Food Chains "Cooking," WTF Panera Bread?

There is nothing surprising about this.

How stupid are people? Do they think that all the restaurants keep giant vats of everything they serve simmering all day long? Of course it's frozen food that's heated up.

News flash to idiots: the bagels and baked goods aren't made on the premises. There's not a trace of flour, sugar, eggs, shortening or spices in any Panera kitchen.

R2 et al, Do chains have to add extra ingredients and preservatives to their food to keep it fresh?

I am surprised people are surprised.

This is not a joke: if you want a cooked-just-now-and-not-reheated meal, get a McD burger and fries.

It can be made fresh, but you will wait 30 minutes and pay 4 times more.

How do people think they get served so quickly with cheap food.

Sous vide!

They don't even make their paninis on site. They microwave them ready-made, grilled bread and all.

I avoid Panera and its copycat chains.

here's how to get freshly made: ask for no pickles

Re: OP's picture. Is that a loaf of bread full of maggots?

Panera isn't even cheap.

There's a great local restaurant we go to for lunch once a week. Not a huge menu, but everything is locally sourced and made fresh when you order it. Lunch is $5-9 each. Cheaper than Panera, et al.

Every time we go, one of us wonders aloud why anybody goes to chains when there are much better options.