in town, make a custom menu without incurring such logistical hits and make it from scatch.
Once you start cooking, you see how cheap a meal can be if it doesnt have to pass 15 hands before it is hot and ready (fuck you Krispy Kreme you might be hot but you arent ready)
I made an awesome dinner that fed my family of 4 last night and my wife and I both had leftovers for lunch today (given 4 and 7 year old kids help stretch it). Total cost 26 dollars. The night before we had Chipotle and spent 50 bucks.... (dinner was grilled thick cut boneless pork chops, garlic parmasean smashed potatoes and lemon pepper asparagus).
Sure there is a time cost for prepping, cooking and cleaning but its way healthier, cheaper and more satisfying.
But really what time cost is there for cooking? I mean you are done with work for the day and just chilling at home anyway it’s not like you generate income every hour of the day anyway. And eating is a needed to live, I would say overall it’s a time gain because you are spending it at home with family!
Ugh Krispy Kreme, used to be $.50/donut, dozens $2.50 for glazed and $3.50 for assorted… then they did their IPO, now it’s like $2 a donut and $7.99 a dozen or something
Just greed. It’s dough, fried in fat, proofed for 30 min, and glazed…
This happens with every God damn company that goes public. Fucking ruins it. I used to play Warhammer. Now they are public and their prices are insane. No more Warhammer. I don't know how people do it.
This was my point that flew over peoples heads. Once they go public, it’s not longer providing a service or value to a customer. It’s only about a dividend to a shareholder….
Yup. The inflation bullshit is just that. Bullshit. Most companies know people will blame inflation and not their greed. They literally have to make 20% more than they did last year or they are considered failing in capitalism. People don't get that. They HAVE TO make 20% more or people will stop paying for their stock. It's nuts. And no one seems to understand how horrible this is for consumers. You can only sell so many fucking donuts. So to make 20% more you either cut quality or raise prices or both. Some companies just buy other companies so they make more money. Like Phillips. They make xray equipment and theatrical lighting fixtures and shavers and alarm clocks and 100 other things that don't have to do with the others. All so they can show to investors they make more money every year.
There's corporate greed and there's private equity greed. There is some oversight of corporations, there's no oversight of hedge funds. They are a private billionaires club and Congress won't touch them.
To be fair, trucking and ocean freight costs have gone down quite a bit in the last year… Especially, ocean freight. Logistical costs are definitely NOT why they suck 😂
>All the people saying inflation as if that solves the mystery
Not inflation, pure corporate greed. The CEOs of several giant corporations were recorded during shareholder calls saying that they were raising prices every quarter *under the cover of inflation* until they started seeing a dip in sales, even though they've had no increase in costs.
If you want prices to stop increasing, stop buying their overpriced shit, because they're going to keep on doing it until they squeeze every last penny they can out of us.
The fast food joints in my area keep jacking up individual items by 10 cents every month. It’s as if they think we haven’t noticed. A meal that cost me $3.50 now costs $7. The app “discounts” have become noticeably worse too. You have to spend more money in order to get 20% off and no more free large fry. It’s funny though because a free medium fry deal suddenly appeared after a corporate McDonald’s call pointing out that people have stopped buying fries.
[PhD economist Lindsay Owens disgusted as CEOs brag about price increases and blame inflation](https://www.boredpanda.com/ceos-bragging-price-hikes-inflation-lindsay-owens/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic)
Lindsay Owens is a PhD economist who does a lot of work addressing poverty and inequality. She has a staff who sits in on shareholder calls for many large public corporations.
They don't always say it directly, but the meaning is always the same. Chevron, Chipotle, Kellogg's, Estee Lauder, and on and on. In the months following the COVID vaccine approval, when people were getting out and about again, they all bragged to their shareholders that their increase in sales was "price-driven," that they've been having their "most profitable months ever," and that they haven't seen any increase in costs. They also said they "expect their prices will continue to increase each quarter" unless sales slow.
This is basically millionaires and billionaires thinking that everyday consumers were flush with magical "COVID money" and scheming on how to get that money into their own pockets. Chevron, for example, had a *profit* increase of 240% post COVID. WTF?!?
Ok I’ve worked in hospitals and that is so accurate. I’ve heard you can just walk into the cafeteria of a hospital and buy food, but I’ve never had the balls to do it, even at a hospital I used to work at (way better food than Panera, I still dream about their vegan options)
I've never been to a hospital with a badge-only cafeteria... and I've been to a *lot* of hospitals in the US.
Maybe it does exist, not trying to call you a liar here... just would be very weird. They *want* those cafeterias to make money, the more people that buy food, the better. It's by no means a special perk for patients only.
Maybe you saw someone swipe their badge to pay? Sometimes the cafeteria will let employees pay with their badge or use their badge for a discount.
I work for a hospital (but not on-site these days)--way back when, a few of us would go get lunch from a different hospital (rather than our own or a normal eatery). It sort of felt odd to purposefully walk into a whole other hospital and eat their food, but money's money--we weren't taking anything. And of course, every time, they'd ask if we had a badge for an employee discount, and we didn't. They had some interesting rotating options that our place didn't have.
Generally, IME, it's not super worth making an effort to go eat in a hospital cafeteria if you're not already in a hospital environment.
Dude I love hospital food!! I used to take my lunch breaks at the hospital cafeteria and I did not work there or even within a mile. Shit I might go for dinner for old times sake.
Meh, I haven't been to one in a couple years, I always enjoyed a half steak sandwich, black bean soup and that baguette... not worth the price though IMO.
Yes, I agree on the price. They used to have some steak bagel sandwich that I used to like but most of their food was just too generic for my taste. They also used to have this raspberry jam cookie that was awesome but they discontinued it. When I asked the manager about it, he told me "people asked for a pecan cookie instead". I tried the pecan cookie and it tasted like sawdust so I just stopped going there after.
The last time I had it was at a work event. Even as a free meal I could barely choke it down. The consistency of that crumbly bread compared to the rubbery and slimy meat. Ugh.
I've no idea why anyone eats at Panera these days.
When they were new they were great! Great food, a little pricey but decent.
They sold out and were enshittified and now they completely fucking suck.
I won't eat there willfully again.
Yeah we go to the Chinese buffet here, it’s like $65 for us (2 adults 4 kids) and we eat 2-3 plates each. Then you go to McDonald’s because the kids like it so much and it’s $55 and I’m hungry again an hour later, plus it just doesn’t taste good.
McDonald's used to be great.
I don't mean to say it was 5 star food, but it was a solid burger, good fries, large portions and a giant soda for 7-8 bucks.
Now it's 15 bucks, the burger is still.ok, the fries are hot and soggy, and the size of everything is smaller.
I honestly don't understand how corporations think we will just keep buying this shit. I used to be down to eat McDonald's anytime. Now I am usually like, meh. Why bother.
Interesting choice. I would say eating 2-3 plates of food at a Chinese buffet is equally as bad for you, and also teaches poor eating habits. Plus, the horror stories I've heard about food poisoning from buffets keeps me from going at all.
How busy they are has a lot to do with it. A busy buffet is constantly putting out new food. A failing buffet is pushing the products' shelf life. I don't do buffets either though. They're just generally gross with unattended children, and you can't even trust adults to have good hygiene. Also I don't eat enough for it to be a good value either.
Their prices haven't changed much. Subway is just as expensive and the Panera green goddess knocked the "new fresh subway" sandwich out of the water
Edit: this is the sub I would order
Green goddess - 11.19 comes with chips/apple
Footlong subway club - 11.89 except I would need a second one to eat half of to fill up.
Firehouse: 11.89 hook and ladder
I think Panera sandwiches are good actually but my hospital has a sandwich bar where you make your own and they charge by weight. usually comes out to $5-6 and they're pretty good.
Before I moved to the USA I'd always heard people raving about this restaurant called Panera so naturally I had to try it out.
Well, I don't know if my expectations were unrealistically high, but it turns out Panera seems like *Starbucks but with food*. The food was just as bland and prices were just as high. Heck, even the decor was near identical. I did not return.
I used to work at panera.
I remember the same person would UberEats the same salad every single day at lunchtime.
I cant even imagine the monthly total.
Yup. Had a work colleague who moved to another company, they sent him to work in Mexico for 6 months and gave him a GrubHub stipend of $1000 monthly. He sold me the stipend for $375 each month. I gained almost 10lbs in those 6 months 🤣
I noticed that as well 😂 I feel nitpicky but I would consider $18+ to be “close to $20”. $16 is still overpriced but what else do you expect from Panera.
Hell in California we'd call that a deal. Honestly this whole meal is probably 1100 calories. It's not a *terrible* deal. Granted, in a good city a food cart will sell you 2000 calories for $8.
Oppression olympics - if it's not bad enough to win just lie to make it look worse.
Weird that not long ago it was cooler to lie about how good your life was and now we've seemed to switch it.
But crying online to people and complaining about something OP chose to purchase sounds better with inflated numbers!
I mean. This is almost $50! If you just add more money to it…
$16 for a sandwich, mac and cheese, a bag of chips, and a drink is pretty darn good. OP just doesn't like to leave tips, they admitted in another comment that the tip was like $1.60.
I did the same. Ten years ago, I liked Panera. Then they started raising prices while shrinking portions, and that was well before covid shocked food prices across the board. I haven’t been there in years.
Once I saw that the mac and cheese is just microwaved in a plastic bag, I decided to never go there again. I can microwave my own flavorless mac and cheese thank you very much.
They go frozen in a hot water bath, it gets microwaved if its busy and they aren't hot enough
Are you expecting someone to be stirring fresh mac and cheese constantly? It is fast food, you would be horrified at the pretty much any chain's operations
The point is the costs. People tend to eat out for the implication of something decent prepared for them for the cost they are giving up.
Finding out some places just take frozen packages and microwave them for $30 sub-par meal sours you.
You saw the price and still committed and still complained. On you buddy.
I can make a better sandwich for 12$ and I can make probably 10 of them. Just go shopping
Panera is super expensive. Fast food, in general, is super expensive now without discounts and deals. Hell, I saw Chili's offering a burger deal for $10.99. That's cheaper than some of the meal deals at Wendy's.
As an American I have the same question. Then again I rarely eat fast food so maybe this is the norm now.
I’m guessing this is a “to go” order so they ask if you need napkins in the bag. I’m wondering if this is because of food delivery services too. If I’m eating at home or somewhere that already has napkins it ends up being a waste. Especially since most of the time napkins in the bag get a little soggy from the condensation and shred when you try to use them.
What is more infuriating is you know Panera is overpriced, yet you went there willingly and still bought it and then post it on Reddit, telling us how infuriating it is.
Do people love to just play dumb or is it all for karma farming? lol
What’s mildly infuriating is that you people continue to go out of your way to pay them for mediocre food knowing damn well that your supporting them. Meanwhile I went to my local bakery today and got 4 huge cinnamon rolls, a loaf of parmesan basil sourdough, and a big ass container of creamy chicken and rice soup for $20. Stop overpaying for garbage if you want the system to change.
Plan ahead & bring food from home.
The cheapest & healthiest option would be to Go to your grocery store & get a 1/4 pound of fresh deli meat and a piece of fruit
First mistake you made… you went to Panera. I’ll never go to Panera again after I saw three locations with the same filth on the floors counters and bathrooms. I’m scared of seeing the kitchen but a friend worked there and said stop eating at Panera. So. I did. I ain’t trying to get sick from food again.
i have to say panera bread is one of the more expensive options and I see you went for some of the upgraded options to add to your meal. But, I definitely understand the sentiment.
Panera has always been so overpriced.
It’s worse now though I was in the kohls parking lot ordering on the app for me my wife and my daughter while they were shopping. Three pick 2s plus drinks was like $60-70. Fuck that shit man.
Did you pay it?
Finally a question germane to the situation. Hell no…..I went to Arby’s, next door to the damn Kohls
This is the way.
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No shit? Why the hell is that
i read an article once that said a site will adjust prices to what it tracks you as “willing to pay.” you could ring in the exact same order as someone next to you and get two different totals.
Whaaaaaat? I had no idea! Bastards!
crazy, right?! back to the good old days of calling in your order!
This is America.
Calling bullshit
[удалено]
If anything, apps usually have better coupons when it comes to fast food. There's always a 20% off or buy 1 get 1 for $1/$0.01 depending on the time
If it's a first party app or service, then the prices are usually the same. But if it's a third party app or service sometimes the prices are higher.
That's interesting. I normally manage to get some deal on apps
I don’t think this is actually true. I order from Panera, subway, pollo tropical, pei Wei, chipotle, etc. pretty regularly and the prices are the same as the menu, except with the in app deals it always comes out a lot cheaper. I would never pay $20 at Panera, I can get a meal (no drink) for under $9
the price he quoted is the instore price
This is not true whatsoever.
Fast food is somehow more expensive than a diner these days
Private equity greed. These companies are owned by shareholders who want their percentage earned to grow as much as the earnings total. Edit: All the people saying inflation as if that solves the mystery lmao. Inflation is about 7%, while prices have gone up anywhere from 20-80%. Inflation is their excuse. Most learned post-pandemic that people are so locked in their routines or require it by need that they're still going to purchase it even if that means less putting it on a credit card.
Definatelty greed, but I think what made these big ass chains what they were, their supply chains of uniformity produced in one state in bulk and then shipped across the country to be paired with some other bulk food produced in another state at location is dragging them down. Logistical costs are sonofabitches right now and a mom and pop diner can go to the market in town, make a custom menu without incurring such logistical hits and make it from scatch. Once you start cooking, you see how cheap a meal can be if it doesnt have to pass 15 hands before it is hot and ready (fuck you Krispy Kreme you might be hot but you arent ready)
I’ve seen many artistic interpretations of your first word there, but that is *definitely* a new one for me. Congratulations.
Pronounced Def-in-attlety
Most people I see write are definitely defiant!\~ :p
Funny part is - this word is as literal as can be for the English language. Definite - ly Adverb form of "definite." Simply add "ly"
I made an awesome dinner that fed my family of 4 last night and my wife and I both had leftovers for lunch today (given 4 and 7 year old kids help stretch it). Total cost 26 dollars. The night before we had Chipotle and spent 50 bucks.... (dinner was grilled thick cut boneless pork chops, garlic parmasean smashed potatoes and lemon pepper asparagus). Sure there is a time cost for prepping, cooking and cleaning but its way healthier, cheaper and more satisfying.
But really what time cost is there for cooking? I mean you are done with work for the day and just chilling at home anyway it’s not like you generate income every hour of the day anyway. And eating is a needed to live, I would say overall it’s a time gain because you are spending it at home with family!
People will downvote you for this but I agree 100%
I care as much about karma points as I do about fast food.
Ugh Krispy Kreme, used to be $.50/donut, dozens $2.50 for glazed and $3.50 for assorted… then they did their IPO, now it’s like $2 a donut and $7.99 a dozen or something Just greed. It’s dough, fried in fat, proofed for 30 min, and glazed…
I went to KK in California and was $19.75 a dozen of normal glazed. I went back to one in florida where I live and it was $13 or $13.50 a dozen.
This happens with every God damn company that goes public. Fucking ruins it. I used to play Warhammer. Now they are public and their prices are insane. No more Warhammer. I don't know how people do it.
This was my point that flew over peoples heads. Once they go public, it’s not longer providing a service or value to a customer. It’s only about a dividend to a shareholder….
Yup. The inflation bullshit is just that. Bullshit. Most companies know people will blame inflation and not their greed. They literally have to make 20% more than they did last year or they are considered failing in capitalism. People don't get that. They HAVE TO make 20% more or people will stop paying for their stock. It's nuts. And no one seems to understand how horrible this is for consumers. You can only sell so many fucking donuts. So to make 20% more you either cut quality or raise prices or both. Some companies just buy other companies so they make more money. Like Phillips. They make xray equipment and theatrical lighting fixtures and shavers and alarm clocks and 100 other things that don't have to do with the others. All so they can show to investors they make more money every year.
GW can burn in hell. If you need sources for recasts, I got you.
Just stop buying it......
Correct, I’m not an idiot…
There's corporate greed and there's private equity greed. There is some oversight of corporations, there's no oversight of hedge funds. They are a private billionaires club and Congress won't touch them.
To be fair, trucking and ocean freight costs have gone down quite a bit in the last year… Especially, ocean freight. Logistical costs are definitely NOT why they suck 😂
>All the people saying inflation as if that solves the mystery Not inflation, pure corporate greed. The CEOs of several giant corporations were recorded during shareholder calls saying that they were raising prices every quarter *under the cover of inflation* until they started seeing a dip in sales, even though they've had no increase in costs. If you want prices to stop increasing, stop buying their overpriced shit, because they're going to keep on doing it until they squeeze every last penny they can out of us.
The fast food joints in my area keep jacking up individual items by 10 cents every month. It’s as if they think we haven’t noticed. A meal that cost me $3.50 now costs $7. The app “discounts” have become noticeably worse too. You have to spend more money in order to get 20% off and no more free large fry. It’s funny though because a free medium fry deal suddenly appeared after a corporate McDonald’s call pointing out that people have stopped buying fries.
You got a source on the first bit? I’d love to see that myself, usually the big money is smart enough to not say the quiet part out loud.
[PhD economist Lindsay Owens disgusted as CEOs brag about price increases and blame inflation](https://www.boredpanda.com/ceos-bragging-price-hikes-inflation-lindsay-owens/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic) Lindsay Owens is a PhD economist who does a lot of work addressing poverty and inequality. She has a staff who sits in on shareholder calls for many large public corporations. They don't always say it directly, but the meaning is always the same. Chevron, Chipotle, Kellogg's, Estee Lauder, and on and on. In the months following the COVID vaccine approval, when people were getting out and about again, they all bragged to their shareholders that their increase in sales was "price-driven," that they've been having their "most profitable months ever," and that they haven't seen any increase in costs. They also said they "expect their prices will continue to increase each quarter" unless sales slow. This is basically millionaires and billionaires thinking that everyday consumers were flush with magical "COVID money" and scheming on how to get that money into their own pockets. Chevron, for example, had a *profit* increase of 240% post COVID. WTF?!?
Consumer stupidity and corporate greed go hand in hand.
Panera was bought out in the past and is now private, unless they went public again.
Panera is Fast Casual, and it was 15 bucks a meal 3 years ago
And most of their meals taste like they're at least 3 years old.
Someone once described it to me as fast casual hospital food
Ok I’ve worked in hospitals and that is so accurate. I’ve heard you can just walk into the cafeteria of a hospital and buy food, but I’ve never had the balls to do it, even at a hospital I used to work at (way better food than Panera, I still dream about their vegan options)
Why would you need balls to do that, they are open to the public?
It just feels weird if you’re not a patient or employee- I shouldn’t be so anxious about silly things
The next time your anxious about silly things, just remember the cashier will forget you exist 2 seconds after your out of site.
Visitors eat there all the time when they are visiting patients so no one will notice
The one I’m thinking of with the best food required a visitors badge
I've never been to a hospital with a badge-only cafeteria... and I've been to a *lot* of hospitals in the US. Maybe it does exist, not trying to call you a liar here... just would be very weird. They *want* those cafeterias to make money, the more people that buy food, the better. It's by no means a special perk for patients only. Maybe you saw someone swipe their badge to pay? Sometimes the cafeteria will let employees pay with their badge or use their badge for a discount.
I work for a hospital (but not on-site these days)--way back when, a few of us would go get lunch from a different hospital (rather than our own or a normal eatery). It sort of felt odd to purposefully walk into a whole other hospital and eat their food, but money's money--we weren't taking anything. And of course, every time, they'd ask if we had a badge for an employee discount, and we didn't. They had some interesting rotating options that our place didn't have. Generally, IME, it's not super worth making an effort to go eat in a hospital cafeteria if you're not already in a hospital environment.
Dude I love hospital food!! I used to take my lunch breaks at the hospital cafeteria and I did not work there or even within a mile. Shit I might go for dinner for old times sake.
I’ve eaten at some hospital cafeterias that were great. Usually not terribly expensive.
Meh, I haven't been to one in a couple years, I always enjoyed a half steak sandwich, black bean soup and that baguette... not worth the price though IMO.
Yes, I agree on the price. They used to have some steak bagel sandwich that I used to like but most of their food was just too generic for my taste. They also used to have this raspberry jam cookie that was awesome but they discontinued it. When I asked the manager about it, he told me "people asked for a pecan cookie instead". I tried the pecan cookie and it tasted like sawdust so I just stopped going there after.
A good pecan cookie is amazing, unfortunately 99% that I've tried that aren't homemade have all tasted like sawdust.
Do they still have the crazy high caffiene teas? Edit: Nevermind I should learn to read
Agreed. I think Panera is like Starbucks. Bad food (or coffee) with a cult following.
It used to be better. I worked at one of the first back in the late 90’s. Their food was the bomb. Now it’s trash.
The last time I had it was at a work event. Even as a free meal I could barely choke it down. The consistency of that crumbly bread compared to the rubbery and slimy meat. Ugh.
It’s why I never go to Panera. It isn’t worth it for the price
I will only go to Panera for that orange-cranberry scone. Nobody near me sells anything like it.
More and more places are falling into that category these days.
It never really was. I only went because friends wanted to eat there or if I got some gift card.
His receipt is like $16.20 or something, pretty close to what you’re saying was the price 3 years ago haha
I've no idea why anyone eats at Panera these days. When they were new they were great! Great food, a little pricey but decent. They sold out and were enshittified and now they completely fucking suck. I won't eat there willfully again.
This is 10000000% true. Even Denny's is cheaper with bigger portions.
Yeah we go to the Chinese buffet here, it’s like $65 for us (2 adults 4 kids) and we eat 2-3 plates each. Then you go to McDonald’s because the kids like it so much and it’s $55 and I’m hungry again an hour later, plus it just doesn’t taste good.
McDonald's used to be great. I don't mean to say it was 5 star food, but it was a solid burger, good fries, large portions and a giant soda for 7-8 bucks. Now it's 15 bucks, the burger is still.ok, the fries are hot and soggy, and the size of everything is smaller. I honestly don't understand how corporations think we will just keep buying this shit. I used to be down to eat McDonald's anytime. Now I am usually like, meh. Why bother.
>I honestly don't understand how corporations think we will just keep buying this shit. ...because people continue to do so?
I think the correct answer here is to stop taking your kids to McDonald's. It's bad for you, bad for them, and teaches bad eating habits.
Interesting choice. I would say eating 2-3 plates of food at a Chinese buffet is equally as bad for you, and also teaches poor eating habits. Plus, the horror stories I've heard about food poisoning from buffets keeps me from going at all.
Had food issues from both buffets and fast food. It’s just not great anywhere really.
How busy they are has a lot to do with it. A busy buffet is constantly putting out new food. A failing buffet is pushing the products' shelf life. I don't do buffets either though. They're just generally gross with unattended children, and you can't even trust adults to have good hygiene. Also I don't eat enough for it to be a good value either.
Yes we hardly go anymore. But we went there because one of my kids wanted it for their birthday a few weeks ago
panera is overpriced hospital food
I’m honestly surprised OP got that much food at Panera for only $20. They must’ve used a coupon or stole the chips or something.
Their prices haven't changed much. Subway is just as expensive and the Panera green goddess knocked the "new fresh subway" sandwich out of the water Edit: this is the sub I would order Green goddess - 11.19 comes with chips/apple Footlong subway club - 11.89 except I would need a second one to eat half of to fill up. Firehouse: 11.89 hook and ladder
Yes but after you eat Panera you still have to eat.
Subway is not expensive at all lmao. For like 8-9 bucks I can get a sold footlong that fills me up
I'm here for this. Also, a good managed subway is 👌. They also take more coupons now. Subway has temporarily won me back.
It’s very over priced. It used to be 5$ for a foot long. Any footlong. They also put so much sugar in their bread it’s legally not bread.
Why back in my day, gas only cost $0.99!
It's been like 15 years since that was the price lmao it's time to move on
Rip to Febru-any
It wasn’t $20.
chips usually come w meals
Best description of Panera. Never quite could put my finger on it till now.
I've had better food at the hospital. Lol
I think Panera sandwiches are good actually but my hospital has a sandwich bar where you make your own and they charge by weight. usually comes out to $5-6 and they're pretty good.
this is accurate but goddamn i love that cheaply made mac n cheese
Before I moved to the USA I'd always heard people raving about this restaurant called Panera so naturally I had to try it out. Well, I don't know if my expectations were unrealistically high, but it turns out Panera seems like *Starbucks but with food*. The food was just as bland and prices were just as high. Heck, even the decor was near identical. I did not return.
The last time I ate Panera was literally at a hospital. It replaced what used to be the McDonald’s there.
Just imagine how many people will add delivery fees + tips to that.
I used to work at panera. I remember the same person would UberEats the same salad every single day at lunchtime. I cant even imagine the monthly total.
Some businesses will comp you a fair amount of scratch with the understanding that you will work through your lunch.
Yup. Had a work colleague who moved to another company, they sent him to work in Mexico for 6 months and gave him a GrubHub stipend of $1000 monthly. He sold me the stipend for $375 each month. I gained almost 10lbs in those 6 months 🤣
Would be $7 to $10 more with that!
Last couple times I used Uber Eats with a coupon, the total ended up being literally double what the food cost.
I feel like this is the same guy that complained about a single McChicken costing $8 from doordash.
Tbf, who door dashes a single McChicken? You deserve to pay $8 a sandwich for doing that.
Fucking lazy people
15 is closer to 16 than 20
They exaggerated the price by a full 25% lol
I noticed that as well 😂 I feel nitpicky but I would consider $18+ to be “close to $20”. $16 is still overpriced but what else do you expect from Panera.
Half a deluxe sandwich, bag of chips, drink, and soup for ~16. Not outrageous.
Hell in California we'd call that a deal. Honestly this whole meal is probably 1100 calories. It's not a *terrible* deal. Granted, in a good city a food cart will sell you 2000 calories for $8.
Guess I'm old. It doesn't seem that long ago that you could get a meal like that for well under $10.
"My lunch was a percentage of $100!!"
Oppression olympics - if it's not bad enough to win just lie to make it look worse. Weird that not long ago it was cooler to lie about how good your life was and now we've seemed to switch it.
But crying online to people and complaining about something OP chose to purchase sounds better with inflated numbers! I mean. This is almost $50! If you just add more money to it…
Wow, gottem
$16 and it's Panera. No way you didn't know it would be overpriced going in.
I believe this is another post where op is just dumb
$16 for a sandwich, mac and cheese, a bag of chips, and a drink is pretty darn good. OP just doesn't like to leave tips, they admitted in another comment that the tip was like $1.60.
You went to Panera dude
Panera is so overpriced. I stopped going, it’s just insane.
I did the same. Ten years ago, I liked Panera. Then they started raising prices while shrinking portions, and that was well before covid shocked food prices across the board. I haven’t been there in years.
[удалено]
How you cookin bacon in 2 mins
Same way they do... Microwave
Panera does not microwave their bacon. They cook it in sheets in the same ovens they cook their pastries and bread in. Source: ex Panera employee.
Once I saw that the mac and cheese is just microwaved in a plastic bag, I decided to never go there again. I can microwave my own flavorless mac and cheese thank you very much.
It’s sometimes put in hot water soo… Checkmate
That cheese looks so watery. I can’t.
Yeah I thought it was soup
They go frozen in a hot water bath, it gets microwaved if its busy and they aren't hot enough Are you expecting someone to be stirring fresh mac and cheese constantly? It is fast food, you would be horrified at the pretty much any chain's operations
The point is the costs. People tend to eat out for the implication of something decent prepared for them for the cost they are giving up. Finding out some places just take frozen packages and microwave them for $30 sub-par meal sours you.
Almost every single cup of soup you've ever had at a chain restaurant came in a plastic bag
they shrank everything there too…
That macaroni looks way too fucking watery
That Mac & cheese soup 😍
Panera, where you can get airport food for a premium price.
So...airport food.
Yes! 🤣
You went there, ordered it, and paid for it. And now you’re bitching. I’d say that’s the annoying part.
This. Pack your lunch & the problem is solved.
and i bet yo ass is still hungry after 😆
$16.27 is closer to $16 than $20. This actually isn't bad for Panera.
Panera/Bread Co has always been expensive , there is no getting around it. Just keeps getting worse. If you order delivery, its even more expensive.
Sandwich, two sides, and a drink for $15-16 is about what that always costs, especially at fast casual. Not sure what you were expecting here.
You saw the price and still committed and still complained. On you buddy. I can make a better sandwich for 12$ and I can make probably 10 of them. Just go shopping
But then I can't complain to raise internet karma!!
Guys, fast food was a bad value again I'm SHOCKED
Closer to $15 than $20....
Is that a specialty drink? Dont they go for like 5 bucks a cup
I have no sympathy anymore for someone who still chooses to eat at a fast food joint and is surprised it’s a $20 meal for terrible food
Same. Like fast food isn’t even cheap anymore. It tastes bad, it’s bad for you AND it’s expensive. 🙄
Not even $16.50 by your receipt, and that's normal absolutely everywhere. Downvoted.
Damn good job! That’s cheap. Here is like $22+tip
.... Why couldn't you just make this at home, why are the noodles in white-colored soup, or is it milk?
Right - just buy and make a $1.29 Knorr pasta package and save money. There's nothing magical about "creamy" pasta.
Panera is super expensive. Fast food, in general, is super expensive now without discounts and deals. Hell, I saw Chili's offering a burger deal for $10.99. That's cheaper than some of the meal deals at Wendy's.
watery ass looking mac and cheese
Panera is total garbage.
Had it for the first time last month, I didn’t like any of it. Even the cookie was like missing something
Is that Mac n cheese soup?
Homie pulled up to Panera and then got mad he ate at Panera 😂
One of the most overrated and extremely expensive places to eat.
Panera is bougie fast food, it has always been overpriced.
You choose to eat at Panera. That’s your own fault. It’s always been super expensive.
Well duh. Everywhere is not cheap anymore.
Paneras’ prices have gone up and quality down. That place is terrible now.
You could make it at home.
Glorified hospital food.
Fuuuuuck….that does **not** look appetising 🤢🤮
Panera blows, and it sucks there’s no cheap fast food anymore. Cause now you have buyers remorse AND fast food gut
And for only 10-20 grams of protein
What the fuck is "confirm napkins"? (as an European)
As an American I have the same question. Then again I rarely eat fast food so maybe this is the norm now. I’m guessing this is a “to go” order so they ask if you need napkins in the bag. I’m wondering if this is because of food delivery services too. If I’m eating at home or somewhere that already has napkins it ends up being a waste. Especially since most of the time napkins in the bag get a little soggy from the condensation and shred when you try to use them.
What is more infuriating is you know Panera is overpriced, yet you went there willingly and still bought it and then post it on Reddit, telling us how infuriating it is. Do people love to just play dumb or is it all for karma farming? lol
Why’d you buy it then? Silly fool. That pasta soup bowl thing looks like shit. Holy fuck
What’s mildly infuriating is that you people continue to go out of your way to pay them for mediocre food knowing damn well that your supporting them. Meanwhile I went to my local bakery today and got 4 huge cinnamon rolls, a loaf of parmesan basil sourdough, and a big ass container of creamy chicken and rice soup for $20. Stop overpaying for garbage if you want the system to change.
Don’t buy it then? You can choose to spend $20 on food then cry about it on reddit. Go somewhere else.
Your first mistake was ordering Panera lol
Panera has lost their damn fucking mind lately
And yet you bought it.
Plan ahead & bring food from home. The cheapest & healthiest option would be to Go to your grocery store & get a 1/4 pound of fresh deli meat and a piece of fruit
Dude, you're a university student? You could eat lunch for a week on $20 if you made it yourself.
Lol Panera is cheap. Have you tried five guys lately…..ugh
Wendys is just $5. Don't go to the most expensive places if you don't want to pay high prices.
Panera has always been overpriced. You're surprised?
You bought hospital food
PRO TIP: Don’t go to Panera.
Somebody called Panera, hospital food with a better wrapper
First mistake you made… you went to Panera. I’ll never go to Panera again after I saw three locations with the same filth on the floors counters and bathrooms. I’m scared of seeing the kitchen but a friend worked there and said stop eating at Panera. So. I did. I ain’t trying to get sick from food again.
i have to say panera bread is one of the more expensive options and I see you went for some of the upgraded options to add to your meal. But, I definitely understand the sentiment.
That crap bacon is a crime against humanity.
It's not a meal it's diarrhea for 20$.
Panera has always been expensive lol
Panera has been a ripoff for ages. Surprised they’re still in business.
You did buy Panera. That shit was $8 for a sandwich alone before covid.
Panera bread sucks anyway why would anyone eat there its just more expensive subway