The new Panera to Go concept offers guests the convenience of Rapid Pick-Up and Delivery for off-premise delivery.
The Chicago-based restaurant is the first of three Panera to Go test locations scheduled to open this year. Panera to Go is a digital-only bakery-cafe, with a reduced front of house where guests and delivery drivers can easily pick up orders from Rapid PickUp® and Delivery shelves. Designed for densely populated areas that cannot accommodate a dine-in bakery-cafe, the new format allows Panera to meet the demand in these areas for easy off-premise options with its delicious offerings of The Familiar, Made Fantastic™.
“We strive to make it easy for our guests to access Panera’s chef-curated menu, in the most convenient way. Panera to Go creates yet another access point for our guests, via Rapid Pick-Up or Delivery, in locations where Panera has not historically operated,” said Eduardo Luz, Chief Brand & Concept Officer, Panera Bread. “We are excited to launch into more trade areas, where we know people are craving for what Panera offers—freshly prepared delicious dishes, crafted by our chefs and bakers, using clean ingredients.”
Recently, the brand has been actively testing ghost kitchens, with five currently operational nationwide and more planned to open this year. The Panera to Go concept differs from ghost kitchens in that the new format offers a branded front-of-house experience where guests can quickly pick up digital orders on their own. Ordering and payment for Panera to Go orders are only available on Panera’s digital channels via web or on the Panera app.
