...the plastic packet of frozen mac and cheese is dropped into a boiler, cut open and then poured into a bowl ready to serve...
shocked? not really!
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...the plastic packet of frozen mac and cheese is dropped into a boiler, cut open and then poured into a bowl ready to serve...
shocked? not really!
by Anonymous | reply 79 | October 16, 2019 2:17 PM |
Someone explain Tik Tok to me? Is it like Instagram?
by Anonymous | reply 1 | October 15, 2019 12:17 AM |
R12 There are about 6 other software parasite packages which steal pictures from Instagram.
by Anonymous | reply 2 | October 15, 2019 12:22 AM |
All these big franchises use premade frozen products, that's how they ensure it tastes the same at every location.
by Anonymous | reply 3 | October 15, 2019 12:25 AM |
R3 is clueless
Tik-tok short format video clips, 15 secs, not photos.
by Anonymous | reply 4 | October 15, 2019 12:25 AM |
How do you think Taco Bell heats up your food, you big fat millennial babies? This is fast food, you get what you pay for.
by Anonymous | reply 5 | October 15, 2019 12:27 AM |
I've know this about Panera for years. This is why I never eat their overpriced crap.
by Anonymous | reply 6 | October 15, 2019 12:29 AM |
sorry I mean R2 is clueless, probably never used til tok before, tik tok has no web version, app only, install it and find out yourself, be warned, don't get lost and spend hours watching without knowing
by Anonymous | reply 7 | October 15, 2019 12:30 AM |
When I was a kid, we used to have steak every Saturday night with my dad. He’d get this frozen brick of broccoli and cheese in a bag. We’d drop it in boiling water and then dad would cut it open and put that sloppy orange mess in a split baked potato. We LOVED that fake cheese sauce.
I’ve never set foot in a Panera.
by Anonymous | reply 8 | October 15, 2019 12:31 AM |
we have 3 Dunkin stores here, all donuts are shipped in racks, in fact nothing sold by them are made in store.
by Anonymous | reply 9 | October 15, 2019 12:33 AM |
Why is there all the outrage? Every Panera I go to the employees open up the bags of boiled mac and cheese right in full view of the customers all the time. Is everyone so absorbed in their phones to bother to watch people making their food?
by Anonymous | reply 10 | October 15, 2019 12:36 AM |
Panera, in one breath, says that food is made elsewhere to chefs’ specifications and is sent frozen so it doesn’t have to use preservatives...
And then it fires the employee because she revealed this...
So I guess frozen really is bad
by Anonymous | reply 11 | October 15, 2019 12:38 AM |
R10 we don't have Panera here but I remember you can only see them prepare salad or the soup at the end of pick up counter, the sandwich and Mac n Cheese are prepared inside the kitchen, the view hidden from the customers
by Anonymous | reply 12 | October 15, 2019 12:41 AM |
OP, 90% of [fast food] food is pre-made, especially things like soups. They only heat it up. Otherwise it would not be "fast food."
by Anonymous | reply 13 | October 15, 2019 12:43 AM |
Frau "food"
by Anonymous | reply 14 | October 15, 2019 12:48 AM |
R8 I've never purchased food from Panera either.
by Anonymous | reply 15 | October 15, 2019 12:53 AM |
[quote]Someone explain Tik Tok to me
TikTok is a social media platform where millions of half-naked young men post short videos of themselves or videos with other young men while engaging in homoeroticism. Seriously.
by Anonymous | reply 16 | October 15, 2019 1:58 AM |
All of Starbucks food come in plastic. That’s how people know product cheaply. If you wanna better food experience you need to go to Au Bon Pain. They actually make the croissants in their store.
by Anonymous | reply 17 | October 15, 2019 2:09 AM |
You’re a fucking idiot if you think someone at panera bread is back there grating cheese and boiling pasta to make your $8 mac and cheese slop.
by Anonymous | reply 18 | October 15, 2019 2:14 AM |
[quote] How do you think Taco Bell heats up your food, you big fat millennial babies?
Came to say the same thing. It was 20+ years ago in my college days but I doubt it's changed much. Taco Bell steak, chicken and beef all comes in big frozen bags and then you plopped it into ginormous pots, boiled it and then put it into serving tins.
by Anonymous | reply 19 | October 15, 2019 2:16 AM |
R5, the "babies" are old Republicans like you who lash out at younger people because of jealousy
I doubt anyone posting here is a millennial, anyway
by Anonymous | reply 20 | October 15, 2019 2:21 AM |
This is simply shocking. I'm sure most people were convinced a motherly woman in a flowered apron was behind the scenes grating cheese, making a sauce and breadcrumbs while boiling pasta. Then making a loving mac n cheese casserole (with just the tiniest hint of nutmeng) for her hungry charges, all the while listening to the day to day challenges from the young Panera staff.
So disappointed. Triggered, in fact.
by Anonymous | reply 21 | October 15, 2019 2:29 AM |
R21, lol!
by Anonymous | reply 22 | October 15, 2019 2:30 AM |
Is r21 one of those Republicans who mocks others for being triggered while getting triggered by things like gay marriage?
by Anonymous | reply 23 | October 15, 2019 2:32 AM |
So, you're telling me that my chicken parm from Olive Garden isn't made fresh when I order by an Italian chef?
Are the breadsticks still baked fresh in the restaurant?
by Anonymous | reply 24 | October 15, 2019 2:35 AM |
There's no excuse for not making it fresh, in-store. If they can't do that, they shouldn't be selling it.
by Anonymous | reply 25 | October 15, 2019 2:39 AM |
Nothing I've ever had at Panera seemed freshly made. It's all processed, reheated, etc. At least Chipotle's food is fresh and cooked onsite.
by Anonymous | reply 26 | October 15, 2019 3:14 AM |
[quote]At least Chipotle's food is fresh and cooked onsite.
But tasteless, nevertheless.
by Anonymous | reply 27 | October 15, 2019 3:18 AM |
Oh boy, a food thread. This will run for 568 posts.
by Anonymous | reply 28 | October 15, 2019 3:31 AM |
You mean to tell me that their baked potato soup is not made by a 5-star Michelin chef?
by Anonymous | reply 29 | October 15, 2019 3:33 AM |
Exactly r28. How long before the discussion shifts to fast food making Americans fat and disgusting?
by Anonymous | reply 30 | October 15, 2019 3:42 AM |
[quote] There's no excuse for not making it fresh, in-store. If they can't do that, they shouldn't be selling it.
Sure, they can do that. If you'd like to pay $20-25 for the same serving, you can have all fresh materials AND have someone make it for you.
by Anonymous | reply 31 | October 15, 2019 3:45 AM |
I will reheat my own frozen meals in the comfort of my own home, thank-you!
by Anonymous | reply 32 | October 15, 2019 3:48 AM |
They make it from BAGS? That's taking recycling a step too far!
by Anonymous | reply 33 | October 15, 2019 4:20 AM |
R33 don't ask how they make their baguettes.
by Anonymous | reply 34 | October 15, 2019 4:46 AM |
OP, R28, Please read the identical thread I posted yesterday.
by Anonymous | reply 35 | October 15, 2019 5:10 AM |
LSA poster who worked at Chipotle's say they also do not make most of their food on the premises.
Bakers do come in to Panera Bread locations after hours to bake the bread and pastries.
by Anonymous | reply 36 | October 15, 2019 5:23 AM |
This is literal violence.
by Anonymous | reply 37 | October 15, 2019 5:26 AM |
I have NEVER understood the hype about Panera. Their shit is bland as hell, yet costs a fortune. I remember I used to have a fat frau supervisor that would always insist we had Panera for any lunch meetings. Nothing special at all. The last time I went was when they tried charging me $10 for a fucking corned beef sandwich! It wasn’t even on special bread - just 2 regular square sized pieces.
by Anonymous | reply 38 | October 15, 2019 5:31 AM |
Isn't this how all the 'sit-down' chains do it too, now? DL fave Olive Garden and the rest of the Darden-y restaurants, Applebee's etc---they just boil plastic bags of pre-made food and plate it up.
Aldi sometimes sells a Sous Vide stick so you can play like you're running your very own Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen at home!
by Anonymous | reply 39 | October 15, 2019 5:41 AM |
[quote]This is literal violence.
Thank you!
by Anonymous | reply 40 | October 15, 2019 5:49 AM |
Panera commercials are gross. Nobody likes to see people slurping, chomping, and licking their fingers.
by Anonymous | reply 41 | October 15, 2019 6:05 AM |
I don't think that people are necessarily upset about the re-heated frozen mac and cheese.
I think we're more upset that Panera brands itself as some absolutely fresh and organic type of "health food" restaurant, and they use that marketing to justify charging outrageous prices.
That's what really pisses people off.
by Anonymous | reply 42 | October 15, 2019 6:24 AM |
well, then I have to say Panda Express prevails!!! All their food are cooked fresh in the restaurant, vegetable, meat, rice, noodles...Or Asian food in general, reheated frozen entrees or side dishes just don't work.
by Anonymous | reply 43 | October 15, 2019 6:26 AM |
they made commercials saying that are clean. Just fresh ingredients used. They lie.
by Anonymous | reply 44 | October 15, 2019 6:30 AM |
The fat Fraus/Karens will be out in full force today gorging on Panera mac & cheese in protest of the young slender woman of color that pointed out it's just an over priced tv dinner.
by Anonymous | reply 45 | October 15, 2019 6:37 AM |
I'm sorry, how the fuck did people assume it was made? An Eye-tie standing there making fresh pasta and a cow being milked at the location to make the cheese? It's fucking Panera, not Per Se.
by Anonymous | reply 46 | October 15, 2019 6:47 AM |
It's fat white women wasting money to pay for the privilege to reheat their Stouffer's mac & cheese.
by Anonymous | reply 47 | October 15, 2019 6:50 AM |
They should've fired that hipster cunt that talks in their commercials instead.
Her voice is as irritating AF
by Anonymous | reply 48 | October 15, 2019 6:53 AM |
Most restaurants serve mac and cheese from plastic tubs. It is so beyond foul.
by Anonymous | reply 49 | October 15, 2019 7:00 AM |
What's funny about this story is that you always hear rich food snobs making snarky and nasty comments about Diners and Greasy Spoons, being unhealthy and gross, but they're the only ones who are actually making affordable food, from scratch.
by Anonymous | reply 50 | October 15, 2019 7:02 AM |
fwiw, I worked as a cook at TGI Fridays back in the 90's and they did make their cheese sauces from scratch. If you ordered an alfredo pasta, the sauce was literally made to order in an iron skillet with just butter, parm and heavy cream. The pasta itself was cooked in advance daily by the prep cooks, lightly tossed in oil, portioned and refrigerated.
They didn't have mac & cheese on the menu at the time, but the closest thing would be their au gratin potatoes. Again, the prep cooks literally made bechamel sauce for them from scratch daily.
by Anonymous | reply 51 | October 15, 2019 7:04 AM |
I don't know why anybody would go to these massive chain restaurants expecting freshly-prepared food on the spot.
by Anonymous | reply 52 | October 15, 2019 7:07 AM |
I grew up in a New England town surrounded by quite a few prestigious colleges. There were always a large number of independent restaurants of various cuisines that catered to wealthy residents and visitors, and over the years I knew several people who worked at some of them. I was surprised to learn that a lot of dishes came from a box, frozen, and the kitchen simply heated it up to serve it to customers. I had assumed everything was made fresh and from scratch, but that definitely was not always the case.
I have lived in NYC for 20 years now, and I have heard the same here and there, but usually it's true of things like french fries, bread for sandwiches, and sometimes desserts. Some items are outsourced and brought in, because it's simply not economical for the restaurant to make them from scratch, on site, given limited kitchen space.
So, no, this does not surprise me about Panera. But you never really know what might be coming out of a frozen box or bag, even at a trendy, independent restaurant that definitely wouldn't be considered "fast food," either.
by Anonymous | reply 53 | October 15, 2019 7:09 AM |
That's the thing, R51. It's so easy to make an alfredo or a white sauce from scratch.
However, Panera uses frozen products, because they're cheaper to buy in bulk. And I'm sure that there are preservatives in their mac and cheese, otherwise, it wouldn't keep.
So Panera's "healthy food" advertising is just total bullshit.
by Anonymous | reply 54 | October 15, 2019 7:10 AM |
R51 here, sorry forgot to add, their broccoli & cheese soup, and cream of chicken and artichoke soup was also made from scratch. As well as their baked artichoke dip.
by Anonymous | reply 55 | October 15, 2019 7:11 AM |
[quote] I have lived in NYC for 20 years now, and I have heard the same here and there, but usually it's true of things like french fries, bread for sandwiches, and sometimes desserts. Some items are outsourced and brought in, because it's simply not economical for the restaurant to make them from scratch, on site, given limited kitchen space.
You just reminded me about something I saw on the Food Network's "Great Food Truck Race."
Some of the food trucks made things like chili cheese fries, etc., and instead of using fresh cut fries, the cooks would use frozen fries or tots. Or they would use packaged salads or cole slaw mix for their salads and slaws. It was all about saving time and money.
So even though people think that food trucks make their dishes fresh and from scratch, that's not always the case.
by Anonymous | reply 56 | October 15, 2019 7:19 AM |
From the comments:
[quote]If you want to dine on macaroni made with a stand mixer and fresh cheddar cheese, then make it at home or have it delivered from a full-service restaurant.
In what part of the process do you require a stand mixer to make macaroni and cheese?
by Anonymous | reply 57 | October 15, 2019 7:28 AM |
[Quote]I'm sorry, how the fuck did people assume it was made?
Hmm, if you go to local family owned Italian restaurants and not chain restaurants a lot, it is easy to assume the pasta is made fresh in the kitchen. This really is an American and fast food thing. If you go to a normal (Italian) restaurant anywhere in Europe, all the food is made fresh in the kitchen. And it doesn't cost a fortune either.
by Anonymous | reply 58 | October 15, 2019 8:14 AM |
Would any of the Applebees offerings be made from scratch?
by Anonymous | reply 59 | October 15, 2019 8:19 AM |
You can get the same portion of mac and cheese for a third of the price and with much more flavor with the Bob Evans mac and cheese they sell at the grocery store.
by Anonymous | reply 60 | October 15, 2019 8:47 AM |
Do people really not know how to cook these days? Man 'n cheese is one of the easiest dishes to make.
by Anonymous | reply 61 | October 15, 2019 8:49 AM |
[quote]Man 'n cheese is one of the easiest dishes to make.
All it takes is time.
by Anonymous | reply 62 | October 15, 2019 10:12 AM |
TikTok is owned by the Chinese. I wouldn't give them your information, Gen Zers.
by Anonymous | reply 63 | October 15, 2019 10:53 AM |
But R63, knowingly or unknowingly, you gladly hand all your information to Google, Apple, Amazon, Verizon, ATT, Xfinity... and Instagram/Facebook which then sold your information to Cambridge Analytic to help get Trump elected.
Not Chinese not Russian, all "American" companies are the ones you really need to worry about and keep an eye on.
by Anonymous | reply 64 | October 15, 2019 12:04 PM |
At least we know this is unique to Panera Bread and not industry-standard.
by Anonymous | reply 65 | October 15, 2019 12:22 PM |
[quote]Do people really not know how to cook these days? Man 'n cheese is one of the easiest dishes to make.
Man and cheese? I don’t believe I’ve had that before. Does a man lay on a dish holding a chunk of cheese?
by Anonymous | reply 66 | October 15, 2019 12:25 PM |
Panera - where fat white women go to have someone reheat their stouffer's mac and cheese, while their husbands are away at work and their kiddos are off at school.
by Anonymous | reply 67 | October 15, 2019 12:30 PM |
I was a waiter at the El Fenix mexican chain (Texans will know this place) in college.
This was in the 80's during the "sizzling fajitas" trend. We'd bring the hot plate of meat out, set it on the table, pour a cup of liquid on the meat and it would sizzle and pop and the patrons would go, "Ohhh!"
I always assumed the liquid was run off grease from cooking the meat (yes they actually grilled it). But wondered why it was never hot.
One day I noticed one of the cooks in the kitchen pouring a whole tray of cups of this liquid, which came out of a big plastic gallon container. It was clear and flavorless. One of the managers eventually told me what it was. I can't recall the name of the chemical, but she said it was the same thing they used in Pop Rocks candy.
by Anonymous | reply 68 | October 15, 2019 12:51 PM |
I'd rather have Stouffer's frozen mac 'n cheese than Panera any day.
by Anonymous | reply 69 | October 15, 2019 1:03 PM |
[quote]Hmm, if you go to local family owned Italian restaurants and not chain restaurants a lot, it is easy to assume the pasta is made fresh in the kitchen.
I think we all know that, Poindexter. This wasn’t a “local family owned restaurant,” though, it was indeed a chain restaurant, and you’d have to be as dumb as a bag of hair to confuse one for the other.
Hmm.
by Anonymous | reply 70 | October 15, 2019 2:14 PM |
[quote]In what part of the process do you require a stand mixer to make macaroni and cheese?
Maybe if you made the pasta dough from scratch you could do it in a stand mixer. That's the only thing I could think of.
by Anonymous | reply 71 | October 15, 2019 3:00 PM |
Trader Joe's mac 'n cheese is just as good as Panera's, and it costs far less. They both come frozen.
by Anonymous | reply 72 | October 15, 2019 4:44 PM |
R64 nice try, but there is a HUGE difference between a democratic nation with checks and balances and oversight than a repressive Chinese regime that controls everything and has no accountability. So yes, be worried about Chinese companies reporting directly to the government whenever the government decides to use their data for nefarious purposes.
by Anonymous | reply 73 | October 15, 2019 4:46 PM |
It's not just fast food places such as Panera, fancier places also do this but it's a practice that is more common is fast food joints where getting the food to the customer quickly is the more important than taste.
by Anonymous | reply 74 | October 15, 2019 4:57 PM |
I think the food threads are so popular here because everyone is so hungry. They probably cut pictures of desserts and tape them to the wall-then drink lots of water.
by Anonymous | reply 75 | October 15, 2019 5:04 PM |
... or because everyone has to eat. It's a worldwide phenomenon
by Anonymous | reply 76 | October 15, 2019 5:16 PM |
EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW, R62
by Anonymous | reply 77 | October 15, 2019 6:20 PM |
r12- We have like 3 Panera stores in a 5 mile radius and they all have pots along the counter where they heat up the soups, broths and macs. I always watch people making my food.
by Anonymous | reply 78 | October 16, 2019 2:17 PM |
Yes indeed, we too use "cookies." Take a look at our privacy/terms or if you just want to see the damn site without all this bureaucratic nonsense, click ACCEPT. Otherwise, you'll just have to find some other site for your pointless bitchery needs.
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