Panera Bread has announced the opening of its 1,500th bakery-cafe and its first in Manhattan.
The Company’s new location opened today at 330 Seventh Avenue at 29th Street. As well, Panera Bread announced three other Manhattan bakery-cafes that it expects to open in 2012. They will be located on East 86th Street, Fifth Avenue at 40th Street and Union Square.
“We are thrilled to be celebrating two milestones today — the opening of our 1,500th bakery-cafe, as well as Panera’s entry into the food mecca that is Manhattan,” commented Ron Shaich, Panera Bread Founder and Executive Chairman. “While New York City consumers have their pick of options, we believe that the Panera experience — high-quality food rooted in hand-crafted, artisan bread, served in a warm and welcoming environment by people who care — will distinguish Panera from the rest. Not only are we excited about opening our 1,500th bakery-cafe but we’re pleased about joining four neighborhoods across Manhattan over the coming months.”
Panera Bread currently operates 90 bakery-cafes in the Tri-State area and has long been a preferred destination of the New York commuter crowd. In 2010 Panera Bread was ranked highest in customer satisfaction among Quick Service Restaurants in New York by J.D. Power and Associates.
“Residents of the Tri-State certainly know Panera well as we have, in a sense, surrounded Manhattan with cafes in the other boroughs,” commented Bill Moreton, Panera Bread’s Chief Executive Officer and President. “Many of our fans outside Manhattan, including Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut, have been asking us to come to Manhattan for quite some time and we’re happy to do that for them today. For New Yorkers who have yet to visit a Panera, we welcome them to visit to our new Seventh Avenue location.”
Panera Bread increasingly operates bakery-cafes in high-density metropolitan areas including Boston, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and Toronto. “Having been successful in some of the country’s largest cities, we felt it was time for us to be in Manhattan,” Shaich said. “We are excited to step onto the world’s biggest and most varied culinary stage. We think New Yorkers are in for a treat.”
Recognition
In recent years, Panera Bread has been fortunate to be recognized by leading food reviewers and polling organizations including Zagat, Harris Interactive and Sandelman Associates:
- Zagat — Voted Top Rated Facility and Best Salad in the 2011 Fast Food Survey (large chain category); Most Popular and #2 Healthy Options in 2010
- Harris Poll — Named Casual Dining Brand of the Year in 2011 Harris Poll EquiTrend
- J.D. Power and Associates — Ranked Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Quick Service Restaurants in New York in 2010
- Sandelman & Associates — Ranked #2 among Excellent Large Fast-Food Chains (500 or more units) in its 2011 Quick-Track Study
- BusinessWeek — Named to BusinessWeek‘s 2010 list of top 25 “Customer Service Champs”
- QSR — Ranked #1 Fast Casual in 2010 survey of quick casual food concepts
The Seventh Avenue bakery-cafe features 102 seats including a mezzanine seating area. The location will include all of Panera’s signature amenities including a relaxing, comfortable atmosphere and free WiFi, as well as catering and freshly baked goods baked on-site each night by artisan bakers. Panera’s loyalty program MyPanera will also be offered so that Manhattan customers can enjoy rewards including complimentary products, invitations to special events and access to special recipes and communication. All of the Manhattan bakery-cafes will support City Harvest through the Company’s Day-End Dough-Nation program and the Community Breadbox program. For more information on these initiatives, please visit www.panerabread.com/about/community.
As of September 27, 2011, Panera Bread Company owned and franchised 1,504 bakery-cafes under the Panera Bread, Saint Louis Bread Co. and Paradise Bakery & Café names. Our bakery-cafes are principally located in suburban, strip mall, and regional mall locations. We feature high-quality, reasonably priced food in a warm, inviting, and comfortable environment. With our identity rooted in handcrafted, fresh-baked, artisan bread, we are committed to providing great tasting, quality food that people can trust. Nearly all of our bakery-cafes have a menu highlighted by antibiotic-free chicken, whole grain bread, and select organic and all natural ingredients, with zero grams of artificial trans fat per serving, which provide flavorful, wholesome offerings. Our menu includes a wide variety of year-round favorites complemented by new items introduced seasonally with the goal of creating new standards in everyday food choices. In neighborhoods across the United States and in Ontario, Canada, our customers enjoy our warm and welcoming environment featuring comfortable gathering areas, relaxing decor, and free internet access. Our bakery-cafes routinely donate bread and baked goods to community organizations in need. Additional information is available on our website, http://www.panerabread.com.
