NEW YORK – Three years into a pilot program of its
pay-what-you-can concept, Panera Bread Co. is testing a pay-what-you-can item,
the Wall Street Journal reports.
The fast-casual chain is launching the initiative for turkey
chili in a bread bowl at its for-profit St. Louis stores, with the hope that a
successful run would expand the concept to all of its 1,700 outlets.
Panera’s co-CEO Ron Shaich said the company’s
pay-what-you-can stores, called Panera Cares, has been a “roller coaster of an
experience. People came up to me and began talking about the fact that they had
been customers for 5-10 years and had lost their jobs. And how appreciated it
was. There were occasionally people who tried to beat it, or game it. So
ultimately it was a test of human nature.”
Shaich said the company will serve more than 1 million
people this year at those cafes, with 20% of customers leaving more than the
suggested donation, 60% leaving the suggested donation, and 20% leaving less
than the suggested donation.