Journalism at Work

Andi....
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To Amy Turner
Panera Bread of Iowa
1241 Park Place NE Suite C
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402

Dear Amy Turner,

I am a struggling college student who is delighted to say that the Panera Bread restaurant is one of the few restaurants my meager bucks are always worth spending on. I love your fresh breads and the clean atmosphere of your stores. Every Panera Bread location I have been to in Wisconsin (my home town) has had an excellent family environment.

The incident I am about to share is not meant to trace back to any on individual. I am merely sharing a recommendation to improve the services of the Panera Bread corporation.

Last week, I was with my family at a Panera location, when I purchased a bagel and cappuccino for a light dinner. Not a big deal. Cinnamon bagel was delicious, by the way. But it was a little ridiculous when I shelled out my college bucks for a $1.69 bagel and was then told that I had to buy my own cream cheese.

Please understand that a bagel without cream cheese is a violation of my taste buds entirely.

Obviously, I needed cream cheese. But, more ridiculous yet, the cheapest plain cream cheese available at this Panera location was $1.25. I didn’t have an extra quarter to add to my last dollar bill, so I paid with debit. I paid for cream cheese with a debit card. Either I knew I had reached a really low point or I knew that the price for the smidgen of cream cheese I wanted was ridiculous.

I understand that the cream cheese container offered was larger than most cream cheese containers, but would it break the budge to ask for smaller cream cheese containers that are included in the price of the bagel? Would you not say that it is misleading to sell someone fries but make them pay additionally for ketchup?

For the complete satisfaction of your supporting families, cream cheese should be included without charge and without question in the purchase of bagels. I beg of you, please do not Scrooge-it-up like the rest of those corporations!

Thank you for your time and consideration on this small, but important matter.

Sincerely,
Andi....