Panera Bread - Knoxville
Written: Feb 29 '08 (Updated Feb 29 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Food quality, price and speed of service (normally).
Cons: Parking can be an issue.
The Bottom Line: Great food. Great service. Great company. Good prices. Why go someplace else?
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| pkmom's Full Review: Panera Bread |
Service and food quality may vary from restaurant to restaruant. Even chains have variations. This review will contain some general information about Panera but details will be specific to the following location:
Panera Bread
4893 North Broadway Street
Knoxville, TN 37918
Phone: (865) 688-2393
Fax: (865) 688-2153
Panera Bread is one of my favorite restaurants. The dress is casual and the combination of upscale cafe and coffeehouse is unbeatable. You'll find a tantalizing array of fresh baked homemade goodies to tempt you.
On this particular day I stopped in for lunch. It had been a hectic day for me that was filled with nonstop surprises and stress. I need a place that offered a fairly quick lunch with good food and a relaxing atmosphere. Panera Bread delivered all that and more.
You can start to feel the stress drain the minute you walk in. The large ceilings give ample space. The lighting is well done and the decor is in the warm muted earth tones of green, tan and touches of gold and brown. There is a large waterfall that you immediately notice when you walk in. The effect is that of a warm, cozy atmosphere where you can unwind and escape.
Sometimes the noise at the restaurant can be daunting. The free wireless internet makes it a favorite for lunchtime meetings. Kids will also sometimes meet here to pour over laptop computers. But on this day the noise level wasn't bad and it was exactly what I needed.
The food is excellent. It's a basic sandwich shop gone upscale. Lunch is an assortment of sandwiches, salads and soups. The large bread assortment is baked fresh daily as are the dozen or so mile high stacks of desserts displayed in the case. Also on the menu is fresh fruit, Jone's Soda, tea and fountain drinks.
Breakfast is an assortment of bagels or rolls. They also have soufflé’s and a variety of quick grab muffins.
On this particular day I ordered what they call a Pick Two. You get half a sandwich, salad or bowl of soup plus a side item of an apple or bread for $5.99 plus tax.
Normally, the service here is pretty quick. This particular day found school to be closed for the flu and this location was swamped. The crowded parking lot quickly told me that there was a crowd. This Panera Bread is a couple of years old and is a favorite choice for all ages. Even though this location is in a shopping center parking is a challenge on busy days.
The people's preference really showed on this day. The line to order went quickly and smoothly. The kitchen was another story. It took forever to get my order. But when I did get it I was not disappointed.
My choice was the Chicken Frontega sandwich and Broccoli Chicken soup. These were excellent. The sandwich was hot and tasty and came with the usual toppings of tomato etc. The soup was steaming and delicious. I ordered my soup in a ceramic bowl although some people will pay an upcharge to get it in an edible bread bowl instead. My side item of choice was a small cool apple. This I shoved into my purse for later.
Despite being busy I had no problem finding a table. Although you bus your table yourself there was someone cleaning the lobby. She was friendly and was great to offer to help me find a seat. She had just finished cleaning several tables and directed me toward one of them. The whole place looked spic and span despite being busy. It was nice.
She had also been hard at work at the drink fountain area. There was plenty of plastic ware and sweetener for drinks. The napkins and straws were neat and relatively orderly. I was impressed by that. Usually, in a busy restaurant this is the first area to be in complete disarray but not this time.
I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Panera Bread. But there's something else I enjoy. The philanthropy of the company makes it a pleasure to dine here.
The leftover bread is given each day to local charities to distribute to the poor. Cash donations at the register are matched and given to local hunger causes. It makes me feel good to support a restaurant that gives back to the community.
A good product and a good company. That's a combination that will keep me coming back time and time again.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
pkmom
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Reviews written: 96
Trusted by: 6 members
About Me:
Married Mom of two teens.
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