Panera Bread to post calories on menus at company stores

[RamboLiberal]

Source: USA Today

Panera Bread customers around the country soon will be able to tally calories for their smokehouse turkey panini and broccoli cheddar soup with just a glance at the menu board.

Panera (PNRA) announced Wednesday that it will be the first nationwide chain to voluntarily post calorie information at all of its company-owned restaurants. The move is notable in an industry that had historically opposed requirements that chain operations post calorie counts.

But the landscape is changing as local laws mandating nutritional disclosure become more common and Congress considers a nationwide mandate. This is only one in a wave of changes consumers can expect to see on chain restaurant menus in coming years.

Panera officials said the possibility of wider mandates played a role in the move. But they also are pleased with how their customers reacted at Paneras that already advertise the fact that the chain's Asian sesame chicken salad has 410 calories, compared to the 680 in the Napa almond chicken salad sandwich on sesame semolina.

"It puts everything out in the open, obviously," said Scott Davis, the company's chief concept officer. "So when you look at making a choice between a soup with 100 calories and a sandwich with 300 or 400 calories, it puts it pretty clearly what's in your best interest."


Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2010-03-10-panera-bread-menus_N.htm

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Good - they are one of my favorites for a decent nutrious meal that is fairly low in price. I like their pick two options.

[fishwax]

1. Good on ya, Panera

:thumbsup:

[endless october]

2. good move for Panera.

i use the meal builder on their site all of the time. love their food, and you can get some healthy stuff there that tastes awesome.

[TwilightGardener]

3. I eat at Panera a few times a month. Good on them.

[Sinistrous]

4. I wonder if they could find it in their hearts to post carb content, too?

[southernyankeebelle]

5. OMG, I wish we had one in our area. Love Panera bread.