One of the biggest disappointments of traveling throughout Italy, a place many associate with great food, is buying a meat and cheese sandwich only to learn that it’s not packing much.
A Panera customer said they were on the receiving end of this unfortunate phenomenon that had them cracking open their sandwich and wondering, “Where’s the beef?”
Vico (@vicoseven) appears to have re-posted a clip from another user on the app, a woman who wasn’t happy about how much she was getting charged for a sandwich at Panera.
“Woman refuses to pay $6.79 for her meal,” the text overlay reads. “Says it does not have enough meat.”
The woman, who looks into the camera as she records her anti-Panera rant, says, “I’m at Panera the new location in Hampton…I’m not paying $6.79 for that…where’s the meat?”
She flips the camera around and shows the deconstructed sandwich. She counts out about six thin strips of what looks like turkey inside her meal.
“Like where’s the meat? I’m not paying $7 for that, where, like where is the meat? Like this is totally unacceptable, even corporate should know that,” she says to someone off camera, who appears to be a Panera employee.
The worker responds, “It’s a half sandwich ma’am, it’s weighted,” he tells her, but she isn’t satisfied with that response.
“It doesn’t make a difference what $7 for what? What am I paying $7 — for the bread?” she rants.
@vicoseven What do you guys think? #food #expensive #money #save #moneyhacks #fyp #fy #foryoupage #foryou #viral #viral_video #viraltiktok #viralvideo #trending #trendy ♬ Paris – 3Hzwave
“No ma’am, we weigh out the meat,” he reiterates.
“That’s unacceptable. That’s highway robbery,” she says.
The manager tells her that he’s got no issue with giving her her money back: “I’d be happy to refund it back to you ma’am.”
“Thank you, but that’s highway g*dd*mn robbery…Panera y’all know better that’s crazy. I don’t care if you weighing it or not that’s bullsh*t,” she says into the camera as the video closes out.
According to Forbes, Panera has tweaked its menu to not only remix classic offerings, but post new items as part of it, and what a spokesperson for the company has called “enhanced” portions. The outlet penned, “The new dishes feature new salad dressings, meats and cheeses, spice blends and hearty grains, and also promise more meat per bite.”
The piece also included a statement from Debbie Roberts, the company’s COO, who said, “Panera’s New Era is incredibly exciting, not only for our guests, but also our associates, who will be able to renew their focus on our core menu and serve our guests more efficiently with enhanced portions and better value. We are eager to get back to our roots within these core categories and unveil these delicious new menu innovations, all while providing an exceptional guest experience.”
Forbes wrote that the chain’s new menu was supposed to roll out on April 4, 2024, and that in “most markets” the cost of many meals and items would fall under the $10 mark. Judging from the comments section under this TikTok, many didn’t seem enthusiastic about Panera’s wares. It’s unclear whether its in regard to the new menu, however.
“Panera has changed and not for the better,” one person wrote.
“They have gotten ridiculous. They are expensive & portions are seriously small!,” another person said.
Someone else lambasted the meat portions in the customer’s sandwich as looking like “Meat crumbs!!”
Another remarked that they, too, felt as if Panera’s offerings were looking worse and worse: “I’m not gonna lie. PANERA is becoming outrageous with these prices. I used to eat there all the time. Now, once a year, if that.”
“You are right! Panera us charging now $17 for just a Frontega Whole Sandwich in my town! Not even a drink!” someone else said.
For others, this isn’t a problem reserved for just Panera, but restaurants and fast food establishments in general.
“Yep we keep getting ripped off in all fast food places now the food cost more we get less and less and it’s not even good anymore,” a user commented.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Panera via email and Vico via TikTok comment.
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