Why the flip doesn't LA have a single Panera Bread?! (Santa Monica: how much, live)

[Ruth4Truth]

Could someone explain what the attraction of Panera is? I've never been in one. What do they sell? Is it a bakery, or part restaurant, or what? And what's their specialty?

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by adr3naline

Why not more Paneras? Maybe because they're terrible. They've been plating cafe food on cool plates and overcharging Americans for years.

We all have our own opinions, but for fast food I don't know where you can do much better? They have great and nice side salads, sandwiches are OK, not particularly over priced for what you get and the workers are usually very friendly . I guess if you live on McDonald's quality maybe you would think they are over priced. If they are as bad as you say, how come they are always packed? Are you saying people do not know a decent salad or sandwich? $6 for a cup of soup,not a bowl is pretty pricey I agree. I never had soup there so cant judge . Hubby has had soup and 1/2 sandwich, I don't remember us thinking it was expensive at all, but i don't remember what I had for breakfast this morning so maybe you are right.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by jm1982

Yeah , I'd rather have a subway sandwich . Subway has improved a bit recently.

I guess this tells us how subjective food it: I think subway sucks. I grant you I have had one in about 3 or 4 months, but there is a reason; don't like the quality. The meat has no flavor and just a bunch of fillers, there is way too much bread and the so called flavored breads have no flavor. I do agree Panera's doesn't have a great flavor but the salads, particularly are good and I do not think they are expensive compared to anywher else.

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Could someone explain what the attraction of Panera is? I've never been in one. What do they sell? Is it a bakery, or part restaurant, or what? And what's their specialty?

It's a combination bakery/cafe with freshly baked goods, plus sandwiches, soups and salads. The nutritional content is clearly labeled. I may have left something out.

There's one down here in Aliso Viejo, and it's okay, but no big deal. I haven't actually been there in about two years. I do like that they allow dogs at their outdoor seating area.

[adr3naline]

Originally Posted by nmnita

Are you saying people do not know a decent salad or sandwich?

That's exactly what I'm saying.

Originally Posted by nmnita

We all have our own opinions, but for fast food I don't know where you can do much better? They have great and nice side salads, sandwiches are OK, not particularly over priced for what you get and the workers are usually very friendly . I guess if you live on McDonald's quality maybe you would think they are over priced. $6 for a cup of soup,not a bowl is pretty pricey I agree. I never had soup there so cant judge . Hubby has had soup and 1/2 sandwich, I don't remember us thinking it was expensive at all, but i don't remember what I had for breakfast this morning so maybe you are right.

That's the thing...it's not that fast. It's a sit-down restaurant with a buzzer system, and food is prepared at the same rate if not marginally faster than places with better food quality and lower pricing. I could name 10 places here in DTLA that have cheaper, better, and often larger sandwiches than Panera. People just don't seem to mind that better sandwiches are out there, and instead go for "safe bets" like Panera.

[NativeOrange]

Originally Posted by thelopez2

Probably because of the business climate in the City of LA. Why open in LA when you can do it just outside of LA for probably a lot faster, cheaper, and less regulation. This is why many beer makers choose to open outside of LA.

Another reason could be someone already bought the rights to the area and just chooses to horde the rights and sell them to someone else in the future.

Many beer makers? Like who? Downtown alone has added 4 breweries in the last couple years.

[thelopez2]

Originally Posted by NativeOrange

Many beer makers? Like who? Downtown alone has added 4 breweries in the last couple years.

Some history.
The South Bay Is America

[NativeOrange]

Originally Posted by thelopez2

Some history.
The South Bay Is America

Ok, but how is that any different from this article they published a month before yours?

The Arts District Has a Lot on Tap - Los Angeles Magazine

Besides, the article only mentions one owner who decided to stay out of LA due to the permitting process (which is definitely no joke), but plenty others seem to be having no trouble within city limits. I can definitely see much smaller breweries having a hard time, though.

[thelopez2]

Originally Posted by NativeOrange

Ok, but how is that any different from this article they published a month before yours?

The Arts District Has a Lot on Tap - Los Angeles Magazine

Besides, the article only mentions one owner who decided to stay out of LA due to the permitting process (which is definitely no joke), but plenty others seem to be having no trouble within city limits. I can definitely see much smaller breweries having a hard time, though.

Craft brewers find it’s best to do business outside of L.A.

$200,000 in the process

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by thelopez2

Craft brewers find it’s best to do business outside of L.A.

$200,000 in the process

L.A missed an opportunity by making it difficult for breweries to open. No doubt a number of those that opened in the South Bay and elsewhere have opened in L.A instead.

I had gone to the opening of Golden Road Brewery in 2011 , the owner Tony Yanow had been pretty vocal about L.A being unfriendly to businesses they opened a brewery in Anaheim and said the city was a lot more welcoming. They are now owned by InBev the makers of Budweiser. They got a lot of crap for it , but I'm sure they were offered a sum they could refuse. The big breweries are buying up a lot of craft breweries but there are still thousands of independent breweries in the U.S


Here is an article about the difficult time Firestone Walker of Paso Robles has had in opening a location in Los Angeles .

"
Both the Venice taproom and brewhouse were beset upon by regulatory and permitting issues with the city of Los Angeles, turning what should have been a relatively quick build into a months-overdue nightmare of pushed deadlines. Though the taproom opened in April, it took until last week for brewing on site to really begin, creating a new timeline that sets the Westside location back at least a year from their original projections.


Meanwhile, nearby cities like Torrance, Long Beach, and even Hawthorne have been only deepening their connection to the growing craft beer market, puling in some much-needed funds for their municipalities in the process. Firestone Walker’s Propagator brewhouse is now up and running in Venice, and is currently turning out one-off beers for experimentation that you’ll only be able to find at the Venice taproom."


http://la.eater.com/2016/11/9/135744...pen-propagator