The Tale of Two Paneras
I use my local Panera Bread as a virtual office. I study, prepare messages, journal with God, have counseling meetings and conduct all other kinds of church planter kinds of stuff there. As a portable church we make due with what we have. Recently my office has moved and this morning reinforced my decision.
I had been using the Panera closest to my house for quite some time. I knew the workers and was used to seeing the same familiar faces throughout the morning. I knew the quirks of the place and chalked it up to the business model. Then something happened. I needed to meet with someone that was to my south so I recommended the next closest Panera Bread. That day something funny happened. When I asked for a mug of coffee they gave me a clean one. At my normal Panera, every time I asked for a mug they would strongly suggest I use a cup because their mugs were always dirty. I would stand at the counter until they found a clean mug for me. Often this would take going through three or four mugs.
This morning I went to my old regular Panera. The family wanted some bagels so I went with the nearby Panera. I ordered choice #1, Cinnamon Raisin. Apparently no cinnamon raisin. After the call home the order is changed to Chocolate Chip bagels. Guess what? All out of chocolate chip bagels. That lead to the mother of all quotes from my local Panera Bread employees,
I guess you are having a bad day.
Only since I went into your business. Don’t worry, won’t happen again.
I have been in too many churches that had this same attitude. Every time a lost person comes to The Mission, we have to look at them like they represent every generation that will follow them. If we can win them to Christ, we can affect generations.
Each person is important, in business and in ministry. So Panera lost a bagel sale today. Big deal. But the three times a week I go there factored over a year or so is a pretty big cost for one flippant employee.
