Panera Bread

Panera Bread, an extremely influential chain of casual bakery restaurants founded in 1981, operates nearly 2000 different restaurants across the United States.

They own several different names such as St. Louis Bread Company and Paradise Bakery, a chain centralized in Phoenix with more than 70 locations. Their fluffy pastries, delicious sandwiches, fresh salads and soft cookies make them a favorite for people in need of a relatively quick, healthy lunch.

Year Founded: 1981

Revenue: $1.82 billion (FY 2015)

Employees: 80, 000

Locations: 1, 800 (2015)

Pastry restaurants are quite a rare business. Probably because people tend to eat pastries inside the house (like during breakfast or snack time) rather than outside. Yet, others, mostly out-goers, find pastry restaurants satisfying and classy. Actually, most pastry restaurants are built with friendly accommodation and warm ambiance. I think that’s the best marketing for a business to get customers who love serene places to stay.

If there’s a pastry restaurant that is most accommodating, friendly, homey and aims to serve quality pastry bread to customers, it would Panera Bread. Panera Bread is popularly known for its mission to bake and serve great bread for the American populace. Panera Bread, from all locations in Canada and United States, has skillful bakers that produce all kinds of bread by starting it from scratch and using natural ingredients to ensure that the breads are of sheer quality. Panera Bread knows that freshly baked breads make great meals for people. That is why they continue to serve quality breads, sandwiches and even salad and soups. Their menu contains only the best they can offer for the customers.

How the Bread Started with Panera

Ron Shaich’s has a bakery which he established in 1980 on a 400-square-foot lot in Boston. He called it the Cookie Jar. His business was quite great. But technically, that’s not Panera Bread Started. The company started when Ron Shaich and Louis Kane founded Au Bon Pain Co., Inc. in 1981. After a decade of operating, it was undeniable that the bakery-café succeeded in the east coast of United States. In 1993, the two men decided to buy St. Louis Bread Company which was owned by Ken Rosenthal. The latter company was established by Rosenthal in 1987. That’s how Panera Bread started with the three known founders of the bakery-café.

Came 1997 and it was all clear for everyone that Panera Bread has the potential of becoming one of the leading businesses of its kind. However, it would take much to establish a big reputation. So in 1999, the company sold all Au Bon Pain Co., Inc.’s business units (except Panera Bread of course) and renamed the business to what we know it now. After that, the market stock price of the company grew exponentially and now it has a market capitalization of $4.5 billion; now that’s huge.

panera-saladPanera Bread Menu Items

Panera Bread, as we all know, serve all kinds of pastry goodies that not just the kids would love but also adults. Their menu is filled with creative and quality pastries that are made from the freshest ingredients that are well-selected by the company. They don’t serve odd-tasting or monster-like pastries; that’s 100% guaranteed. They always make sure that the pastries they bake are consistent and follow the standard that customers have known since the inception of the bakery-café.

Originally, Panera Bread serve breads and pastries; hence, the name. However, as the business grew, so their menu; of course they wanted to adapt to the changing culture and innovation. So they also serve broth bowls, pastas and salads.

To start, their breads are amazingly fresh and hot. They serve French Baguette, French bread, Sea Salt Focaccia, Ciabatta, Sesame Simolina, Whole Grain Bread and many more delicious breads and loaves. Aside from their original breads and loaves, they also serve all kinds of sweet pastries that are perfect for pastries or even just for ordinary days. They have French Croissant, Bear Claw, Cheese and Cherry Pastries, Pastry Ring, Muffies and Muffins, Cookies and many more that you can choose from. I’m certain you will not regret having one of their offered items because each is individually excellent.

Aside from the pastries, they also serve soups and Mac and Cheese. They have turkey Chili, Cheddar Soup, Potato Sourp, French Onion, Vegetarian Creamy Tomato Soup, New England Clan Chowder and quite a lot more. If you want a complete picture of their menu, you can visit Panera Bread website and see before your eyes the list.

Panera Bread Hidden Menu Items

Panera Bread has a unique way on how they call their secret menu; hidden menu (the words are actually the same). The items are developed by the company’s Chief Concept Officer, Mr. Scott Davis. He’s a genius. The off-the-menu dishes cater not just a creative look and taste but nourishing contents that you should have.

First we have the ‘Power Breakfast Egg White Bowl with Roasted Turkey’. This dish is extraordinary because it contains antibiotic-free turkey, roasted peppers, egg white, baby spinach and basil Pesto; truly perfect for your breakfast. It looks very leafy because of the spinach but the taste combines all the ingredients mentioned. They also have their ‘Power Chicken Hummus Bowl’ that is made of all natural ingredients like antibiotic-free chicken, cilantro jalapeno hummus, cucumber, diced tomatoes and red onions and baby spinach topped with squeezed lemon and chopped cilantro.

If you want to know more about Panera Bread’s Hidden Menu items, you can visit Panera Bread website directly or asked at the nearest Panera Bread outlet.

panera-sandwichNutrition & Calories

Getting to know the nutritional information of the food we eat is valuable; and Panera Bread values that too. If you want to know further about the nutritional contents of each of the served item of Panera Bread, you can check it out on their menu items and click the item. They made all the information ready for you to read.

Panera Bread Menu Prices

If you want to know how much Panera Bread sells a particular dish, you can check them out at the nearest outlet in your place. They surely have it on their counter for customers to check.

Panera Bread Locations

Panera Bread has opened over 1800 outlets in the United States and Canada. They are actually planning to expand more in the future so that a lot of people can have the chance of tasting their delicious menu.

Panera Bread Store Hours

Panera Bread store hours may be different depending on the location. Just visit the nearest outlet and ask them about their schedule so you can invite your friends over.

Panera Bread Careers

Panera Bread is currently open for positions. If you want to apply for one of the positions offered, you can check out Panera People website and check for yourself which position suits you the best. Their employees are well-treated and enjoy every bit of their work. Panera Bread management makes sure that their people are managed well.

Date Modified - December 4, 2017