Panera Bread opened its third Charlotte County bakery-cafe Sept. 24 at 26260 Jones Loop Road, Unit A, in Punta Gorda Station. The new location includes a drive-thru and Panera’s modern cafe format.
Panera Bread opened its third Charlotte County bakery-cafe Sept. 24 at 26260 Jones Loop Road, Unit A, in Punta Gorda Station.
The new Punta Gorda restaurant joins existing Panera locations in Port Charlotte and Babcock Ranch. As of Sept. 1, Panera had 2,253 bakery-cafes nationwide.
The first 100 guests at the opening-day “baguette breaking” ceremony received 12 free You Pick Two meals, which allow customers to mix and match soups, salads and sandwiches.
The Punta Gorda location features Panera’s modern cafe format, with updated ordering kiosks and a fully digital menu. The cafe has limited counter seating and is designed primarily for customers on the go.
It also includes a drive-thru, a feature not available at every Panera location.
As part of its community outreach, the Punta Gorda cafe is inviting local nonprofit organizations, including schools, sports teams and Scout groups, to hold fundraising events at the restaurant through Dec. 24. Panera will donate 30% of net sales from qualifying events to participating organizations.
The new Panera Bread at Punta Gorda Station features digital ordering kiosks and a fully digital menu. The bakery-cafe has limited counter seating and is designed primarily for customers on the go.
“We’re excited to expand in Punta Gorda and continue growing our presence in the market,” James Smith, director of retail operations, said in a statement. “We look forward to serving our guests with the delicious food and warm, welcoming service Panera is known for.”
Panera traces its roots to St. Louis Bread Co., founded in 1987 by Ken and Linda Rosenthal in Kirkwood, Missouri. Au Bon Pain acquired the company in 1993, and it was renamed Panera Bread in 1997.
JAB Holding Co. acquired Panera in 2017 in a deal valued at about $7.5 billion, taking the publicly traded company private.
Today, Panera Bread is part of Panera Brands, which also includes Caribou Coffee and Einstein Bros. Bagels. Panera operates a mix of company-owned and franchised bakery-cafes in the United States and Canada.
According to Panera’s website, prospective franchisees are generally required to commit to developing multiple bakery-cafes rather than a single location. The company lists minimum financial requirements of $7.5 million in net worth and $3 million in liquid assets.
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