Panera news and trends

Retailers Embrace ‘Dadcore’ Stereotypes to Combat Father’s Day Spending Pullback
Retail // June 15, 2024

As Father’s Day approaches, retailers are seizing on different paternal stereotypes to drive engagement and sales, from dad jokes to “dadcore” style to that tangle of unidentified, no-longer useful cables that so many dads seem to be unwilling to part with. Panera, for its part,...

Taco Bell Revives Subscription as Restaurants Seek New Loyalty Incentives
Subscriptions // October 03, 2023

As restaurants look to drive traffic and frequency, Taco Bell is bringing back its taco subscription. The quick-service restaurant (QSR) giant announced Tuesday (Oct. 3) that it is bringing back its Taco Lover’s Pass, offering loyalty members one free taco a day for 30 days...

Fast-Casual Chains Turn Their Loyalty Focus to the in-Restaurant Experience
Loyalty & Rewards // August 23, 2023

As restaurants continue to seek out ways to combat declining traffic, fast-casual chains including Sweetgreen, Noodles & Company and Panera Bread are taking their loyalty efforts beyond the digital sphere into their brick-and-mortar restaurants. Sweetgreen, a health-focused fast-casual concept with more than 200 restaurants, shared on its most recent earnings call that, to...

Cava’s $318 Million IPO Haul Shows Industry’s Turn Toward Fast-Casual
IPO // June 15, 2023

Cava’s blockbuster initial public offering (IPO) comes as restaurant customers look to strike a balance between convenience and quality — the sweet spot for the fast-casual segment. The Mediterranean fast-casual brand shared in a news release Wednesday (June 14) that it brought in about $318...

Interviews & Exclusives
QSR Subscriptions Take a Bite out of Meal Kit Market Share

May 22, 2023
Quick-service restaurants (QSRs) are finding new ways to take the need to make meals off consumers’ plates as they develop subscription models in direct challenge to meal kit providers. The direct-to-consumer (D2C) subscription model has seen volatility since high rates of inflation took hold across the United States, which caused consumers to make cutbacks in their discretionary spending. […]

Paytronix CEO: Why Restaurants Want To Operate Their Own Ghost Kitchens

June 15, 2020
To say that last week was an active week of news in the restaurant world would be an understatement. First the much-anticipated Uber-Grubhub deal went up in smoke under the threat of antitrust...

Verifone’s Terminal (Times Two) Reinvention

June 26, 2017
Last week Verifone and airport kiosk and IT specialists SITA announced a deal that will see Verifone payment-enable airport self-service kiosks at every airport terminal in the world. Karen Webster talked to Joe Mach, Verifone’s NA President, who says...

Quick Reads
Panera Offers Diners Ability to Pick Up at the Drive-Thru

May 31, 2023
Panera says it will allow diners to pick up their orders without leaving their cars. The fast-casual restaurant chain Wednesday (May 31) announced the launch of its Drive-Thru Pick-Up program, which combines “the ease of the digital ordering experience with the comfort and convenience of the drive-thru window.” According to a news release, the service […]

Panera Brands Announces Leadership Changes Ahead of ‘Eventual IPO’

May 23, 2023
Panera Brands is making some leadership changes to prepare for its “eventual IPO.” The head of one of its brands, Einstein Bros. Bagels President and CEO José Alberto Dueñas, will become Panera Brands CEO July 1,...

Panera Looks To Join Takeout Boom With New Flatbread Pizzas

October 28, 2020
Known for its soup, salads and, of course, bread, Panera Bread is adding flatbread pizza to its menu as demand for delivery and takeout surges in tandem with the coronavirus...

Panera Bolsters Off-Premise Dining With Google Integration

August 25, 2020
Panera has bolstered its digital commerce and off-premise services with a Google integration to make it easier for diners to order food via Google Maps, Google Assistant and Google Search. The restaurant...