Technology

Panera doubling down on dual customer experience

Provided

May 20, 2021

Panera is unveiling its next-generation Panera bakery-cafe restaurant design in November in Ballwin, Missouri. Although it features more digital service options and better drive-thru access, the brand is still focused on a solid dine-in experience, offering comfortable seating within a vibrant, warm and welcoming environment, Eduardo Luz, chief brand and concept officer, said in a company press release.

"Innovation is core to who we are and with our new next-generation Panera concept, we are doing what we've always done — keeping a personalized experience for the guest at the heart of everything we do," he said. "We're doubling down on what has always made Panera unique — creating human connection through caring associates and a warm, inviting environment filled with the smell of freshly-baked bread — while continuing to be a leader in digital access for the off-premise world."

The design features the following main updates:

Craft bakery experience: Each night, bakers in every Panera bake bread and bakery items fresh. Now, Panera is moving the bakery-cafe ovens to be in full view of the guests, so they can fully immerse themselves in the experience of baking happening throughout the day.
Dual-drive thru with dedicated rapid pick-up lane.
Enhanced digital experience: It will feature new digital innovations including contactless dine-in and delivery, updated ordering kiosks; automatic loyalty identification, and a fully digitized menu both in-cafe and in drive-thru.
Contactless ordering, which will allow guests who choose a fully contactless experience to easily order their meal from their own phone for dine-in, Rapid Pick-up, drive-thru or delivery. Once the order is made, guests are notified via mobile notifications when their food is ready, minimalizing interaction with cashiers, kiosks, paper receipts or pagers.
Refreshed brand identity: The concept is introducing an updated Panera Bread logo and brand identity. The refreshed Panera "Mother Bread" logo is a nod to Panera Bread's more than 30-year-old sourdough starter from which all of its sourdough bread is still made today.
Intuitive guest journey: From deploying clear wayfinding on the exterior of the cafe to refining how the guest routes through the cafe after entering the front door including experiencing our bakery, ordering (either through a traditional register or a digital kiosk), and picking up their food, guest convenience is one of the highest priorities of the new design.

The next-generation Panera bakery-cafe is the latest update in a series of digital and menu innovations from the brand over the course of the last year, including Panera Curbside, its $8.99/month plus tax premium coffee subscription as well as a new Flatbread Pizza category that has expanded to five delicious flatbread offerings. By seamlessly integrating orders with the company's loyalty program, MyPanera, guests can save their favorites, earn and track rewards, and receive one-to-one tailored content, according to the release.

Panera worked with BrandOpus to develop the updated Panera brand identity and logo and ChangeUp to design the next-generation Panera restaurant concept.