Panera: Start with bread.
Start with bread. ( Katrina Andaya)
Panera Bread rolled out their newest location in Mission Viejo, with a grand opening Monday, September 3, 2012.
The new Panera Bread, located on Marguerite and Estanciero is both a bakery and café, great for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They offer a variety of food from bagels, sandwiches, Panini’s, soups and salads, to pastries, coffee drinks and smoothies.
“There’s a wide range (of food). I’m on a health kick right now!” Expresses Saddleback College student Maddie Sperry, 22.
The company strives to provide fresh food to its customers with low calorie options and healthier food alternatives. Key word being: fresh.
Jenny Lynch, Sales and Marketing Manager, explains, “Our bread is baked fresh daily. The baker comes in the middle of the night from 7p.m.- 7a.m.”
All the left over bread of the day is then donated to food shelters and pantries. The bread at this location is donated to Saddleback Church’s food pantry.
The restaurant gives off a mellow, coffee house kind of vibe and even offers free Wi-Fi, as well as a free microwave set up in the front for it’s customers.
“I could definitely come here and study,” Mary Geers, a senior at Capo Valley High School, said.
“It was a really light lunch. Not heavy. The fact that they offer Wi-Fi is good,” Kalisha Ferris, current Saddleback College student, said.
The company kicks off their new celebration of the fall with new menu items such as the Pumpkin Pie Bagel and Roasted Turkey & Avocado BLT.
Restaurant hours are Monday to Friday from 6:00 a.m. -9:00 p.m., Saturday from 7:00 a.m. -9:00 p.m., and Sundays from 7:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.
This Panera is a sit down restaurant, equipped with an outside patio where you order your food at the cash register, and it is brought to your table by one of the employees. You can also order food to go, as well as call ahead of time and put in a takeout order.
They also offer catering as well. You can log onto www.paneracatering.com for more information on catering.
For more information on Panera Bread, to check out their menu, and information on other locations you can log onto www.panerabread.com.
( Katrina Andaya)
Saddleback College students Kalisha Ferris and Maddie Sperry chatting over lunch at Panera Bread. ( Rachel Schmid)