Throughout my life, I have gone to Panera plenty of times because they have so many convenient locations. Also, when I heard that Panera donated around $100 million to charities dedicated to fighting hunger it warmed my heart. 

Panera claims to be a “fast casual restaurant” and I agree because they definitely are not just a fast food place, but they are still fast and not a restaurant that you would need to dress up at. 

Panera is filled with different options. They have all different types of soups and macs along with sandwiches of all different varieties. They also have salads for anyone that is looking for some healthier foods on the menu. 

Not only do they have lunch and dinner, but serve breakfast as well. Breakfast can consist of breakfast sandwiches, strawberry banana smoothies, Frozen Strawberry Lemonade Smoothies, Mango Smoothie, Strawberry Smoothie, and many different options of parfaits. The best part about the breakfast is that it is open up until 10:30 am, so if you have a late start to your day, you can always quick stop by and grab something to eat.

I have found my go to lunch is the regular Mac and Cheese Bowl, which comes with a free baguette on the side. This is definitely my favorite meal on the menu because everything about it is so delicious. The cheese is so yummy and the shape of the noodles allows for it to capture so much cheese. Then with the leftover cheese, the baguette can be used as a sponge to get the last of the cheese and it tastes darn good. 

Sometimes food gets boring, so the pick two option can be a lifesaver. The pick two option allows you to choose two of the following options, cup of soup or mac, half salad, and half sandwich. I usually get a cup of mac and cheese and half a sandwich. 

Panera has never let me down food wise, however, there have been plenty of times that I have gone and the tables have been messy. Panera can get quite busy and the employees can’t always keep up with them, so the tables may have some crumbs on it from whoever sat there before.  

Also, Panera’s prices are high. For example, if you just get a mac and cheese bowl three times a week, you are spending $10 each time, so you're already spending $30 on food in that week. I would just rather spend my money on stuff other than food. The quality of the food is very good and at first glance, it doesn’t seem like there is a lot of food on your plate, but trust me, it’s plenty. So the prices are set at a pretty fair price, it would just be very nice if they were a little lower. 

Based on all my experiences with Panera, I would definitely recommend it to someone who is just passing by and wants some delicious quick food to stop by and grab something quickly. Or, if you need a place to study and are more comfortable in a public environment, Panera is a perfect place to stop by, get some work done, and get filled up.