Panera Bread - East Brunswick

AWFUL EXPERIENCE WITH ONLINE ORDERS!!! ORDER# 803484377: I work in a small office and we usually receive complimentary lunches from a sales representative. We chose to have a soup day and ordered from Panera. Unfortunately, they forgot three of the same soup! I tried calling multiple times, but the calls kept dropping, and no one answered the phone, not even the manager's line. I strongly advise against ordering from here—save your money and choose a different location.

Friendly customer service. Their sip and save membership seems worth it especially if you live or work near a Panera. Also, their pecan braid is delicious. I suggested to leave the sugar syrup outside for customer access, and they did so within aweek. Love them! Changed my review from 4 to 5 stars.

The quality of Panera has declined drastically, and I will not be returning. I ordered the Mediterranean bowl, which I used to love, but it was only half the size it used to be. It contained just four wilted strands of arugula, mostly rice, a lot of unripe tomatoes that had no flavor, and a few pieces of chicken that tasted terrible. I took a few bites and had to throw it away. The chicken broccoli soup tasted like it was microwaved from a can. After living in the South for a couple of years without access to Panera, I was really looking forward to eating there again now that I'm back in New Jersey. Unfortunately, I am very disappointed and have no reason to return. I feel like I wasted my money today, and my stomach hurts from the awful food.

We try to eat at Panera Bread locations whenever we travel, and recently visited the one at East Brunswick Mall. Unfortunately, this location really needs a thorough cleaning and an update; it's clear that it has seen better days. Beyond its uncleanliness, the food here is quite different from what we’ve come to expect at other Panera restaurants. The portion sizes are small, and with the sandwiches, you’re lucky if you get the filling on just one side, leaving only a quarter of the bread with meat. It seems they stretch the ingredients so thin that it barely covers the bread. Additionally, if your salad or sandwich has toppings, be prepared for disappointment. When I inquired about my Fuji salad that was missing the dried Fuji apples, I was informed that they had run out a few days ago and hadn’t restocked yet. This was just one issue among many. Finally, when I asked to speak with a manager, I was told that they had already left for the day.

I ordered a chicken salad sandwich, but there was hardly any chicken in it. This is the first time I've experienced this at a restaurant.