Panera Drives Digital Innovation & Growth, Expanding Contactless Options For Guests And Is First Restaurant To Offer 3% Daily Cash Back On Apple Card

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As a leader in digital, Panera has been on the forefront of cashless and contactless payment to ensure that transactions are safe and convenient for guests nationwide. Today, Panera announces guests can now get unlimited 3% Daily Cash Back on Apple Card when they use the Apple Card with Apple Pay in the Panera app, on Panera.com or for at-register purchases in bakery-cafes nationwide.  Panera is the only restaurant to offer 3% Daily Cash on Apple Card as it accelerates its focus on digital innovation.

"Panera aims for each guest experience to be simple, easy and fast," said George Hanson, Panera's Chief Digital Officer. "More guests than ever are digitizing their wallets and opting for contactless payments as part of our new normal, and Panera wants to be part of that solution. As a brand committed to value, we are excited to be the first restaurant bringing our guests 3% Daily Cash on Apple Card when they purchase their favorite Panera soups, salads and sandwiches."

Customers get a percentage of every Apple Card purchase back in Daily Cash. Daily Cash is added to customers' Apple Cash card each day and can be used right away for purchases using Apple Pay, to put toward their Apple Card balance or send to friends and family in Messages.

Along with offering 3% Daily Cash on Apple Card when guests use Apple Card with Apple Pay, Panera offers a variety of off-premise ordering options for guests including Contactless Delivery, Curbside Pick -Up or Drive Thru. To best meet the needs of today's customers, bakery-cafes nationwide are operating under a strict set of safety measures and protocols for the safety of guests and associates. Apple Pay creates a safe, more secure and private way to pay that helps customers avoid handing their payment card to someone else, touching physical buttons or exchanging cash, all while using the power of iPhone to protect every transaction.

Panera continues to deliver innovative technologies to guests. Recently, an early preview of Panera's plans to introduce App Clips was featured during Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference. Panera also successfully rolled out Sign In with Apple to the MyPanera iOS app in May 2020, making it easier than ever for customers to sign-in with their Apple ID.

For more information, visit www.apple.com/apple-card.

About Panera Bread 
Thirty years ago, at a time when quick service meant low quality, Panera set out to challenge this expectation. We believed that food that was good and that you could feel good about, served in a warm and welcoming environment by people who cared, could bring out the best in all of us. To us, that is food as it should be and that is why we exist.

So, we began with a simple commitment: to bake bread fresh every day in our bakery-cafes. No shortcuts, just bakers with simple ingredients and hot ovens. Each night, any unsold bread and baked goods were shared with neighbors in need.

These traditions carry on today, as we have continued to find ways to be an ally for wellness to our guests. That means crafting a menu of soups, salads and sandwiches that we are proud to feed our families. Like poultry and pork raised without antibiotics on our salads and sandwiches. A commitment to transparency and options that empower our guests to eat the way they want. Seasonal flavors and whole grains. And a commitment to removing or not using artificial additives (preservatives, sweeteners, flavors, and colors from artificial sources on our No No list) in the food in our bakery-cafes. Why? Because we think that simpler is better and we believe in serving food as it should be. Because when you don't have to compromise to eat well, all that is left is the joy of eating.

We're also focused on improving quality and convenience. With investments in technology and operations, we now offer new ways to enjoy your Panera favorites – like mobile ordering and Rapid Pick-Up® for to-go orders and delivery – all designed to make things easier for our guests.

As of June 30, 2020, there were 2,128 bakery-cafes in 48 states and in Ontario, Canada, operating under the Panera Bread® or Saint Louis Bread Co.® names.  For more information, visit panerabread.com or find us on Twitter (@panerabread), Facebook (facebook.com/panerabread) or Instagram (@panerabread).

Media Contacts:
Edward Ruddy
Sloane & Company
[email protected]

Nirmala Singh
Zeno Group
[email protected]

SOURCE Panera Bread