Spinach power salad? I don't think so.

Dear Panera Bread

Today I visited your establishment for lunch. I was pleased to note that you had a range of healthy options on your menu including but not limited to the Spinach Power Salad. I ordered half a portion of this salad so only had half the egg, not the full egg as pictured below. Image courtesy of your website by the way. 

I am not entirely sure *what* I expected to see in my 'healthy' Spinach Power Salad but let's just say that it wasn't half a pound of fried bacon, fried onion, fried wonton strips and fried mushrooms swimming in oil along with half a boiled egg and 15 baby spinach leaves.

The nutritional breakdown of the Spinach Power Salad, also according to your website, states that it contains 29 grams of fat and 700mg of sodium. You know all that fat and sodium is not coming from the egg or the spinach, right? Let's put this into perspective and reveal that there are also 29 grams of fat in a Big Mac. I rest my case. 

Evidently my definition of the words 'healthy', 'power' and 'salad' are somewhat different from yours. Should I have enquired as to the exact nature of this dish before I ordered it? You betcha. Won't make that crazy mistake again. 

You on the other hand are a much-loved eatery serving food to a nation of people who struggle mightily with the concept of conscious eating and have the health problems to prove it. People perceive you to be a step above many other chain eateries. If someone enters your store fully prepared to resist all that bread, cake and delicious cheesy broccoli soup on your menu, they deserve not to have their attempt at making a healthier choice mocked by discovering their salad contains as much fat as a lousy Big Mac. Guys, how about being part of the solution instead of underhandedly contributing to the problem? Just a thought.  

For the record, I didn't eat it.