I really hate to say this because I was genuinely excited for the new Panera location on Broadway in Newark, and I’ve been rooting for it since the start. I’m a frequent customer — I stop by for my morning coffee and breakfast, and I usually grab my lunch early so I don’t have to leave work later. But the quality and consistency have honestly been really disappointing.
More than once, the sandwiches I’ve ordered have been extremely small and put together like a complete hot mess. I kept giving it another try because I understand everyone can have an off day, but at this point, it’s happened every time I’ve ordered. It’s frustrating spending good money and receiving something that looks rushed and poorly made.
Today, the arugula in my salad was almost going bad, and the sandwich portion was tiny. Yesterday I tried getting a bagel and ended up with a muffin instead. And this morning, something as simple as half-and-half wasn’t even available for coffee.
I’m really bummed out because I’ve been rooting for this location, and I want to support it. But experiences like these make it hard to keep going back. I truly hope management takes a closer look at what’s going on, because this place has potential — it just needs more consistency, care, and attention to the basics.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2
Anna Anna
The only good thing i can say about this place is thatvit was clean and their staff was nice and attentive. THE SANDWICH?! Horrible. The chicken was dry. The sauce/mayo was non existant. Came on the wrong bread with out warning. Easily the worst thing I have eaten in a while and I loved Paneras before this. Also, no seating or baked goods on display. NO IN PERSON CASHIER. MUST PAY IN CARD OR ONLINE
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
MAR REY
Horrible customer service. I went in to pick up my order and the staff did not even acknowledge me. Instead they were on their phones and talking to each other the entire time. When I said excuse me I’m here to pick up an order they looked at me as if I was rude for interrupting them. I do not recommend.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Hank Chang
A simple Panera near the Prudential Tower, it has no seating, it's mostly to go orders. The staff was quick and bringing out the order, but when I went to get iced tea, it was in one of those coffee containers and tasted more like coffee than tea. It was also hot - so iced tea on the outside label wasn't really what I received... went back twice and both times the tea was more like coffee. Not what I was looking for.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 4
Amit Das
They are getting worse day by day. look at the size of the half sandwich. They just don't care anymore. Never gonna take breakfast from this one again.
Jade Stone
I won’t be ordering here again I went to pick up my order and there’s people crowding the window where they make the food. So you have workers and customers reaching over food to grab orders. A woman coughed without covering her mouth right in front the window and I was so disgusted. The design of this feature is horrible and I’m sure there’s a lot of cross contamination going on. I’ll never go back.
Yoline Shama
The set up of this location is unsanitary and leaves room for cross contamination . Workers do not change gloves and handle food and machines with the same gloves on. The pick up window is so wide and low that customers can reach over and grab things or worse : contaminate the food. Things are left out in the open and uncovered, the bread soups and baked goods ! Smh !
Jill Shah
Recently opened in Newark. Ordered a pickup. Very clean and hygienic
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Asmodeus
I never leave reviews but I had to this this time. I had a problem with my order just now and usually at other places custom service is a pain to deal with because they waste time and drag problems out. But at Panera my problem was solved very quick and efficiently by manager Jeffery which I appreciate. If you want good food and even better service I HIGHLY recommend you go Panera.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Variety of Breakfast Sandwiches
Ryan Carpenter
Mitch the catering manager was absolutely amazing!
Ever since they opened one in Newark the delivery drivers from DoorDash keeps stealing the orders. This is my second time ordering from them and my order was stolen. When closet Panera bread was in west orange I always received my order now that it’s in Newark I can’t seem to get an order to catch a break. Then go top it off I’m not getting a refund I’m given store credit just for that to go to waste because DoorDash stole the order so now I’m out of money twice with no way of getting any type of justice. I’m out of money and food. Either Panera bread needs to find another delivery drivers or hire their own. Because I will not be ordering from them any time soon since I know from talking to a worker that this happens often and theirs nothing they can do about it. Which is sad…I’m highly dissatisfied with the service and the situation. And my thing is “is Panera bread even reporting these stolen orders to DoorDash in order for the dasher to either stop or lose their privileges on using the app. And my delivery driver was mosies in case DoorDash sees this…somewhere down the line this needs to be addressed.
Service: 1
Kaia Saunders
Have been a few times since they opened and it’s just gotten worse. The food is pretty standard Panera quality food, so no knocks there. If you’re looking for Panera food, you will get Panera food. For Panera prices. It’s really the service and the receipt of the correct items that has been the issue. I work in the building and will place my order in advance for a later pickup, and it is routinely late. The last two times I have received the wrong items (first time was wrong side, second time was wrong soup). The soup is never as warm as it should be. When the board says your food is ready, they are actually still putting it together and is another few minutes. No one working there wants to engage with you and when they do they do with a lot of attitude. I was really excited about Panera opening to add some variety to my workday lunches, but now I know to expect some disappointment when I order from here.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Sylvia Austria
I also had high expectations for this Panera but then again I didn’t it’s literally on broad st u just know they are dirty. For a place that just opened horrible they do not put love in it the food the smallest Panera it literally sucks waited 2 hours for my food it’s cold burnt and mid. If u don’t like ur job quit :)
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Iskinder Mekonnen
I was excited when this Panera opened nearby and had reasonable expectations, but over time, it’s only gotten worse. The music is unbearably loud, with huge speakers on the floor, making it nearly impossible to have a conversation. On top of that, when they mess up an order and miss items, instead of saying sorry and making it right they give you attitude and seem unbothered about it. I’ve even received a completely different item than what I ordered once. To top it off, they don’t allow customers to use the bathroom. I asked for the code right when I picked up my food, obviously, as a paying customer, but was told the restroom was for employees only. I spoke to the manager, who was uninterested and told me the same. Fortunately, I only needed to wash my hands, but this is just another example of poor service.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Jon
Smaller than the usual Panera. It's mainly a order and pickup with no seating. They don't always put the order on the pickup rack so you have to ask them at the window. Annoying thing is that they don't always acknowledge you even if you are 4 feet away. When they are busy with their own things customer pickup can wait is the attitude that I'm getting.
I really hate to say this because I was genuinely excited for the new Panera location on Broadway in Newark, and I’ve been rooting for it since the start. I’m a frequent customer — I stop by for my morning coffee and breakfast, and I usually grab my lunch early so I don’t have to leave work later. But the quality and consistency have honestly been really disappointing.
More than once, the sandwiches I’ve ordered have been extremely small and put together like a complete hot mess. I kept giving it another try because I understand everyone can have an off day, but at this point, it’s happened every time I’ve ordered. It’s frustrating spending good money and receiving something that looks rushed and poorly made.
Today, the arugula in my salad was almost going bad, and the sandwich portion was tiny. Yesterday I tried getting a bagel and ended up with a muffin instead. And this morning, something as simple as half-and-half wasn’t even available for coffee.
I’m really bummed out because I’ve been rooting for this location, and I want to support it. But experiences like these make it hard to keep going back. I truly hope management takes a closer look at what’s going on, because this place has potential — it just needs more consistency, care, and attention to the basics.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2
The only good thing i can say about this place is thatvit was clean and their staff was nice and attentive. THE SANDWICH?! Horrible. The chicken was dry. The sauce/mayo was non existant. Came on the wrong bread with out warning. Easily the worst thing I have eaten in a while and I loved Paneras before this. Also, no seating or baked goods on display. NO IN PERSON CASHIER. MUST PAY IN CARD OR ONLINE
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Horrible customer service. I went in to pick up my order and the staff did not even acknowledge me. Instead they were on their phones and talking to each other the entire time. When I said excuse me I’m here to pick up an order they looked at me as if I was rude for interrupting them. I do not recommend.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
A simple Panera near the Prudential Tower, it has no seating, it's mostly to go orders. The staff was quick and bringing out the order, but when I went to get iced tea, it was in one of those coffee containers and tasted more like coffee than tea. It was also hot - so iced tea on the outside label wasn't really what I received... went back twice and both times the tea was more like coffee. Not what I was looking for.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 4
They are getting worse day by day. look at the size of the half sandwich. They just don't care anymore. Never gonna take breakfast from this one again.
I won’t be ordering here again I went to pick up my order and there’s people crowding the window where they make the food. So you have workers and customers reaching over food to grab orders. A woman coughed without covering her mouth right in front the window and I was so disgusted. The design of this feature is horrible and I’m sure there’s a lot of cross contamination going on. I’ll never go back.
The set up of this location is unsanitary and leaves room for cross contamination . Workers do not change gloves and handle food and machines with the same gloves on. The pick up window is so wide and low that customers can reach over and grab things or worse : contaminate the food. Things are left out in the open and uncovered, the bread soups and baked goods ! Smh !
Recently opened in Newark. Ordered a pickup. Very clean and hygienic
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I never leave reviews but I had to this this time. I had a problem with my order just now and usually at other places custom service is a pain to deal with because they waste time and drag problems out. But at Panera my problem was solved very quick and efficiently by manager Jeffery which I appreciate. If you want good food and even better service I HIGHLY recommend you go Panera.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Variety of Breakfast Sandwiches
Mitch the catering manager was absolutely amazing!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Ever since they opened one in Newark the delivery drivers from DoorDash keeps stealing the orders. This is my second time ordering from them and my order was stolen. When closet Panera bread was in west orange I always received my order now that it’s in Newark I can’t seem to get an order to catch a break. Then go top it off I’m not getting a refund I’m given store credit just for that to go to waste because DoorDash stole the order so now I’m out of money twice with no way of getting any type of justice. I’m out of money and food. Either Panera bread needs to find another delivery drivers or hire their own. Because I will not be ordering from them any time soon since I know from talking to a worker that this happens often and theirs nothing they can do about it. Which is sad…I’m highly dissatisfied with the service and the situation. And my thing is “is Panera bread even reporting these stolen orders to DoorDash in order for the dasher to either stop or lose their privileges on using the app. And my delivery driver was mosies in case DoorDash sees this…somewhere down the line this needs to be addressed.
Service: 1
Have been a few times since they opened and it’s just gotten worse. The food is pretty standard Panera quality food, so no knocks there. If you’re looking for Panera food, you will get Panera food. For Panera prices.
It’s really the service and the receipt of the correct items that has been the issue. I work in the building and will place my order in advance for a later pickup, and it is routinely late. The last two times I have received the wrong items (first time was wrong side, second time was wrong soup). The soup is never as warm as it should be. When the board says your food is ready, they are actually still putting it together and is another few minutes. No one working there wants to engage with you and when they do they do with a lot of attitude.
I was really excited about Panera opening to add some variety to my workday lunches, but now I know to expect some disappointment when I order from here.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
I also had high expectations for this Panera but then again I didn’t it’s literally on broad st u just know they are dirty. For a place that just opened horrible they do not put love in it the food the smallest Panera it literally sucks waited 2 hours for my food it’s cold burnt and mid. If u don’t like ur job quit :)
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
I was excited when this Panera opened nearby and had reasonable expectations, but over time, it’s only gotten worse. The music is unbearably loud, with huge speakers on the floor, making it nearly impossible to have a conversation. On top of that, when they mess up an order and miss items, instead of saying sorry and making it right they give you attitude and seem unbothered about it. I’ve even received a completely different item than what I ordered once. To top it off, they don’t allow customers to use the bathroom. I asked for the code right when I picked up my food, obviously, as a paying customer, but was told the restroom was for employees only. I spoke to the manager, who was uninterested and told me the same. Fortunately, I only needed to wash my hands, but this is just another example of poor service.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Smaller than the usual Panera. It's mainly a order and pickup with no seating. They don't always put the order on the pickup rack so you have to ask them at the window. Annoying thing is that they don't always acknowledge you even if you are 4 feet away. When they are busy with their own things customer pickup can wait is the attitude that I'm getting.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 1
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