Who am I? Who cares? Good questions. It's my site so I'm going to tap into the slow summer months once in awhile by telling you more about who I am - via a "Stuff I Like" series. Nothing too serious, just exploring the micro-niche that resides at the base of all of our lives. Potshots encouraged in the comments.
Hell yeah... I dig Panera Bread....
Let me count what's right with Panera:
1. The Cinnamon Crunch Bagel. If you haven't tried it, you need to. It's the perfect food, heavy
enough to fill me up but light enough where I can still run a 5K shortly thereafter. Cause you never know when that 5K opportunity is going to pop up.
2. Affordable lunch. I take a lot of people to lunch, and I'm a complete sucker - I usually buy. That means price matters over 10-20 lunches. I can get in and out of Panera for under $20, while a lot of other options for a sit down lunch drift toward $30. Like Randy Moss once said, that's straight cash, homie.
3. It's sit down, but it's fast - whether it's a bagel or lunch, it's up quick. Kind of like the Tommy Davidson character on In Living Color...
4. I can double dip cold drinks and coffee. For a caffeine junky like me, this matters at lunch. I can use the same to-go cup for a cold drink, then fill it with coffee for the afternoon to get my game on. Love the free refills! You didn't know I'm a freakin' productivity/efficiency expert, did you?
5. Free wireless - Unlike starbucks, Panera isn't pimping me for revenue here. Advantage - Panera...
So, those are the things that make the Capitalist like Panera Bread. I consider them to be in a blue ocean, void of true direct competitors in many ways. For more insight into the positioning of Panera, here's a link to a USA Today article that was pretty interesting, which includes the following clip:
"Things few folks know about Panera Bread's CEO: He reads 20 to 30 customer e-mails daily. He tends to go to the office only for meetings. He mostly lets Panera's management employees live wherever they want they teleconference weekly. He lives two blocks from Fenway Park, but isn't a big Boston Red Sox fan. He still likes to page through "Concept Essence," the roadmap document he and Chief Concept Officer Scott Davis drew up more than two decades ago in creating the Panera chain.
He works out three days a week with a trainer. Panera has collected 1,500 pieces of bread art. Panera conference rooms are named after food items. He supported the Obama campaign and donated upward of $100,000 to it and the inauguration. He does his best work on vacation "when my mind is uncluttered." He sometimes takes his family to eat at P.F. Chang's. He also likes Taco Bell. He loves to go into Panera stores and watch. "I'm not checking up on the people in the store but on me."
Any guy that likes Taco Bell is OK in my eyes. I bet this cat drinks Diet Mountain Dew as well...
I'm with you on most of this... except...
they can't do (or won't do...) my fancy scmancy coffee that I like.
And I'll add: Panera lemonade is the BOMB!
tlcolson
Posted by: Tammy Colson | August 07, 2009 at 11:27 AM
You know what else I like? They manage to hire and retain truly nice people who appear to like their jobs. They deliver a slightly-better-than-Starbucks customer experience in terms of people remembering what you order, developing a relationship with you, and suggesting things you might want to try in a non-programmed way.
And Tammy you're right - AWESOME lemonade. With refills!
Posted by: Franny | August 07, 2009 at 11:50 AM
Very timely topic-today was my first "real" visit to Panera. I've been there once before a few years ago with a friend but didn't get anything. Today I got lunch there (Strawberry Poppyseed salad with chicken) and it was amazing. I rarely eat lunch out so when I do I like it to be good--Panera didn't disappoint. And to learn that the CEO is so down to earth, it's just icing on that gigantic cinnamon roll I saw.
Posted by: Alecia R | August 07, 2009 at 01:25 PM
I'm with you on this one. Panera Bread is good stuff, all the way around. I don't spend nearly as much time at my local PB as I could or should. Didn't even realize they had free wi-fi. The Cinnamon Crunch bagel is amazing and they've got this new sandwich with tomoato and mozzarella cheese that's off the hook. I'm diggin' it.
Posted by: Seth M | August 07, 2009 at 01:46 PM
Panera ROCKS! When bagels started showing up in the South a few years ago, I didn't get it. I took a customers some Panera bagels which included the Cinnamon Crunch and now I am hooked. I use the free WIFI ocasionally, and you know I have to buy something right? So I get the caramel mocha drink - love it.
Posted by: Jeff | August 07, 2009 at 02:46 PM
KD- How have I missed you at our local PB? I love some Cinnamon Crunch Bagel! For a skinny chick with a running disorder it's my "wonda" breakfast! Add that to the fact that they have my bagel ready before I hit the counter and I am lifer! Outside of a certain bar in Boston where are you going to get service like that?
Leigh Ann
Posted by: AWM | August 07, 2009 at 02:55 PM
I like that you're a fan of Panera, or as it is call here in STL, St. Louis Bread Co. Founded here and we have enjoyed it for years. One of those good stories where a company was bought out and quality didn't decrease.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panera_Bread
Posted by: Ryan | August 07, 2009 at 03:58 PM
Hear! Hear! Their black bean soup is the bomb.
And, BTW, best use of a Randy Moss quote I've ever seen. We all should quote Randy more often.
Posted by: Scott Eblin | August 07, 2009 at 04:01 PM
Tammy - you're right, the coffee isn't starbucks quality - recommend mixing house and hazelnut to overcome...
Fran, Alecia and Seth - Panera on me next time I'm in your town...
AWM - Panera on me sometime soon in the Bham. How's the million dollar blog idea coming?
Ryan - I'm from MO, and count STL as part of my home. 2 weeks ago stopped at the Bread company on exit 19 on the Illinois side of I64- cause I knew I could get the cin crunch and a coffee for a snack...
Scott - http://twitter.com/kris_dunn/status/3183592087
KD
Posted by: Kris Dunn | August 07, 2009 at 04:21 PM
I'll take you up on that one!
MDBI..coming along nicely..well
I guess nicely is probably not the right adverb! I'd love to bounce some idea's off of you!
Posted by: AWM | August 07, 2009 at 08:18 PM
I live in So Cal but I first went to a Panera Bread in Birmingham, AL about 5-6 years ago. I thought it was great and didn't understand why we didn't have any in CA. Now we do and I still love it. Great food, good value, nice staff. All the things you want in a good customer experience. Now open in Glendale, CA!!!
Posted by: HRJEFE | August 08, 2009 at 02:17 AM
I love their soup.
Posted by: laurie ruettimann | August 08, 2009 at 12:36 PM
HRJEFE - why were you in Bham? When are you coming back? War Glendale...
Laurie - the big question is whether you eat thier soup during a NC summer. I'm guessing yes....
KD
Posted by: Kris Dunn | August 08, 2009 at 06:12 PM
How can we not appreciate a wireless experience that removes all "pimping?"
Three additional words...French Onion Soup.
Posted by: garrick | August 09, 2009 at 12:46 PM
I am a big fan Smokehouse turkey panni myself.
Posted by: Michael D. Haberman, SPHR | August 10, 2009 at 09:48 AM
Mike -
That explains all the afternoon naps....Diet related....
KD
Posted by: Kris Dunn | August 10, 2009 at 01:44 PM
I am a little late on this but thanks for pimpin my company. I am glad to see all the positive comments.
Posted by: Joe Rice | August 11, 2009 at 06:42 AM
I used to work for Vulcan Materials and their home office is BHM. Traveled there quite a bit for business ate out alot. Now the company I work for is based out of Indy, good food too but I do love the Southern cooking!
Posted by: hrjefe | August 16, 2009 at 02:24 AM