Earlier this year, Panera Bread announced that it had expanded delivery to customers across the U.S. though the Panera app or website. The next phase of the company’s delivery expansion is here, as it has officially launched breakfast delivery, starting with 231 cities and towns nationwide.
Easily ordered through the app or website, Panera’s breakfast delivery offers a convenient alternative to waiting in line for food or coffee. 381 cafes throughout the country will initially offer the service, including select cafes in the Chicago, Dallas, Nashville, St. Louis, and Minneapolis. Panera plans to offer the service in an additional 30 cafes by the end of 2018.
“Since we launched Panera delivery, guests have been asking ‘what about breakfast?’ We’re all looking for an easier way to get a better breakfast as we start our day,” says Blaine Hurst, Panera CEO. “Panera is uniquely suited to meet this need—the convenience of our digital properties and our great service provide a better experience for wholesome food, delivered any time of day.”
Panera also uses its own drivers to make deliveries, as opposed to using a third-party service like UberEats or GrubHub. Convenience and cost are key, as guests within an eight-minute drive time of participating cafes can order breakfast delivery for as little as a $5 menu purchase (excluding tax) plus a delivery fee. Panera hopes that delivery will have a big effect on its breakfast sales, as it has with other products.
“Delivery is fueling our next phase of growth, and the success we have seen so far is exciting. The combination of providing clean food options via an entirely digital experience is giving us a real advantage, and the momentum is just beginning,” says Hurst.