A Place to Go to Feel at Home When You'd Rather Eat Out

I'm not a chain restaurant person. No surprise there. But I received a gift card to Panera Bread recently and decided to check the place out this past weekend. According to its website (where I found this photo), Panera Bread currently operates 1168 bakery-cafes in 40 states. Among these locations, 493 are company-owned and 675 are franchised.

I hadn't been there in awhile. Before I even walked in the door, however, I was saying, "Wow!" An extensive redesign of the look and feel of the place is truly awe-inspiring. Someone is doing his or her job in a big way. A slightly Asian, Zen-like attempt at defining personal space, providing a relaxing environment, and considering the actual needs of consumers has resulted in an environment that raises the bar on what we can expect from a quick-serve restaurant. Forget ordering at the counter, getting your food and shoveling it down. Panera Bread has created an environment where you can actually feel good about your meal (on real dishes with real utensils--reducing waste and making you feel like you are truly honoring your food) and enjoy the company with whom you are dining.

My favorite features? A full-size dining room table both indoors and outdoors, with comfy chairs and soothing lighting, that says, "Here's a place to go where you can feel at home at times when you'd rather eat out." It makes me literally want to have a dinner party there.

Now, to the menu. In addition to a wide variety of truly inspired soups, salads, and sandwiches, a couple of things stand out. Plenty of vegetarian options. Organic grilled cheese on whole grain bread. Antibiotic -free chicken. Organic* milk. Organic apple juice. Organic tomato soup. Organic teas.

I checked the Panera Bread website, expecting bold statements about its organic options. But no. Nothing. Nada. I wrote to customer service and received a response which indicates to me that these options are currently being tested (and tested at the Panera closest to me!). I'm not sure how wide the test is and if you can find these options at the Panera Bread nearest you yet. But I do know that consumers who care about these kinds of choices do need to vote with their dollars. And so, I say check out Panera Bread. See if yours has been redesigned to make you feel as if you have just checked in to a glorious spa. And see if you have these menu options. If not, ask for them. Let them know it matters. And let us know what you discover!

*Note to Ronald Schaich, Panera Bread's chairman and CEO: Sorry, but Horizon hasn't won me over yet after it was revealed that their milk may not meet organic standards. Would you consider a different milk source? Those of us who vote for organic options are not stupid. We know the issues, and we will not accept inferior products masquerading as organic.

Oh, one last note: Great copywriting on the Panera Bread site:

We are bakers of bread. We are fresh from the oven.
We are a symbol of warmth and welcome. We are a simple pleasure, honest and genuine. We are a life story told over dinner. We are a long lunch with an old friend. We are your weekday morning ritual. We are the kindest gesture of neighbors. We are home. We are family. We are friends.

Again, someone is doing his or her job. And doing it well. Kudos, Panera Bread.

A Place to Go to Feel at Home When You'd Rather Eat Out