"Today I want to share a very uncomfortable experience I had at this place. I am a cinematography student at UCLA, and I came to this restaurant looking for a quiet place to sit, read, and have something to drink while waiting for a meeting. I am familiar with Le Pain Quotidien in Mexico, so I felt confident entering a place I considered known and trustworthy. From the very beginning, I noticed a lack of courtesy and proper customer service. When I walked in, no one greeted me or guided me, even though in this type of restaurant the counter usually serves as a welcoming point. The first person who approached me asked what I wanted, but when I wanted to answer, immediately the manager intervened without greeting me and interrupted me while I was answering, asking whether my order was “for here or to go.” When I said I wanted to stay, she replied in an unfriendly way that the counter was only for takeout and told me to move to another area. Her courtesy was ok when she invited to sit in an area. Once seated, I ordered my food with the intention of eating calmly and reading. For about 30 minutes, the waiter passed by twice times offering more items from the menu, which I did not find problematic. However, the situation changed when in the same 30 minutes without me asking, he brought the check to my table. At that moment, I clearly felt that I was being subtly pressured to pay and leave. What made the situation even more uncomfortable was noticing that other customers were not treated the same way. They were calmly talking at their tables and did not receive their checks in advance. From my experience in customer service, both in Mexico and Friends who own restaurants in the U.S , bringing the check without being requested often implies distrust or an intention to rush the customer out. I am a Latina woman with brown skin. My clothing was completely normal: loose pants, a sweatshirt, a jacket, and my school backpack. My hair was tied up. I do not believe my appearance justified any kind of different treatment. When this type of behavior is based on appearance, it inevitably feels like a racist and elitist attitude. When I told the waiter that I had never asked for the check and asked why he was not doing the same with other customers, he became defensive and replied that I could pay or not, implying that this was what I was trying to do. That response made the prejudice behind his attitude very clear. I believe this type of behavior should be taken seriously. In a country like the United States, where customer service and respect are fundamental, discriminatory attitudes, whether explicit or subtle, should not exist. Feeling pressured and judged based on your appearance while simply trying to enjoy a meal is unacceptable."

"Le Pain Quotidian is one of my favorite chains. The quality of the coffee and food is excellent. I stopped in here on a cross-city trip and ordered a latte and a croissant. The croissants are some of the best I’ve ever had: flaky, soft but firm on the outside. A true delight. The baked goods are not slathered in sugar which is a welcome change from the usual coffee shop suspects. There’s also a couple actual cooked items on the menu you can order. The employees were all really kind, the seating area was clean, and the bathrooms were clean. Would definitely come by again next time I’m in the area."

"The Dutch mini pancakes were the star of the meal—light, fluffy, and perfectly sweet. I added mixed berries along with the usual bananas, and it paired beautifully with the maple syrup and whipped butter. The sandwich and salad were both incredibly fresh, with the bread clearly baked in-house. The mushroom ricotta flatbread was another standout. A must-try if you’re visiting!"

"The pastries are delicious; I had their chocolate chip cookie, and the banana walnut crookie which had a yummy banana flavor. I tried the breakfast bowl, but I personally wasn’t a fan. They used a lot of fennel seed and it tasted almost soapy because of how aromatic it was, so I couldn’t finish it. However my friend really liked their smoked salmon bread and iced latte. The mini dutch pancakes were also super yummy and I almost wanted to order another helping of them. And it’s very clean and pretty inside, perfect atmosphere to munch on stuff and chat with friends. Staff is also friendly, our waiter was attentive and accommodating."

"Great food and a lot of options. The hot chocolate was amazing but the chai was just okay. The Dutch pancakes and Belgium waffle were spot on. My breakfast sandwich was good. I think there are better things to order though. Next time I’ll try and inlet, they looked amazing. We got some pan au chocolate to go and they were pretty good."