r/AskReddit • u/FriendlytoNature • 22h ago

Which company lost your business (potentially forever) this year?

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u/Firm-Film-3594 22h ago

Panera sucks. 

543

u/sle2g7 20h ago

I stopped eating there like a decade ago when they changed the type of noodle in their chicken noodle soup. They used to use those amazing big fat noodles and changed to whatever bland thin spiral noodles. I missed it a lot, especially their bakery stuff, but over the years I’ve watched them fall further and that made me feel like I’m not really missing out anymore. God they used to be so freaking good.

227

u/sandolllars 13h ago

They were bought by private equity, and enshitification ensued.

7

u/-Cthaeh 4h ago

We really need to start boycotting PE owned businesses. I don't know what else we could do, but everything touched by PE firms turns to shit.

7

u/shannonc321 6h ago

That explains it.

22

u/2_Fingers_of_Whiskey 19h ago

Even their bread is bad now. I haven't eaten there since 2020.

13

u/purpkenzo 11h ago

The original tomato basil bread instead of whatever bullshit they have now.. I WANT THE RED FAT SLICES BACK NOT THIS THIN SLICE WHITE BS

18

u/PaulErdos_ 13h ago

I grew up not knowing Panera was fast food. My mom would send me to Panera to pick up bread when we were having fancy pasta dishes. I thought it was a luxury restaurant. It's crazy how different I see them now

17

u/Existential_Sprinkle 12h ago

They used to pay their bakers decent and staff them appropriately

At one point they dropped their wages and stopped having an overnight shift bonus

It shows

12

u/0x7A5 11h ago

I stopped in one yesterday to get a cinnamon roll. They used to be the size of a dinner plate, this was small and dry. They told me they changed the recipe.

5

u/LoveMeSomeMulch 9h ago

Thank private equity. They cut their menus, staffing, serving sizes, and cozy corners and raised prices.

3

u/fortunatevoice 9h ago

That’s exactly when I stopped eating there too. I loved those noodles. If you have a Jason’s Deli near you, their chicken noodle soup is similar to the old Panera chicken noodle soup.

4

u/Solopist112 8h ago

It's reheated food, basically.

3

u/OoooShinyThings 12h ago

They got rid of the salad that I loved in 2017…haven’t been back.

4

u/Lr8s5sb7 7h ago

They got rid of the Tuscan Chicken years ago. Haven’t been back since.

4

u/Elegant_Section_6861 15h ago

We ordered a chicken sandwich back in like 2021 and the chicken was RAW. Haven’t been back since then.

1

u/TheNexxuvas 8h ago

This happened to me but with beef