Au Bon Pain

This place really needs to up their chicken game. I’ve gotten a few wraps here that have really gristly pieces of chicken in them… so bad that I actually felt like reviewing Au Bön Pain.

Since I work in the building I grab lunch here from time to time. Not anymore. Monday at lunch time I witnessed a gigantic roach walking across the food in this place. Disgusting.

This has got to be the worst place to order food in the entire tri-​state area. I would seriously rather chew myself across the front lawn then have to even ORDER anything from this place ever again. The mere fact that I have to give this place at least one star has me close to tossing my computer off my desk. My experiences have always been dreadful at this particular ABP. Empty coffee containers, grinds in my coffee, registers completely abandoned by employees, etc. However, my experience this past Friday was notably horrendous.
Since I work in the building I am sometimes in a fix to grab something fast and convenient. ABP is neither of those two things. I came in Friday at 3:30 pm (they close at 5) and ordered the Newport Turkey. Description: white bread, turkey, avocado, cheddar, honey mustard. Sounds good right? The girl behind the counter takes my order and tells me they don’t have white bread. No white bread at a bakery? Awesome, we’re off to a great start. I opt for wheat, no problem. She starts my order and there’s not one person in the store. With plastic spoons– (yes upside down plastic spoons for the spreads) she starts my order.
10 minutes later, and a turkey avocado sandwich presented to me sans avocado– I am told they are out of avocado and asked if I still wanted it. I said I was not interested in an $ 8.00 turkey and cheese sandwich. The employee looked completely confused and asked what else I’d like. I asked if they had arugula (a main ingredient for the next order I was going to place and a majority of their menu) and she said no. «We haven’t had arugula in weeks.» Neat. She suggests other things on the menu that have avocado– to which I respond «you said you didn’t have avocado…» She says «We might have one in the back.» And looks at me blankly as if I should give her marching orders to do her job and obtain ingredients. Commence staring contest. I guess I lost because she then takes another person’s order. I’ve now been here 15 minutes. She comes back to me, THROWS OUT the sandwich she started and repeats «you know, we might have one in the back» but then says «but… it’ll be a waste. No one will use the rest of the avocado since I only use ½ for your sandwich. It’ll be wasted.» (My head is literally about to spin off of my neck). Staring contest round two. I win this one. She goes to look for avocado.
Ta-​Da‼‼! It exists! Miraculously they DO HAVE the ingredient for my sandwich that is now hanging out in the trashcan. Wonderful! She says «what would you like INSTEAD?» You’ve got to be kidding me. I said «I’d like the sandwich that I initially ordered since you have all the ingredients.» She said «but I just threw it away… and now all that turkey is wasted.» (Crickets) (I close my eyes and start to pray)
After a small huff from the employee and three Hail Mary’s from me– we were able to get back to reality and the order is started again. Again with plasticware. She asks if I’d like the entire avocado on my sandwich to avoid waste. I said, sure why not. She says «It’ll be extra… another $ 1.00». No thanks. She says «well, I sorta used ²⁄₃ of it so…» I said «I’m not asking for extra anything…» Her response «well don’t tell them you got extra then.» Wow. I am now here for 25 minutes. Sandwich still incomplete. 3 people have asked where the cash register attendant is. Screams throughout the store «Yo, go get _​_​_​_​_​. Where she at?» I am now having heart palpitations and I am wondering how I am still alive. Finally my order is about to be complete and tossed in the oven. I had to ask that she put the avocado on last so I wasn’t eating microwaved mush and the response was «what do it matter?» Before I leapt over the counter to make it myself, another patron interrupted to request new tea water because the water was room temp. That person may have looked like Jesus in that moment.
Order complete 32 minutes later with only one other order prepared. No joke. Complete nightmare. Oh… and the sandwich sucks. Never again.

I like Au Bön Pain, and when I worked in Commerce Square used to frequent this store a lot. However, my experience today was downright shameful.
I went in, noticed they had a new sandwich — Turkey and Chedder on a Cranberry Ciabatta — and ordered it. I was told they were out of Cranberry Ciabatta, but they could make it with the last plain ciabatta. I said sure.
I waited around for a while and then was informed that the bread cutter was broken, so they couldn’t make it on the plain ciabatta. Did I want it on a baguette. I said sure.
While I waited for the sandwich, I wandered around the bakery area looking at the cookies and muffins. I came back to the counter to see if my sandwich was done and the two young ladies that were manning the sandwich counter were gone. The only person behind the counter was an older lady making salads. I stand around for a while, she finishes making a salad, and then loudly comments about a sandwich being left in the oven, and asks if it’s mine. I said it might be. She pulls the tray/​sandwich out of the office, it looked VERY well done. Finally, the two young ladies returned, finish my sandwich and hand it to me. This entire ordeal probably took 20 to 25 minutes — for one sandwich, with NO other customers.
When I got back to the office and ate the sandwich, I noticed it was missing a key ingredient, and one that probably justified it’s $ 7.19 price — avocado! So, I paid $ 7.19 plus tax, waited about 25 minutes for a turkey and cheese sandwich on a baguette.
ONE NOTE — the young ladies were very nice, not rude, just a little airheaded, clueless and forgetful… which can be just as aggravating as rudeness — especially when in a hurry.

I work in One Commerce Square and happen to be a big bagel fan. I am finally writing a review after 30 or so visits to this place.
I love the bagels but the service is plain AWFUL (horrendous). What is with the cashiers? The last two times I was there all I got was a dry bagel and headed for the register. The girl made no eye contact and was having a rather repulsive conversation with the female cashier next to her about someone they mutually knew and obviously hated. She grabbed my bagel out my hand and squeezed it and dropped it back down on the counter. Made no eye contact, no hello, nothing. Said the price loudly while looking forward, not at me. And continued on her vulgar conversation. I handed her my credit card to which she grabbed and swiped back and forth no less that 5 times. I said «I only got 1 bagel» she huffed and said there was something wrong with the machine. (Here I am thinking, geez if she keeps this up the magnetic swipe on everyone’s card will be worn out in a month’s time.) Just then, she saw someone she knew about 50 feet away all the way across the place and suddenly started screaming at the person «what I don’t got a thank you? I say hi to you, you never say hi to me, what’s wrong which you? I not gonna say hi anymore»…(blah blah blah, drama, drama, nasty attitude)-or something like that. My ear was about 12 inches from her mouth and I asked her to please stop yelling since here «I am standing directly to your side». If looks could kill, I thought she might kill me. Good thing my transaction was over and I got out of there.
I am disappointed that Au Bön Pain does not train their employees not to act like creepy ignorant fools that just crawled out from underneath a Septa bus.

I have to stop going to this location because the attitudes of the workers drive me crazy. Especially the 2 check-​out gals, who are EXTREMELY unfriendly and refuse to make eye contact. There are plenty of unemployed people who would be happy to have that job!!!

I’m a huge fan of the hazelnut coffee and the oatmeal. For one thing, who doesn’t enjoy putting their own toppings on their oatmeal? Sure, I may go overboard with the brown sugar but no one is stopping me from piling it (and the chocolate chips) on!
I’ve also had some of the breakfast sandwiches and they are pretty tasty as are the salads. The place lends itself to working professionals who pop in for breakfast and lunch, so while I would never consider it a place where I could power up my laptop and get work completed, it is an okay spot for grab-​and-​go food and drinks.

I came in here for a quick coffee. I was touring Philly during my 4 hour layover from Lancaster to Jax and decided I would come in here for a coffee, rest and some charging of my phone (my phone was a mess that weekend).
Frankly, I was shocked to see that this store seemed so dismally boring and uninviting. First, as I went to look for a yummy flavored Colombian-​brew, they did not have any in the thermos. I had to make my way around a guy who seemed desperately unamused and sweeping the floor while people were trying to hustle around him for their fountain drinks or fresh squeezed lemonade.
The cashier was not friendly, nor were any of the other people who were there. I didn’t even want to order food on account of the unhappy associates.
I used the bathroom and it smelled bad and it was not clean. I don’t know if they don’t see homeless people using the facilities or if people that go in there are just downright disgusting, but I will not choose to pee here again…
This may be convenient for those who are coming in from work since it’s right in the midst of the financial district of Philly, but for me it was a visit that left a sour taste in my mouth. Oh, never mind, that was actually the lemonade.

My staple is the Turkey Apple Brie Salad. Love the Tomato and Mozz sandwich. I would give them 4 stars but just don’t agree with the pricing. Everything and I mean everything is a little on the high side. Especially the soups and breakfast sandwiches. That is juts my oppinion.

There is really only one group of people that should eat at this Au Bön Pain: People who work in the office complex in which it is located and who are entirely too lazy to a) bring their own breakfast/​lunch or b) walk to another breakfast/​lunch spot in the area.
As a visitor to the building last week, I fell into the «too lazy to pack my breakfast» group. I ordered egg whites and cheddar cheese on a skinny wheat bagel. At $ 4.50, I figured it would be good. It was not. Greasy cheesy, rubbery eggs, and a mushy bagel. Yuck!
Other times I’ve eaten at ABP, I’ve gotten their soups and they are pretty decent tasting, as well as a decent value for the price. I will not be getting breakfast here again.

You’re kidding right? This Au Bön Pain should probably get 1 star due to the vermin infestation. But anyway — the over priced, high calorie sandwiches & soups are a godsend when it is raining and I am too lazy to leave my office building, but other than that?
I am so over au bon pain.

I agree with Caitlin completely on several issues, namely the 30^th Street and disgruntled workers points.
Au Bön Pain has soup that’s better than their sandwiches. The soups, you can get yourself, which make the workers happier, and shave a good 10 minutes off of your wait. The seafood soups and black beans are the way to roll.
As a bakery, Au Bön Pain really meets its quota. They have good morning pastry too.

Once again, I’m in agreement with Caitlin — the only bad thing is the service. But when you’re at a train station, fast service is possibly the most important issue.
Last time I was there (to see a friend off), I ordered two bagels with a cream cheese, some lettuce and tomato. We were the only people in the restaurant. It seemed to be taking forever and my friend was trying to get to his train, so I told the barista/​sandwich-​maker she could just forgo the rest of the toasting process and throw the veggies on top. She did that, but she seemed to take her time with the rest of the process, annoyingly so.
My friend missed his train, and perhaps I’m looking for a scapegoat, but come on — how long does it take to drop a slice of tomato and some lettuce on a bagel?
On the flip slide, the service is very good at the University of Pennsylvania Au Bön Pain, on Locust Walk. Which is surprising because every other Penn-​run food establishment is serviced by people who, as Caitlin C. so astutely wrote, «seem to not like their jobs/​lives/​pay/​uniform.»

This is about the only great place to eat in 30^th and the best place for breakfast in Liberty Place.
The only downfall is their service. The people who work here seem to not like their jobs/​lives/​pay/​uniform and are generally just trying to make sandwiches and go home.
Besides that, Pain’s offerings are great: bagels such as French Toast, Dutch Apple (which I suggest with egg and sausage in the morning); they have artisan breads for your sandwiches, fresh squeezed juices, yogurt parfait, seriously jam-​filled croissants and chocolate «breakfast» items and daily soups.
This is two steps up from Cosi, and on the same level as Corner Bakery or Metropolitan Bakery.