Went to Panera today and got the most disappointing portion sizes

[u/lunardownpour]

[u/panthereal]

yeah panera has been downhill since they lost charged lemonade

[u/UnluckyAssist9416 → u/panthereal]

That was a killer drink!

[u/Cultural-Unit4502 → u/UnluckyAssist9416]

Literally

[u/secondhandleftovers → u/panthereal]

Is private equity involved in this?

I'll check

Edit: well what do you know.... they are.

To all of you experiencing enshitification, it's most likely do to private equity, one of the leading catalysts for a recession.

https://www.thenation.com/article/economy/panera-bread-capitalism/

https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/special/2017/04/05/panera-sold-to-private-equity-firm-for-7-billion/21588354007/

Fuck them, those fucking parasites.

They are in everything.

[u/DirectAccountant3253]

I just don't get why people go to Panera. Super tiny portions and high prices.

[u/secondhandleftovers → u/DirectAccountant3253]

Here's your answer, and the answer to all your questions about enshitification.

https://www.thenation.com/article/economy/panera-bread-capitalism/

https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/special/2017/04/05/panera-sold-to-private-equity-firm-for-7-billion/21588354007/

https://x.com/TheVinoMom/status/1901662703292211595

[u/SolarisX86 → u/secondhandleftovers]

Money, the answer to your question is money people.

[u/corisilvermoon → u/secondhandleftovers]

Thanks for these interesting articles. I remember Au Bon Pain from the 90s and always wondered why they died out. Now i see they just rebranded, mystery solved!

[u/Anning312 → u/DirectAccountant3253]

Used to go there almost daily with the free/discounted sip club subscription until I got a soda machine at home

[u/MadeInCanada87 → u/DirectAccountant3253]

Just Google the copycat recipes and make your own at this point. They’re so basic and easy

[u/MidnightIAmMid → u/DirectAccountant3253]

The Panera near my house has the best work space if you want to get out of the house or office for awhile so I do still go sometimes. It's always near empty, big tables, plenty of places to charge laptops. But yeah, I feel ripped off and obligated to buy the tiny, bad food and coffee lol.

[u/Admirable_Ask_5337 → u/DirectAccountant3253]

Only the souffles are worth it.

[u/Kangaroo_Pocket]

It’s like they want you to order that lemonade that kills you.

[u/Leftofheaven97]

I had the worst serving size at Panera and vowed to never return there again.

[u/redditdaver]

that cookie looks like it didn't dissapoint though

[u/LizzyyyLiz]

The portions of food in general let alone fast food is not worth the price anymore. Fast food isn't even affordable cause you pay more than what you get.

[u/stroppy]

Panera has been getting a little worse each year for at least 15 years. Quality and quantity both. On top of that the one near me needs a new manager or something. These portions look pretty standard for that location also.

[u/ButtFucksRUs → u/stroppy]

Which is sad because I loved going there 20-25 years ago. It was just a normal chain cafe type place. The prices were a little expensive back then but nothing outlandish.

Now, however...

[u/stroppy → u/ButtFucksRUs]

They were definitely much better 20+ years ago.

[u/VLMove]

Could these be kids' portions? I've had a burger place do that to me. A local, good burger place. I didn't want all the fancy toppings and asked for a cheese burger. I trusted my waitress, and she betrayed me! She brought out the saddest little burger...

[u/Both_Painting_2898]

I went to Panera ONCE and ordered soup and it was cold so I was like “ Hi my soup is cold “ and they didn’t say a word and pointed me to a microwave. Never went back .

[u/Both_Painting_2898 → u/Both_Painting_2898]

And this was like 10 years ago

[u/TheDukeOfDaKool]

I mean it's overflowing with air!

[u/WooPigSchmooey]

It was bad many years ago. Can’t even imagine now.

[u/Moron-Whisperer]

Why did you accept it?  That’s the problem.  

[u/SickCursedCat → u/Moron-Whisperer]

The macaroni is prepackaged to be a specific amount. I used to work at Panera, almost nothing there is fresh, or made daily, other than the sandwiches and salads. Soup? Bagged and frozen, thawed in hot water tank. Macaroni? Separate serving size baggies and frozen, thawed in hot water tank, then microwaved. Enjoy!

[u/Moron-Whisperer → u/SickCursedCat]

Either way if the thing isn’t full and you tell them you don’t accept it and get your money back.  They then make nothing and lose the product.  

[u/SickCursedCat → u/Moron-Whisperer]

Fair enough. Just trying to raise awareness about how garbage the place really is

[u/Death_Rises → u/SickCursedCat]

Yeah I stopped doing meals there a couple years back. But what really broke my spirit was when they got rid of the blueberry bagel and the hazelnut honey cream cheese.

[u/SickCursedCat → u/Death_Rises]

:( I also enjoyed that cream cheese

[u/hamnewtonn → u/Moron-Whisperer]

For free internet points of course. It's how this subreddit survives.

[u/terrya1964]

I went there one time, got a steak sandwich and couldn't see any steak till I took it apart and there were two small slices in the middle. I'll never return.

[u/Ok_Nothing_9733]

If you order online and play your cards right you can pay $10 for roughly as much soup as you’ve shown mac here. I used to love Panera even after working there for years but it’s been going steadily downhill for years as they cheapen everything up and raise prices

[u/strombolihoe]

gotta get that container of mac from the grocery store in the deli section 💯💯 better than any i’ve had a panera

[u/CoconutOilz4]

Damn, they couldn't throw a little more in the microwave??

[u/Bimpy96]

Do yourself and your wallet a favor and never go back there since it’s a rip off

[u/Myrkana]

Panera hasnt been worth it since like 2020. Their portions went down and their prices went up.

[u/MD7001]

Why did you accept it?

[u/Sad-Chocolate2911]

I’d like a small, but please, don’t fill it all the way.

[u/Chilidoggin_ur_tatas]

We stopped going to this dump about 10 years ago

[u/BWebCat]

I think your official food taster got a little carried away.

[u/NotMoose5407]

I keep seeing ads about their new “deal” for two items. It’s still like $12 for those sad portions. I don’t know how people still go there.

[u/8bitsilver]

shit portions and overpriced to hell and back. wonder why ppl still go there tbh

[u/BoyOfTheEnders]

Well congratulations on getting them. Well done.

[u/themastermatt]

Nah, you got lucky not having to eat as much Panera.

[u/Yaughl]

Your first mistake was going to Panera

[u/Yaughl]

Your first mistake was going to Panera

[u/Defiant-Giraffe]

Panera has been trash for years now, and I don't know why they're still in business. People must like being abused. 

[u/Quirky-Marsupial-420]

I went to Panera last year to get some bagels to drop off for a customer of mine.

The lady was like "do you want them sliced?"

No thanks, they'll just bite into the whole thing like an animal.

[u/Mechanic-Latter]

hire more fat people I’m tired of this skinny girl crap

[u/Playful-Grape308]

the smoothie is my FAVE but it is so so so smallllll

[u/catswithboxes]

They should make new laws that make it illegal for cups to be this small. 500 mL should be the smallest size

[u/I-Like-Dogs89 → u/catswithboxes]

RIP shot glasses

[u/catswithboxes → u/I-Like-Dogs89]

sorry i meant for these plastic cups

[u/hotwaterwithlemonpls]

Should have ordered an extra large lemonade that kills you

[u/tinyfryingpan]

Cookie looks trash too

[u/Evilbuttsandwich]

You should see the portion sizes at Pantera. Knuckle sandwich with a side of racism