The Worst Panera Soup Is A Huge Let-Down

Few fast food chains or casual restaurants have harnessed the power of soup the way Panera Bread has. Whether it comes in a dish or Panera's famous double bread bowl, the chain allows you, the soup-mad consumer, to grab a plastic spoon and slurp up some hearty broth at a reasonable price. A bowl of soup and a piece of bread for dipping comes to around $7-9 –not bad at all.

But, of course, not all soups are created equal, and some options are a lot better than others. Luckily, you have plenty of resources at your disposal — including this very website — that will help you separate the hearty winners from the watery losers. The Takeout's Danny Palumbo ate and ranked every soup at Panera Bread, and while he naturally liked some better than others, there was one in particular that he didn't care for at all: the Bistro French onion soup.

French onion soup should be sweet and tangy with deep umami notes and possibly even a cheesy topping. However, Panera's take on the famous Parisian staple lands well below the mark. In his review, Danny Palumbo even describes it as "the most low-rent French onion soup you'll ever have. The onions have zero caramelization; they look and taste lightly simmered." Not a good start since frying the onions to bring out their tart, lip-smacking flavor is the most important step when making French onion soup. Palumbo also states that the soup is "watery" and that it doesn't come with enough cheese to give your bowl the regulation oozy crust. Overall, it sounds like a pretty bleak affair. 

To avoid disappointment, Palumbo suggests you opt for the broccoli cheddar soup instead, explaining that this hearty broth is an ideal winter warmer. You could also choose his personal favorite, the vegetarian autumn squash soup, which he lauds as a "thick, sweet, and velvety smooth experience". Don't let your first impression of Panera's wares be the French onion soup — we'd almost rather you take a chance on the Charged Lemonade of Doom.