PANERA LAUNCHES ITS NEW ERA: INSPIRED BY WHAT GUESTS LOVE THE MOST, MORE THAN 20 NEW AND ENHANCED MENU ITEMS ARE NOW AVAILABLE AT PANERA BAKERY-CAFES NATIONWIDE

Panera's new menu features more abundance, more value and more flavor-packed new items

ST. LOUIS, April 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Panera Bread is proud to announce the New Era at Panera has arrived! The company's largest menu transformation ever began Panera's next chapter, guided by what our guests love the most— soups, salads, sandwiches and our signature mac & cheese. Panera's New Era has already been a delicious success, with guests raving about the innovative new offerings and revamped classics. In advance of launch, nearly 400,000 MyPanera members eagerly cast their votes for the most anticipated new item and crowned the Toasted Italiano as the frontrunner for Panera's next iconic sandwich. With the new menu now available in bakery-cafes, the Ciabatta Cheesesteak, Chicken Bacon Rancher and Mediterranean Chicken Greens with Grains are giving The Toasted Italiano a run for title of the next Panera classic.

Panera's new menu is designed to create more value for guests, offering more new salads and sandwiches, more new options below $10*, and more in every bite with additional chicken and steak on many menu items. Each recipe is filled with the high-quality ingredients we feel good about, and none of those we don't because Panera is committed to serving our guests food that feels good.

"The New Era at Panera marks an important and exciting evolution for the brand, one where we are focused on listening to our guests and delivering what they want most," said José Alberto Dueñas, CEO, Panera Bread. "That means serving great food made just for you, with the right combination of amazing taste, quality ingredients and value. We are transforming and returning to what our guests love, which will propel Panera into the future as we continue to serve food our guests feel good about eating."

In addition to focusing on Panera's core offerings based on extensive guest input, the New Era at Panera is grounded in feedback from Panera bakery-cafe team members, innovating the company's operating model to make it easier for teams to deliver a great experience faster and accurately, while achieving better consistency and quality any time of day. Newly configurated in-cafe and on the Panera app, the new menu also streamlines Panera's pantry of high-quality ingredients and reduces operational complexity, helping Panera team members to deliver a fantastic and consistent guest experience. 

"We have already heard great things from our teams about Panera's New Era. The energy and excitement from our associates around these new menu items have been unlike any other menu change we've undertaken. This improved associate experience translates to an even better experience for our guests, with the goal of providing more value and creating renewed excitement," said Debbie Roberts, Chief Operations Officer, Panera Bread. "After interviewing more than 30,000 guests during this process, our research shows what they want is a focus on our core offerings, and we are confident that once they try the new menu, they'll be back for more."

Featuring nine all-new items and 12 enhanced classics, along with the addition of iconic flavors like ranch and balsamic, Panera's New Era makes it easy for guests to find a new favorite. New menu items available now at local bakery-cafes include four sandwiches, four salads and bacon mac & cheese – all available at a variety of price points:

• Toasted Italiano - Black Forest ham and soppressata, with provolone, romaine, red onions, sliced pepperoncini peppers, garlic aioli and Greek dressing on Panera's toasted French Baguette
• Chicken Bacon Rancher - Grilled chicken, applewood smoked bacon, aged white cheddar and ranch dressing on our Black Pepper Focaccia
• Ciabatta Cheesesteak - Tender marinated sliced steak, provolone, garlic aioli, caramelized onions, and zesty, sweet Peppadew™ peppers on Ciabatta
• Tomato Basil BLT - Applewood smoked bacon, crisp mixed greens, vine-ripened tomatoes, garlic aioli, salt and pepper on Tomato Basil Miche
• Mediterranean Chicken Greens with Grains - Romaine and crisp mixed greens tossed in Greek Dressing, topped with hearty whole grain blend of farro & red rice, grilled chicken, hummus, feta, red onions, zesty, sweet Peppadew™ peppers, sliced cucumbers and a sprinkle of shawarma seasoning
• Southwest Chicken Ranch - Romaine tossed in ranch dressing, topped with grilled chicken, fresh avocado, grape tomatoes, fire-grilled corn, fresh cilantro, blue corn tortilla strips and drizzled with chipotle aioli
• Balsamic Chicken Greens with Grains - Romaine and crisp mixed greens tossed in balsamic vinaigrette, with hearty whole grain blend of farro & red rice, sliced cucumbers, topped with sliced pepperoncini peppers, fresh avocado, feta, pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of Green Goddess dressing
• Ranch Cobb Salad - Romaine and crisp mixed greens tossed in ranch dressing, topped with grape tomatoes, pickled red onions, applewood smoked bacon, feta and a hard-boiled egg
• Bacon Mac & Cheese - Tender shell pasta in a blend of rich cheeses including our tangy aged white cheddar sauce, topped with applewood smoked bacon

Enhanced menu items have received recipe enhancements packed with even more delicious flavors that guests will love, include:

• Chipotle Chicken Avo Melt
• Smokehouse BBQ Chicken Sandwich
• Spicy Buffalo Chicken Melt
• Toasted Frontega Chicken® Sandwich
• Bravo Club Sandwich
• Grilled Chicken & Avo BLT
• Turkey & Cheddar Sandwich
• Caesar Salad with Chicken
• Greek Salad with Chicken
• Fuji Apple Chicken Salad
• Green Goddess Chicken Cobb Salad
• Strawberry Poppyseed Chicken Salad

To amplify the largest menu change in the brand's history, Panera is launching the New Era at Panera campaign – designed to match the menu transformation in its boldness and focus on new and enhanced core menu items. Just as Panera's menu transformation is centered on the guest experience, the campaign is focused on inviting reappraisal for the well-known and loved brand. This 360-degree campaign debuted nationally on April 4 across all paid, owned and earned channels, carefully choreographed to build excitement and deepen engagement with prospective guests and to establish Panera as the destination for their next meal.

To join MyPanera and receive the latest updates on Panera's exciting menu innovations, visit PaneraBread.com.

*Participating cafes only. Prices vary by item. Menu price for delivery is higher and other fees apply. Catering excluded. Other restrictions apply.

About Panera Bread 
Our first bakery-cafe opened in 1987, founded with a secret sourdough starter and the belief that the best part of bread is sharing it. That vision led to the invention of the Fast Casual category with Panera at the forefront, serving as America's kitchen table centered around our delicious menu of chef-curated recipes that are crafted with care by our team members. We make food that we are proud to serve our own families, from crave-worthy soups, salads and sandwiches to mac and cheese and sweets. Each recipe is filled with ingredients we feel good about and none of those we don't because we are committed to serving our guests food that feels good in the moment and long after. While our company is now nearly 2,200 bakery-cafes strong, our values and belief in the lasting power of a great meal remain as strong as ever. We spend each day filling bellies, building empowered teams and inspiring communities. Nothing beats breaking bread together.

As of March 26, 2024 there were 2,180 bakery-cafes, company and franchise, in 48 states and Washington D.C., and in Ontario, Canada, operating under the Panera Bread® or Saint Louis Bread Co.® names. Panera Bread is part of Panera Brands, one of the largest fast casual restaurant companies in the U.S., comprised of Panera Bread®, Caribou Coffee® and Einstein Bros.® Bagels. For more information, visit panerabread.com or find us on Twitter (@panerabread), Facebook (facebook.com/panerabread) Instagram (@panerabread) or TikTok (@panerabread).

Media Contacts 
Panera PR
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SOURCE Panera Bread