This is my second trip to Noodles & Company, again during the lunch hour.\n\nBy now this establishmen is a couple months past the hype but it's only turned out so-so, three stars for me.\n\nFirst, the girl who took my order was friendly, responsive, quick and attentive. After making up my mind, I got the Japanese Pan Noodles, however without protein, as the dosis of carbs fulfills more than the amount of calories I want to alot to lunch. Also, for being a fast food restaurant, a price of 10 dollars is pushing it. On that note, the pricing boards are not the clearest. You find yourself going back and forth between sections just to puzzle together how much you will be paying at the end. This all, no matter how fancy the a-la-carte coke vending machine is. My drink was a blend of strawberry-vanilla sprite zero. I love the fact that Pittsburgh has a trend of getting picked as a test or at least a first wave implementation city for new machines and products. (:-))\n\nI was in line barely ten minutes before my order was filled, which was great, as I was in line behind about 15 people. \n\nI must agree with another fellow yelp-ers review, because this dish was both blan and overspiced. It was overloaded with black pepper and the noodles were scorched from the pan frying process. The carrots, mushrooms and sprouts had no flavor, not even the sweeter sauce flavoring the dish came with. But boy, was there a parsley kick. \n\nI was in an out within 30 minutes, and the place makes me want to come back only when I am craving my noodle comfort food. \n\nI'm going to get technical for a second from a customer flow perspective, but the layout of the place sucks: \n\nFirst, if you are dining in, the space is petit, laden with various size tables that may or may not be available at lunch time, including long cafeteria-like tables to accommodate more than 6 people, so if you're not at least willing to meet a new lunch companion for the day, you may be out of luck. Second, the common tables are triangular in nature to maximize space, so you may run out of room to set the bowls that are brought to you by a 'server'. This server is also responsible to clearing your dishes, to avoid spacial accomdation for waste bins. Third there is NO counter between the final food station and the customer. This makes we more than nuts because servers, food perparers, cashiers, food itself and customers are all within the same bubble. It may have been there for quick access, however it's turns into a crowd control/sanitation issue.\n\nIf you decide to take out, there is no space to accomdate you during your waiting time. If you get there during the big lunch rush, you may find yourself stepping on yourself or other people, including the 'servers' that are flowing back and forth. It's absolutely hopeless, but I don't know if there's much one can do about this.\n\nThe best advice to avoid this of course is to avoid the lunch hour, as downtown empties out after 4pm. When I pass the Noodle & Company place in the evening times, there is ample space for you to enjoy your fast noodle meal.