tesg's guide to big chain road food consumption

CHAIN -- Panera Bread
Owner -- Panera Bread Company (NYSE: PNRA)
Primary Operating Region -- Rapidly becoming a nationwide presence
Number of Locations -- 1,000 (2006)
NOTE -- Known as Saint Louis Bread Co in St Louis

My original theory about Panera Bread was that somebody was in Seattle, fell into a Starbucks, and said "Wow, this would be really great if they had sandwiches!"  and a chain was born, but they did it in St Louis because they figured Starbucks would NEVER be a national presence and find them.

In truth, the two are so comparable because both images (and brand names) were created and molded by the same advertising and graphic design agency...the same guys who also invented the name and look of Qdoba.  But you can create your own conspiracy theory if you want.

Louis Kane and Ron Saich originally founded Au Bon Pain and grew it to a chain of 200-plus stores before buying a small chain called the St Louis Bread Co in 1993.  It was the St Louis Bread Co's format they ultimately decided to bank on.  In 1999, Au Bon Pain was sold off to concentrate capital on the St Louis Bread Co's format, by then called Panera Bread outside the St Louis area.  Suffice to say, they put their eggs in the right basket.  Growth has been explosive.

Panera has a line of espressos, mochas, and lattes, but first and foremost, Panera is a soup, salad, and sandwich joint.  Menu items are decidedly upscale hippie.  What other fast food joint will you find a Low Fat Vegetarian Lentil Soup or a "Tomato & Fresh Mozzarella Salad with Rosemary & Onion Focaccia Wedges" at?  Sandwiches are equally uppity...Frontega Chicken, Cuban Pork & Ham, Portobello & Mozzarella, Asiago Roast Beef, and more.  Yes there are sandwiches you can pronounce...there's even a Peanut Butter and Jelly.  Toppings include weird sauces, sprouts and other substitutes for lettuce that look like plants.  Toto, I don't think we're at Jack in the Box anymore.  

Panera Bread locations are also bakeries.  Breads are fresh-baked from dough brought in from regional plants.  There are over twenty different breads (which you can buy in loaves and take home), plus rolls, bagels, and pastries.

Promotional displays look like they were done for a yuppie Jazz festival.  Customers range from the beyond snotty to those who pray before every meal.  Panera is almost worth the visit just to sit in the corner and watch the patrons and wonder why you never see these people in public anywhere else.  I haven't even seen these people in Nordstrom.

None of this matters unless the food is good.  And the truth is, the food IS good.  And it's reasonably priced.  A combo meal can be created in the form of a "You Pick Two" option matching half a sandwich with half a salad or soup. 

If you build it, the weirdoes will come.  And they will eat, oh yes they will.

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