TINHBNL: Panera Bread
This post kicks off a new, hopefully recurring, theme I have been wanting to tackle for a while. A few months ago I noted a growing list of things that fell into the category of Things I Needlessly Hated, But Now Love.
For whatever reason I decided to write many things off at first observation, but once I gave them a chance it turns out I was completely wrong to denounce them in the first place. This pattern of behavior is fairly common in human society. We typically do not like change, and sometimes we avoid things based upon senseless reasoning. Hopefully through this series I will promote the detection of this behavior and encourage people not to engage in it themselves. If that fails, at least people can ridicule me for a wide variety of topics on which I was wrong.
The first Thing that I Needlessly Hated But Now Love is popular lunch destination, Panera Bread. For a long time I refused to eat at a such a place. Panera definitely has a stereotype associated with it of yuppie socialites paying ridiculous prices to eat fancy baguettes. It turns out the yuppie part is mostly true. However, the baguettes are very tasty, particularly the whole grain variety.
In any case, I did not want to be a Panera guy. I did not want to wear sweater vests and talk politics over $13.00 of bread and coffee. Along the way I learned to appreciate the sweater vest, but that is irrelevant to this particular collection of thoughts.
When a group suggested Panera for a dining option, I instead would visit nearby Wendy’s with like-minded individuals from the aforementioned group and indulge in the 99 cent menu. Not only was I willingly participating in group secession (Lincoln frowns heavily on this), but after a couple cheeseburgers, fries, nuggets (with honey mustard please), and a Frosty the cost argument became irrelevant.
So after about five years of Panera denial for really no reason, I finally gave it a shot last summer. It was close to work, making it a viable candidate for my lunch break on days when I did not arise early enough to pack myself a lunch (read: often).
“I’ll have the You Pick Two, with a Chipotle Chicken Sandwich, the Chicken Noodle Soup, and a whole grain baguette.”
I am not sure if it was the first order I made or not, but that is the one that guaranteed I was coming back. The Chipotle Chicken Sandwich singlehandedly broke any mental barriers I had built up against Panera Bread and its clientele. Now they had me right where there wanted me. A few Cinnamon Crunch Bagels later and I was hooked for life.
After denying myself the satisfaction of a healthy and what I consider reasonably priced meal for years, I now visit Panera with no hesitation. It is higher quality food than fast food restaurants, both in taste and nutrition. And do not worry, the sweater vests are only optional. I needlessly hated Panera Bread, but now I love it.
18 Comments
i love panera bread and i go the youpicktwo with a caesar salad and chicken noodle soup. actually panera is very high in calories, a common misconception. granted it may be less then a triple bacon chee – but by no means are you eating a very healthy lunch.
next topic. mario strikers.
I love Panera Bread as well. My favorite is the Turkey Bacon Bravo, and the Baked Potato soup. There are countless things you hate for no reason (…Radiohead), then once you actually give them a chance you love them.
Next topic: How you hated Xane, and still hate him.
There are a lot of things for this category, which is why I am hoping to make this a series of posts so people can avoid the same mistakes I made. You two suggested Strikers and Radiohead which are two definite candidates. The problem is if I change my ways and stop needlessly hating things at first, I won’t have anything else to write for TINHBNL.
Justin, I glad to hear you’re expanding your horizons. Now… let’s talk about McDonalds.
Next: MySpace.
After that: Tom Brady.
I hate Panera. I’m posting this before I even read what he wrote simply because I feel this way about Panera. For some stupid reason, girls LOVE this place. Old girlfriends: Only place they would go. Sure the food is decent, but it’s over priced and I’m the one paying for it. Every single time we wanna go out, where? oh Paneras. Now I’m not even on good terms with the ex’s and I finally I don’t have to go to this place again.
tiz we all know you weren’t there with girls. also i love the mcdelicious idea and i also hate xane.
panera is very expensive and i never ate there until i worked there and got the 50% off discount. Even after working there and eating there 5 or 6 times a week i still like the food and go there whenever i can afford it.
it is much too expensive but the deli fresh bread is scrumptious. im glad mark and justin hate me, cuz i hate them too.
PS. Buck pwned jbomb again
justin hates xane so much its ridiculous.
@Tiz Not only do old girlfriends like to go to Panera Bread, old people like to go there as well. Panera Bread is overrun (overslowlywalked?) by the elderly during the lunch hours. Two good reasons not to go to Panera Bread.
Though so far they are mostly shots at me on a list that would likely be titled TINHAWAH (Things I Needlessly Hate and Will Always Hate) I do appreciate suggestions for future iterations of this series.
xane goes on TIHFGRAWAH (Things I hate for good reason and will always hate)
Mark goes on the PIALETTNHOAB(People I Absolutely Love Even Though They Needlessly Hate On A Brotha) list.
Justin, this is just another reason why I think you are absolutely ridiculous and it continues to bring up the question in my mind of how we ever get along in the first place. You’re like a grumpy old man, hating everything and yelling at it, telling it to get off of your front lawn. The problem: You do not have a front lawn. You are also not old. Or grumpy. Your existence is like some sort of yin and yang binary star system, spiraling out of control yet somehow striking a balance.
Recently Justin has tricked me into going to Panera far too often and I’d like to make a comment about the Panera stores. Why does it have to be so ridiculously hot. The heat is always turned up so much in there. It must be because they know women(who by nature are always freezing) and older people.
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