Panera or ABC?

[SthrnZeta]

I went to Panera yesterday and Atlanta Bread Co. today. Panera's food was good but the service completely sucked. ABC's food today was ok but the service was WAY better... I think I shall go back tomorrow to try ABC's tomato soup since Panera's is so good but I don't like them right now.

And BTW, Panera is across the street from ABC.

Votes?

[ThetaPrincess24]

most definitely Panera.

[EEKappa]

ABC hasn't made it up to the greater Boston area yet, but I'd heard such great things about that I was excited to see it at the Atlanta airport. Probably not the best place to try it out... I'd still go back to Panera if I had the choice.

Panera's service is really spotty, agreed. But when they have any variation of mushroom soup on special... mmmmm!

[NutBrnHair]

I am totally addicted to the Asian Chicken Salad at Panera. It is fabulous. I'm not much of a salad person, so this is very high praise from me!


Asian Sesame Chicken Salad

All-natural citrus-herb chicken, romaine lettuce, fresh cilantro, sliced almonds, sesame seeds, crispy wonton strips & our reduced-sugar Asian sesame vinaigrette.

[ZTAngel]

ABC for sure. Panera does crazy things to my stomach. I get all crampy and nauseous whenever I eat it. It happens to a few of my friends as well.

[catiebug]

ABC definitely, but I find their soups a bit (okay, a lot!) on the salty side.

[ThetaPrincess24]

Panera is popping up on every major road here in Lexington. There is only one ABC left (and service and food there is hit or miss as is the cleanliness).

[honeychile]

I'd love to try ABC - I've heard great things about it. In the meantime, summer finds me at Panera fairly often, if only because they have outside tables where the puppy lovers can eat!

[Drolefille]

I've only been to ABC once, none around here, but I <3 Panera aka St. Louis Bread Co.

[ThetaDancer]

Originally Posted by ZTAngel

Panera does crazy things to my stomach. I get all crampy and nauseous whenever I eat it. It happens to a few of my friends as well.

This happens to me too. Every time I've eaten there, I've gotten weirdly sick. We don't have ABC here.

Edit: And, I'll agree with texas*princess...huge Corner Bakery fan, too.

[SthrnZeta]

Originally Posted by ThetaDancer

This happens to me too. Every time I've eaten there, I've gotten weirdly sick. We don't have ABC here.

Edit: And, I'll agree with texas*princess...huge Corner Bakery fan, too.

OMG, I totally forgot about Corner Bakery since we don't have them here. They would be lumped in with ABC and Panera too I think, and yes, they rock. I miss them... I'm just still amused that in my town, ABC is literally across the street from Panera. Though ABC was there long before Panera. Yet Paneras seem to be sprouting up everywhere and appear to be gaining popularity over ABC. It remains to be seen if this is a novelty...

[NutBrnHair]

Originally Posted by SthrnZeta

I'm just still amused that in my town, ABC is literally across the street from Panera. Though ABC was there long before Panera. Yet Paneras seem to be sprouting up everywhere and appear to be gaining popularity over ABC. It remains to be seen if this is a novelty...

Amusing? Well, look at Home Depot & Lowes...and Walgreens and CVS or RiteAid -- many are across the street.

Panera is pretty solid -- 57.45 million in earnings last year.

[SthrnZeta]

Originally Posted by NutBrnHair

Amusing? Well, look at Home Depot & Lowes...and Walgreens and CVS or RiteAid -- many are across the street.

Panera is pretty solid -- 57.45 million in earnings last year.

You're absolutely right, and I find that amusing as well. Though, in my experience in commercial real estate, that's kind of the point. We're marketing a property right now to banks because a new bank is being built across the street... Seems silly to me, but I'm not a business owner.

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by NutBrnHair

Amusing? Well, look at Home Depot & Lowes...and Walgreens and CVS or RiteAid -- many are across the street.

I'd often heard you should set up shop within 1/4 mile of your toughest competitor...

[SthrnZeta]

I heart Panera's tomato soup with the asiago cheese croutons, really, I do. BUT when your soda machine continues to pour out Pepsi long after I released the button and your people making the food behind the counter mock the way I said "excuse me" to alert someone that it was broken and soda was going everywhere, (as I'm standing in front of them. And yes, my momma did raise me right, biatch!) then, I'm sorry, I'll take my biznass elsewhere.

This is the incident that happened to me yesterday at Panera, sparking this thread today after I ate at ABC and had a much better experience. And the girls at Panera conveniently forgot my asiago cheese croutons. Bitches.