Panera Bread is for some merely another breakfast food, surrounded by a sea of differing options. But for others, Panera bread is a particular treasure, a special treat that stands above its competitors for its superb taste. For those diehards, any other bread is inferior by comparison.
As such, it comes as no surprise that when Panera Bread had been officially removed from the Rollins Marketplace, the outcry was both extremely loud and instantaneous. During just the first week of school, the obvious absence of Panera Bread from the morning menu elicited dozens of email complaints, all of them negative.
The original plan had been to provide students with an “authentic style New York bagel stand.” In order to justify that, the old Panera Stand had to be taken away. However, that didn’t last long.
“The student reaction was overwhelming,” says Gerard Short, the general manager for all of Rollins Dining services. “They spoke, and we listened.”
While Rollins may have made a mistake in taking Panera away, they are wasting no time in putting it back. “Since last Friday, Panera bread has been returned to its usual spot in the marketplace. “ All isn’t lost for the New York bagel stand either. There will be a Sunday bagel bar every week in the marketplace. “We wanted to keep part of our original idea, while also bringing back what the students wanted. This way, people can get both.”
Short finished up with one last statement.
“We love feedback. Normally, our students don’t complain about our dining services, so whenever there’s a problem, we jump right on it. If there’s ever any problem, or even if there’s something new the students want to add, we would certainly listen.”
The return of Panera bread should be seen as a triumph for Rollins College. The amazing combination of student representation and a responsible faculty is not only evidence of a strong and stable community, but also shows that Rollins is a place where the students’ voices are actually heard.
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