Panera Bread - Southern Pines

I had a wonderful experience with the French onion soup accompanied by a roast beef sandwich from the "you pick 2" option. The bread served alongside is always fresh and ideal for dipping in the soup! We also tried the broccoli cheddar soup, which was reported to be excellent. Overall, I would give the food a perfect 5 out of 5!

I received cold soup, a burnt bagel that was missing the cream cheese I paid for, and there were no utensils or side bread included. The manager seemed careless. I really wonder how difficult it is to fulfill basic everyday orders.

I don't understand the high ratings for this restaurant; perhaps the morning and afternoon service is better. My evening experiences have been disappointing. I've visited twice in the evenings, and both times I found the service, staff attitude, and coffee quality to be lacking. I noticed they had bread and croissants available, but when I asked to buy one, they told me they were out. I walked in at 7:50 PM, and the place is supposed to close at 9:00 PM. It seems they start neglecting customers more than an hour before closing time.

The food was excellent, and the warm Green Goddess sandwich alongside the soup was just what I needed on a chilly day. The restaurant was bustling, but they only had two self-order tablets available, both of which were working. Though there was a mix-up with my order, it was promptly addressed, and we were allowed to keep the incorrect item since they don't accept food returns. However, the dining area could have benefited from better upkeep—it had missing cup lids, overflowing trash cans, and tables that weren't cleaned. This appeared to be due to a lack of staff.

Over the past few months, I've ordered from this restaurant five times, and each time, they've forgotten something. When everything is right, the food tastes great, but overall, it's been one of the most inconsistent dining experiences I've had in Aberdeen.