Disappointed Panera Bread orders have been popping up more often on social media over the last couple of years. Once seen as premium health food, this activity has altered the public's perception of the brand.
Customers seem mostly dissatisfied with the portion sizes compared to the prices, though some have also criticized the service and overall food quality.
In a TikTok video that’s now been viewed over 432,400 times, creator Alysha Nelle (@alysha_nelle) added her own complaint to the mix.
In it, she shares her frustration after ordering a Caesar salad from Panera.
What’s wrong with her Panera order?
The video starts with a close-up of the salad itself, which looks small, sparse, and a little sad—just a few croutons and chicken pieces spread across the top.
“Dear Panera,” Nelle says in the caption overlay, “charging $10 for this Caesar salad is absurd.”
But that wasn’t even the worst part, according to her.
She then picks up the two small sauce containers—each barely filled halfway with dressing.
“What’s even more absurd is the amount of dressing you put in your cup,” Nelle adds.
She also tagged the restaurant itself in the caption of her video, writing, “Panera Bread, be for real….”
Has Panera Bread addressed the complaints?
While the company hasn’t directly responded to individual customer complaints, Panera Bread has made a few changes aimed at improving the customer experience.
Last year, the chain completely overhauled its menu—adding nine new items and making “recipe enhancements” to 12 existing ones, according to CNN.
It also rolled out a few limited-time promotions, like a $1 soup deal for customers who purchased a full entrée.
Still, judging from online commentary, not everyone was thrilled. Some Reddit users complained about their favorite menu items being removed, while one vegetarian user pointed out that the only options left were “the unhealthy ones.”
And while the brand might be tweaking recipes and promotions, many customers say the real issue—portion sizes for the price—still hasn’t been addressed.
More Panera Bread criticism in the comments
In the comments, several viewers echoed Alysha’s frustration and shared their own reasons for ditching Panera.
“Panera is just expensive hospital food,” one user wrote. “Can’t convince me otherwise.”
Another added, “Why are people eating there? I stopped a decade ago.”
Others said the drop in quality has been a slow decline over the years. “Panera was soooo good like 10–15 yrs ago. WHAT HAPPENED,” someone asked. “The lemonade was so [fire emoji]. I used to pop in just for that sometimes. It’s water now. Just a total miss.”
@alyshaaaaaaaa55 @Panera Bread be for real….
♬ original sound - alyshaaaaaaaa
The Daily Dot has reached out to Panera Bread via email and Nelle via TikTok messages for comment.
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