Once My Family’s Go-To Lunch Spot, These 6 Factors Made Me Break Up with Panera

For many years, my family and I idolized Panera. We went there every chance we got. They had such a huge selection and everything they made was so tasty. Whether we wanted a sandwich, a warm cup of soup, or an after-meal dessert, Panera had it. They also have great food for kids. However, when I started telling people about my love for this restaurant, they started to turn me onto some dark facts. Well, long story short, we decided to break up with Panera.

The more you look into the restaurant, the less there is to like. It starts with the fact that the food is not as fresh as we originally thought. Then, there is the fact that many of the items on the menu are loaded with sodium and calories. We'll let you decide for yourself. Check out this list before you head there for your next meal.

The first reason why I decided to break up with Panera is due to the calorie content of much of their food. Many of the menu items have more than 1,000 calories. That's dangerous because an overabundance of calories can lead to obesity and chronic health problems like hypertension and diabetes. One of the biggest culprits is the Bacon Mac & Cheese Bread Bowl, which has 2,000 calories and 40 grams of fat. Eat it sparingly.

It's important to read the nutrition information before you order because there are other meals that are loaded with calories. For instance, the Toasted Italiano sounds romantic until you realize that it has over 1,200 calories. Another calorie bomb is the Ciabatta Cheesesteak, which has just over 1,000 calories. These are sandwiches that should be avoided if you are watching your figure. If anything, eat them in moderation.

Another reason to break up with Panera is the high sodium content found in many of their popular menu items. It's essential that you monitor and limit your sodium intake, or you could have serious health issues, including high blood pressure, kidney issues, stroke, and an increased risk of various types of cancer. Doctors recommend no more than 2,300 mg of sodium a day. To put that into perspective, one Panera item, the Bacon Mac & Cheese Bread Bowl, has 2,560 mg of sodium. That would put you over your daily maximum, so be careful.

There are various other items on Panera's menu that you should beware of if you're trying to watch your sodium intake. In addition to containing a lot of calories, the Toasted Italiano also has over 3,300 mg of sodium. There's also the Grilled Chicken & Avocado BLT. It seems healthy, but it does contain over 1,800 mg of sodium. Another sandwich, the Ciabatta Cheesesteak sandwich, also has over 1,800 mg of sodium. Finally, the Bacon Turkey Bravo Sandwich contains 2,800 mg of sodium. These are just a few of the culprits. Consult the menu before you order.

One of the major reasons why I decided to break up with Panera is because I did some research and discovered that the food at the restaurant is not as clean and fresh as I thought. One item in particular, their Mac & Cheese, caught my eye. A former employee on TikTok revealed that the popular dish was originally prepared offsite. While there, it's frozen and is then sent to the restaurants. Panera claims that they do it to avoid preservatives, but they should probably tell the customers.

The Mac & Cheese is not the only frozen foe. If you order any soup at the restaurant, you can rest assured that it will be tasty, but it won't be made from scratch. Research into the restaurant shows that boxes of premade and pre-packaged soups get to the restaurant in a frozen block and then are prepared from there. Again, Panera says they do this to avoid unnecessary preservatives. The soup will still be tasty, but don't let them tell you that it's made fresh from scratch.

Many of the items at Panera contain bread in some form, so it can be alarming when we learn that the prep of some bread is not what we expected. Let's start with the bagels. It turns out that they have a different texture because they're not boiled like traditional bagels. Instead, they are steamed. Boiling is what gives bagels their distinctive taste. Steaming is easier and faster, but they're not as chewy and not as good.

While the bread is fresh enough by restaurant standards, it's not as fresh as the company may make you believe. Like many other menu items, the bread dough is made offsite by another company, and then it's sent to Panera for your sandwich. Granted, the bread is still perfectly suitable. However, the bakers aren't making the bread from scratch in the kitchen, so don't be tricked into thinking it is.

Okay, it's not that old, but some of these facts about the food may surprise you, starting with the soup. Back in 2018, a former employee made some surprising statements on Reddit. They said that at the end of the shift, they would take the leftover soup, put it in huge bags, and sit it on ice so it could be used again the next day. If you had day-old soup, you probably didn't realize, but if you are someone who is skittish about things like that, then you may want to go to Panera later in the day when the old soup has run out, and you can get a fresh cup.

While I used to go there all of the time, I decided to break up with Panera when I realize that their desserts weren't as fresh as they used to be. Back in the day, Panera used to hire bakers that would work overnight. They would prepare the desserts so that customers who went to the restaurant first thing in the morning would get fresh treats. However, many locations have ended that overnight process so most desserts are prepared earlier the night before. Again, not the end of the world, but if it bothers you, then you may stop going to Panera.

Finally, the straw that broke the camel's back when it came to eating Panera was the stories I heard about some of the beverages they serve, especially the tea and lemonade beverages. Some past Panera employees have come forward and admitted that the staff often forgot to clean the tea and lemonade machines, sometimes for so long that mold started to form. It's not that Panera has a lax cleaning routine. They don't. However, for some reason these particular machines are often neglected. If your tea or lemonade doesn't taste great, ask for another.

Back in 2023, Panera faced lawsuits after it was discovered that their special beverages called "Charged Lemonades" contained more caffeine than was advertised. Apparently, the drinks contained a caffeine level that was equal to seven cans of Coca-Cola or 2 3/4 cups of coffee. While some people appreciated the boost, there were cases of people with medical conditions dying or facing medical issues due to the high caffeine levels. The drink was removed from the menu, but it was still a scary situation.