Panera opens at Upland Green

continued

This was not a onetime PR gambit. Tony Sharkas, the new store’s manager, says Panera always has strong local connections with “churches, homeless shelters, or food banks. Because we don’t put any preservatives in our baked goods, they’re best consumed the day they’re made.” Food Gatherers executive director Eileen Spring confirms that Panera stores “both locally and nationally have done much to raise money and raise awareness of hunger issues.”

Panera began as the St. Louis Bread Company in the early 1980s, and its earthy, crusty loaves ($3–$8) are still the core product. But mainly Panera is a casual restaurant, and Sharkas says its main competitors are Applebee’s and Chili’s, which are a step up from Panera in price but offer table service and alcohol.

The menu is ultracasual, but with yuppie class: Sharkas is partial to a breakfast sandwich involving ciabatta bread, eggs, white cheddar cheese, and smoked apple-wood bacon done on a panini press for about $3, while assistant manager Carrie Vaquera brushed crumbs of her favorite Frontega smoked chicken panini off her chest while she talked.