What does Panera Bread do?

Panera Bread is a prominent American chain of bakery-café fast casual restaurants, boasting over 2,200 locations across the United States and Canada. Founded in 1987 in Kirkwood, Missouri, the company was initially known as the St. Louis Bread Company and was rebranded as Panera Bread in 1997. The name "Panera" means "bread basket" in Latin, reflecting its focus on freshly baked goods. The menu at Panera Bread features a variety of offerings, including freshly baked breads, pastries, sandwiches, salads, soups, and coffee drinks. The company is known for its commitment to quality, using a sourdough starter from San Francisco that has been maintained since its inception. Panera has also pioneered the fast casual dining concept, providing a comfortable atmosphere for customers to enjoy their meals while offering amenities like free Wi-Fi and mobile ordering options. The company emphasizes clean ingredients and transparency, having removed artificial additives from its menu and being the first national chain to list calorie information voluntarily.