A customer recently captured the attention of over 316,000 viewers with a video criticizing the rising prices at Panera Bread. The video, filmed in a first-person point-of-view from TikToker JD (@notsoroyallife), starkly showcases her dissatisfaction with both the prices and the customer service, resonating with a growing audience sick and tired of the increasing cost of eating out.
“I’m done with Panera,” JD announced in the clip’s text overlay.
In the clip, she reveals the purchase that cost her $32.
“$32 at Panera…this is what you get for $32. I will burn in Hell before I come back to Panera. Doesn’t include coffee,” she says as she pans around her meal, a couple of average, lightly filled sandwiches, some chips, and a coffee.
JD elaborated on the less-than-satisfactory service they received after they were unhappy with their purchase in the caption. “And one of the employees asked if everything was good and I said no and she kept walking,” she wrote.
The video has sparked a conversation among TikTok users about the value proposition of eating out, particularly at fast-food chains like Panera.
One user commented, “Panera in particular has been overpriced for YEARS… Was actually wondering how bad they were now. Nice update!”
Another echoed the sentiment, noting a decline in quality: “Yeah, I agree with you. Panera’s used to be so much better. They used to give you so much more even their pastries are so much smaller.”
JD’s experience at Panera is not an isolated incident but part of a larger trend in the fast-food industry. According to the Labor Department, fast-food prices have jumped 6.2% over the past year. This increase is significant, considering that nearly 50 million Americans eat fast food daily. Experts attribute this rise to the inability of restaurants to maintain low prices amidst soaring labor and food costs.
@notsoroyallife And one of their subpar employees asked kf everything was good and i said no and she kept walking. #panera #panerasucks #badcustomerservice #paneraisgross #costisunreal #paneraistrap #paneraisbad #banpanera ♬ original sound – JD Royal
As a result of these escalating prices, many Americans are rethinking their dining habits. Eating out, once a casual and frequent activity, is increasingly reserved for special occasions or places where the quality justifies the cost.
One commenter remarked, “I don’t eat out anymore unless it’s a night out for pizza or whatever. Prices are ridiculous, and quality is gone.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Panera via email and JD via TikTok comment for further information.
