Panera Launches Geofence-Enabled Curbside Service; Extends Free WiFi Beyond Bakery-Cafe Doors With Aim To Transform Curbside Experience For Guests

Geofencing Technology Seamlessly Identifies When Guest Arrives For Fast and Frictionless Delivery Right to Their Car

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May 18, 2020, 07:00 ET

ST. LOUIS, May 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Panera announced it aims to transform the curbside experience with the launch of Panera Curbside, a geofence-enabled service that allows guests to safely and easily get their favorite Panera meals served straight to their car. As one of the first restaurants to offer free Wi-Fi, Panera has now extended its free Wi-Fi radius beyond the bakery-cafe doors and implemented geofencing technology as the company strives to provide guests with the fastest Curbside experience. With the addition of geofencing, for those who opt-in, the bakery-cafe will be notified automatically when the guest arrives—creating an easy, frictionless way to get your freshly-prepared Panera favorites. Now through May 31, Panera invites guests to try Panera Curbside with $5 off any $20 order.*

Starting today, May 18, Panera Launches Geofence-Enabled Curbside Service

With seasonal favorites like Strawberry Poppyseed Salad and Summer Corn Chowder back on the menu, guests have a great reason to try a curbside version of their usual Panera Date. Order for Panera Curbside, pull up, and we will quickly bring your freshly prepared favorites out to you.

"In these unprecedented times, people are missing life's small comforts, like going out for a meal with family. While we prioritize safety and convenience, we hope that Panera Curbside can be a natural extension of the Panera Warmth inside our bakery-cafes," said Niren Chaudhary, Panera CEO. "In the new world as it emerges, we are focused on how we can best serve our customers and meet them where they are. Our latest technology and Wi-Fi capabilities, combined with enhanced protective measures at bakery-cafes, make Panera Curbside a frictionless way to continue to enjoy the Panera experience you know and love."

It's easy to order Panera Curbside from the Panera app or online:

Step 1: Choose your meal and order for Panera Curbside®
Step 2: Tell us in the ''Special Instructions'' the make, model and color of the vehicle you'll arrive in.
Step 3: Park in the parking lot and for those who opt-in, we'll bring your order out to your car upon arrival without any action needed. Those who don't opt-in to the service just need to tap ''I'm here'' in the MyPanera app or order confirmation email upon arrival.

If you're on-the-go or just not quite ready to come in, Panera Curbside is an easy way to get a wholesome meal everyone will love. Panera continues to take extraordinary steps to continue to serve our communities, with additional safety precautions being taken in order to open up select restaurants with a "to-go" only model, including:

Enhanced cleaning and handwashing procedures in all bakery-cafes
Ongoing plexiglass barrier installations in Panera cafes + drive-thru's
Masks distributed to and worn by all associates
Hand sanitizer available in all cafes at each entryway
Social distancing measures clearly articulated in each cafe with signage / floor decals
Thermometers at all cafes to enable thorough pre-shift wellness checks
Social distance enabled between our ordering kiosks and adding anti-microbial screens
Contactless curbside pickup and delivery options for customers

For more information or to order Panera Curbside today, visit www.PaneraBread.com.

*$5 off offer valid 5/18/20-5/31/20. Minimum order of $20 required for $5 off, exclusive of taxes and charges that may apply. Order online and use code: CURBSIDE5. MyPanera login not required. Code can be used an unlimited amount of times during the promotion period. Cannot be combined with other promotional codes. Gift card purchases, third party delivery orders and catering orders excluded. Order must be placed online with credit card. Other restrictions may apply. Offer may expire without notice due to error, fraud or other unforeseen circumstances.

About Panera Bread
Thirty years ago, at a time when quick service meant low quality, Panera set out to challenge this expectation. We believed that food that was good and that you could feel good about, served in a warm and welcoming environment by people who cared, could bring out the best in all of us. To us, that is food as it should be and that is why we exist.

So, we began with a simple commitment: to bake bread fresh every day in our bakery-cafes. No short cuts, just bakers with simple ingredients and hot ovens. Each night, any unsold bread and baked goods were shared with neighbors in need.

These traditions carry on today, as we have continued to find ways to be an ally for wellness to our guests. That means crafting a menu of soups, salads and sandwiches that we are proud to feed our families. Like poultry and pork raised without antibiotics on our salads and sandwiches. A commitment to transparency and options that empower our guests to eat the way they want. Seasonal flavors and whole grains. And a commitment to removing or not using artificial additives (preservatives, sweeteners, flavors, and colors from artificial sources on our No No list) in the food in our bakery-cafes. Why? Because we think that simpler is better and we believe in serving food as it should be. Because when you don't have to compromise to eat well, all that is left is the joy of eating.

We're also focused on improving quality and convenience. With investments in technology and operations, we now offer new ways to enjoy your Panera favorites – like mobile ordering and Rapid Pick-Up® for to-go orders and delivery – all designed to make things easier for our guests.

As of March 31, 2020, there were 2,174 bakery-cafes in 48 states and in Ontario, Canada, operating under the Panera Bread® or Saint Louis Bread Co.® names. For more information, visit panerabread.com or find us on Twitter (@panerabread), Facebook (facebook.com/panerabread) or Instagram (@panerabread).

Media Contacts:
Edward Ruddy
Sloane & Company
[email protected]

Nirmala Singh
Zeno Group
[email protected]

SOURCE Panera Bread