Panera Bread

The most friendly, most happy, most smiling restaurant staff I have ever seen. It was a super Pleasant detour for sure. And my friend had the same opinion too.

This sandwich was so good! And on my way out I remembered to ask if they had pickles and the girl threw one in last minute--so nice! I love Merced Panera. This is a half Chipotle Chicken Avocado Sandwich 🥪😋

I always get the turkey avocado sandwich and broccoli and cheddar. The bread is soft and tasty. They have a good selection on drinks.

Cesar Sanchez

This place is your average Panera except for one thing. The lady at the front counter, Carmen. She is an absolute delight! Fantastic customer service and such a help with the humongous menu. And once we thought our interaction with her was over, she came and took our plates away for us. She’s great!

kiseki

Nice cafe with great salads and sandwiches. Very friendly staff. Edited: came back to Merced a year later. I still loved the place and its food.

Harshal Naik

The most friendly, most happy, most smiling restaurant staff I have ever seen. It was a super Pleasant detour for sure. And my friend had the same opinion too.

Alyssa Hunt

This sandwich was so good! And on my way out I remembered to ask if they had pickles and the girl threw one in last minute--so nice! I love Merced Panera. This is a half Chipotle Chicken Avocado Sandwich 🥪😋

Satseuc Astromech

I always get the turkey avocado sandwich and broccoli and cheddar. The bread is soft and tasty. They have a good selection on drinks.

I ordered a delivery today for my wife and i. When they delivered one sandwich was wrong. The manager made good on the order immediately. Everything tasted great. I appreciate the response. Thank you very much. This is the second time in 2 weeks that I was given a turkey and cheese on sliced sourdough. What I ordered a ham and cheese on sliced sourdough. I ordered with no onions. They put almost a half onion on it. Tried to call between 4 and 4:30pm. No one answers.

Pantera bread is one of my favorite restaurants. Their bread is always good and they have a good selection of good and healthy meals if you want that. I am not a vegetarian person but I had and really enjoyed their Mediterranean veggie sandwich. My favorite soup is between French onion soup and tomato soup. If you come, you can get a full sandwich or get a combo that will give you a more varied selection for a lower price. It also has pastries that are pretty good as well.

Nice. Relaxed. The managers / supervisors are extra happy, smily and cheerful. Food and such are all Panera standard

Great Panera! Nice and friendly staff, good quality, and clean location. Can't ask for much more!

Update: So after I had a bad experience and placed the review below, everything seems to have changed for the better. Everyone , including the manager, happens to be more engaging and provide better service. TIP OF THE HAT TO THE ORGANIZATION. The manager and some employees have a bad attitude. Even though everything else is perfect it's not worth going

Matthew-Donald Sangster

Great Panera! Nice and friendly staff, good quality, and clean location. Can't ask for much more!

Paul Lee

Nice. Relaxed. The managers / supervisors are extra happy, smily and cheerful. Food and such are all Panera standard

Reza A

Update: So after I had a bad experience and placed the review below, everything seems to have changed for the better. Everyone , including the manager, happens to be more engaging and provide better service. TIP OF THE HAT TO THE ORGANIZATION. The manager and some employees have a bad attitude. Even though everything else is perfect it's not worth going

Fernando Campos Chavez

Pantera bread is one of my favorite restaurants. Their bread is always good and they have a good selection of good and healthy meals if you want that. I am not a vegetarian person but I had and really enjoyed their Mediterranean veggie sandwich. My favorite soup is between French onion soup and tomato soup. If you come, you can get a full sandwich or get a combo that will give you a more varied selection for a lower price. It also has pastries that are pretty good as well.

J Porter

I ordered a delivery today for my wife and i. When they delivered one sandwich was wrong. The manager made good on the order immediately. Everything tasted great. I appreciate the response. Thank you very much. This is the second time in 2 weeks that I was given a turkey and cheese on sliced sourdough. What I ordered a ham and cheese on sliced sourdough. I ordered with no onions. They put almost a half onion on it. Tried to call between 4 and 4:30pm. No one answers.

Panera bread is awesome and I love the green goddess cob. Customer service is always great. Unfortunately one of the staff was on lunch and had an open wound, fresh tattoo, and was constantly at the food counter putting her arms up, the fresh tattoo was on her arm just above the side of her elbow, where the food is served. We only knew it was a fresh tattoo cuz she was loud and telling other coworkers. 🤢

First of all they have a drive through. Very convenient and practical for such a place. My wife and I ordered the chicken avocado and it was amazing with some smoothies. We will go back and enjoy more with time. The only thing however is that our two sandwiches, chips and two smoothies were sort of pricey but aside from price, quality is definitely worth a visit.

Their food is definitely great but it's a little pricey. Probably because of its healthy nature and ingredients. Homemade soups, gourmet bagels, signature breads, a variety of cheeses, just to make a few selections. The Service is kind of like Starbucks, you can tailor fit any order with any instructions you desire. They have a few proprietary drinks, they're healthy, but not that tasty.

The food is almost always delicious! Stopped dining inside years ago, not sure why maybe the unique parking design is a factor - the row of businesses gives off a quick stop feel at this location.

We actually go here so my kids can get their homework done and get a bite to eat at the same time. It's a very relaxing environment. We love their tomato soup and baguettes. My only complaint is sometimes they have a homeless guy in there with his 2 big dogs. The dogs are very well behaved and the doesnt create any issues at all. But I can see how it would scare people away.

Ordered the Homesttle Chicken Noodle Soup which was a bit salty. The bread was delicious and fresh. The salad was also fresh and crisp.

Haven't eaten at Panera Bread for a while and first time to this store. Great fresh food--particularly like the salad selections, which one cannot find in the area.

Erica Chuvichien

We actually go here so my kids can get their homework done and get a bite to eat at the same time. It's a very relaxing environment. We love their tomato soup and baguettes. My only complaint is sometimes they have a homeless guy in there with his 2 big dogs. The dogs are very well behaved and the doesnt create any issues at all. But I can see how it would scare people away.

Miriam Marquez

Ordered the Homesttle Chicken Noodle Soup which was a bit salty. The bread was delicious and fresh. The salad was also fresh and crisp.

Helen Leung

Haven't eaten at Panera Bread for a while and first time to this store. Great fresh food--particularly like the salad selections, which one cannot find in the area.

Steak Chiabatta Sandwich; Where's the Beef?...low on beef

Service is extremely S-L-O-W here and portion sizes and food taste are not what I expect for the price. The food is pretty to look at, but very bland. Menu items are very innovative and described well, but unfortunately that doesn't translate into the actual culinary experience. Their marketing department needs to get together with their service department and see where the disconnect is.

I went through the drive-thur yesterday. I was coming back from Fresno. I wish I had stop at my favorite Panera in Fresno, but I went to the one in Merced. They didn't ask me for my phone number so I could get points. My mistake was I didn't get my receipt, so I couldn't log in to get my points. Then I get home and they left out the pastry I ordered. This is an ongoing problem for this store. I have left several other reviews similar to this, but there is no change. This store needs new management.

Ordered a salad with some customization for pick up. They brought it out to my car 10 minutes after the time given only after I called into the restaurant, they also did not do the customization. It was fresh, tasted good and they did not skimp on ingredients.3/5

The drive thru takes way too long I don’t think this place can handle the drive thru. It’s better if it’s just inside pickup. Waited in line for 20 minutes behind two cars for a strawberry smoothie.

Kayla Bates

The drive thru takes way too long I don’t think this place can handle the drive thru. It’s better if it’s just inside pickup. Waited in line for 20 minutes behind two cars for a strawberry smoothie.

The food is really good and love that they use all natural ingredients. However, the quantity is quite poor compared to how much it costs. My order has been messed up on many accounts, and the staff is usually not very nice or considerate when it comes to correcting the order. Many times unprofessional attitude and comments have been made by some employees .

Whenever I come here I can always count on them to get something about my order wrong. I order exclusively online so it's no problem on my end they just don't care enough to read the customized section. Usually I just accept the wrong order whether it's the wrong bread, meat, side or even the wrong soup. I recently called because they gave me a completely different sandwich. The manager Jen told me I "miscommunicated" my order but right there on the online receipt was the sandwich I actually ordered. I often see people give up waiting in the drive-thru after ordering and just driving away. This establishment simply doesn't care and it shows

Prices have become totally outrageous. I love eating here, and I have a lot of disposable income, but it's enough to deter me at this point. A salad and a Diet Coke is $20! On what planet does this match the rest of the market when I can eat elsewhere for $10? I could get a salad and soda at a full service restaurant and tip the server for less than $20. I won't be coming back unless prices go down.

The food is ok. I’ve had better food at other paneras. My pizza was on the cold side. It tasted like it was microwaved. The broccoli was also not cooked. The bathrooms were not clean. Service was very slow and not friendly. Acted like they would rather be anywhere else.

Drive through took 25 minutes. Checked my order, was missing my soup, told her about and recieved the wrong soup. Only reason they get 2 stars vs 1 is because the food is good when you actually recieve it..

They are usually good here but sometimes forget things. Ordered two sandwiches and usually I never do this but forgot to order a coffee so I ordered a cold brew at the window. I felt bad so tipped 5 and then discovered my sandwich was completely laying in the bag out of the wrapping. I was going to attempt to eat it but was gross out and asked if they could make another one. They sat us and made us wait a while, so husband had to go inside and pick it up.

Sandwich not double-wrapped, no pickle. Bread gummy from sitting too long (?). Also sandwich mich smaller than normal. What's going on Panera?

This Panera was good when it first opened, but over the years the quality of the food has dramatically declined. Yesterday I got my stand-by mac and cheese through the drive-thru and then when I went to eat it, it was so mushy, cold, and disgusting it was inedible. I was starving, so I tried to force myself to eat it, but I just couldn't. I actually have never done this before, but I ended up taking it back into the restaurant and asking for my money back. They gave me a refund and were apologetic about it. I mean the bread still tastes the same, but that's really the only positive thing I can say. Very disappointing. There's almost never anyone in there these days, and it's at one of the busiest intersections in town. I'm guessing I'm not the only one who has noticed the significant decline in quality. As others have said in their reviews, the drive-thru wait is ridiculous. I'm talking 15 to 20 minutes when there's one or two cars ahead of you.

4/7/2025 Update - Order your coffee ahead of time and wait a few minutes after app says your order is READY. Otherwise your cup and receipt really won't be ready. Also avoid nights; I was approached by 2 beggars 4/4/2025. Coffee was hot and good! WiFi is inoperative. Coffee cup and receipt are crumbled everyday in retaliation for my prior complaints. Manager is argumentative. Definitely not renewing sham sip club. They want me gone; Construtive Eviction. I’m afraid to order food. They could taint it. Again on 3/27/2025 Panera app says order ready everyday but upon arrival it never is and I have to ask where is my order. Never on shelf with receipt. I’m canceling cursed Sip Membership because despite my prior complaint over same issue I’m still abused and treated like a second class citizen. If I want abuse my 12 year old daughter kicks me around at home for free.

Stephanie Martin-Ward

This Panera was good when it first opened, but over the years the quality of the food has dramatically declined. Yesterday I got my stand-by mac and cheese through the drive-thru and then when I went to eat it, it was so mushy, cold, and disgusting it was inedible. I was starving, so I tried to force myself to eat it, but I just couldn't. I actually have never done this before, but I ended up taking it back into the restaurant and asking for my money back. They gave me a refund and were apologetic about it. I mean the bread still tastes the same, but that's really the only positive thing I can say. Very disappointing. There's almost never anyone in there these days, and it's at one of the busiest intersections in town. I'm guessing I'm not the only one who has noticed the significant decline in quality. As others have said in their reviews, the drive-thru wait is ridiculous. I'm talking 15 to 20 minutes when there's one or two cars ahead of you.

Mike Flores

4/7/2025 Update - Order your coffee ahead of time and wait a few minutes after app says your order is READY. Otherwise your cup and receipt really won't be ready. Also avoid nights; I was approached by 2 beggars 4/4/2025. Coffee was hot and good! WiFi is inoperative. Coffee cup and receipt are crumbled everyday in retaliation for my prior complaints. Manager is argumentative. Definitely not renewing sham sip club. They want me gone; Construtive Eviction. I’m afraid to order food. They could taint it. Again on 3/27/2025 Panera app says order ready everyday but upon arrival it never is and I have to ask where is my order. Never on shelf with receipt. I’m canceling cursed Sip Membership because despite my prior complaint over same issue I’m still abused and treated like a second class citizen. If I want abuse my 12 year old daughter kicks me around at home for free.

Really bad service. I placed an order on the app for drive thru pickup and it wasn’t ready when I got to the place even though it marked ready on the app. I had to wait an additional 25 minutes and go through the drive-thru again to get my food. On top of that I tried calling the manager to complaint and I just kept getting hung up on. Bad place. Never ordering from this location again.

Im customer over 6 years and been a lot Panera locations all around California with my service dog. Never experienced a discrimination to me and my service dog and too disrespectful attitude from any panera employee but this location assistant manager! I will open a lawsuit against her and someone have to explain to me why i have to drink my coffee and eat my food in my car instead of inside. Worst!!!!

I just ordered from here and was supposed to receive a free cookie for signing up on the app. Well, the receipt shows cookie but I didn't get it in the bag. Is this a restaurant where we have to constantly check if our order is correct like a McDonald's drive thru order?

ordered a pick up gave them 30 extra mins said it was ready and they hadn’t even done my order. just got bagels asked for them toasted and werent. was served spoiled cream cheese once here already and called said i couldn’t do anything about it. skip this panera location.

This location takes forever to get your order ready, if you’re limited on time don’t even bother I spent 15 mins on Drove Thru waiting for a salad

Staff here are incredibly rude and disrespectful. It’s one thing to not know how to do your job yet but it’s another thing to cut the customer off several times without apologizing once just to turn around and have a conversation with another employee, that could have waited a moment or checked for herself. Not sure how someone can be so out of touch with respect or common decency.

I rarely come here because it always looks busy bit I ended up downloading the app because a friend told me about their rapid pick up. Well I ended up getting a reward for the month that consists of a free daily bagel. So I ordered my bagel with a tub of cream cheese and about 10 minutes I was there to pick up my order and it wasn't on the shelf so I waited about 7 more minutes while there were people standing around before I had to ask someone about my order. When the lady goes around the corner and pulls my receipt she apologizes and mentions how it just printed out for some reason. She gives me my bagel and cream cheese and of course I walk out and realize it's not a tub like I originally ordered, it's an individual. I go back and tell her, she apologizes and trades the individual for the tub and I'm on my way... the next day I ordered a little earlier and showed up after about 15 minutes. This time I only had a bagel, I walk in and once again it's not on the pick up shelf. So I wait because this time there were actually a few people ahead of me waiting. About 5 minutes goes by and I get my bagel and leave. I took a little break from going because at this point in wondering what is the point of ordering rapid when there is nothing rapid about it.

HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE!!! I have never been through a drive through that over charged me for my half pick 2 sandwich the menu says something different than what they actually charge you when you pay. I brought that to there attention and all they said was the “menu was wrong”! I told them to just give me back my 20 bill and they only gave me back the price of the item I got. They literally tried scamming me.. pretty slick there but not so smart! They need to get it together I told the manager and she just said ok we will have a nice day SMH!!! I hope they get fired!!!

Refuses to give silverware. Out of ingredients always. Food cold Rude prep person Told manager but they could not even say they are sorry. Soup the veggies are less than one quarter inch. You can not even see them. Bread hard as a brick. Bad food Bod people. Never go back. Too expensive to get bad food

For average "healthy" food, the price has consistently resend and the quality fallen. The 3 most recent orders I've made have all been messed up in one way or another. Mostly, missing customizations. I can live with that. However, when I'm being charged 8 dollars for a sausage egg and cheese sandwich, with no custom mods, and they forget the sausage.... I'm going to complain. So, save your time, save your money. Go and buy some brioche buns, some eggs, and some sausage. Make your own meals, save your money. And your time. This corporation does nothing but steal and profit on our losses

JT F

For average "healthy" food, the price has consistently resend and the quality fallen. The 3 most recent orders I've made have all been messed up in one way or another. Mostly, missing customizations. I can live with that. However, when I'm being charged 8 dollars for a sausage egg and cheese sandwich, with no custom mods, and they forget the sausage.... I'm going to complain. So, save your time, save your money. Go and buy some brioche buns, some eggs, and some sausage. Make your own meals, save your money. And your time. This corporation does nothing but steal and profit on our losses

Once again the cream of chicken and wild rice soup was watery. It used to be good but now it's all broth. Other locations serve it nice and thick. This location waters it down.

Waited in drive Thur for over 15 minutes for an order that was supposed to be ready with no one greeting me. And still got no order. Called them while waiting said they waiting on the coffee. Best way is to greet and acknowledge your customer don’t leave us hanging outside in the window. Emily was rude over the phone.

Angie Beasworrick

Once again the cream of chicken and wild rice soup was watery. It used to be good but now it's all broth. Other locations serve it nice and thick. This location waters it down.

Patty

This location takes forever to get your order ready, if you’re limited on time don’t even bother I spent 15 mins on Drove Thru waiting for a salad

Blanca Ochoa

Waited in drive Thur for over 15 minutes for an order that was supposed to be ready with no one greeting me. And still got no order. Called them while waiting said they waiting on the coffee. Best way is to greet and acknowledge your customer don’t leave us hanging outside in the window. Emily was rude over the phone.