Panera Bread

[woodburner]

I just don't see the draw in expensive fast food.

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Interesting you should say this, because I have read recently that these upscale fast food places are the up and coming trend in restaurants. They are supposed to provide better quality food than McD's with fast service. These chains seem to be where the investment money in chain restaurants is going.

I haven't been to one of these places yet but with all that "self-service" it reminds me of a cafeteria!

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Quick-Casaul is the buzz word mounting alliance against Fast Food.

Quick-casual restaurants generated $7 billion in 2003, accounting for about 4.5 percent of the $153 billion fast-food industry, according to Technomic Inc., a Chicago-based food industry consulting firm.

Quick-casual restaurants have projected annual growth of about 11 percent, compared to 4.5 percent for fast-food restaurants. But there has been some slowdown in the quick-casual segment, which had a 25 percent growth rate in 2001.

Rubio's, and Baja Fresh can be thrown into the mix. One of the intriqing things at least to me, that they are upscale fast food, bistro style, serving no alcohol.

woodburner

Edited November 17, 2004 by woodburner (log)

[herbacidal]

I'll agree: quick casual has been one of the leading growth areas of the food and beverage industry, especially within the chains.

The lack of alcohol and the liabilities that come along with it are one attraction. Higher customer turnover is another. Relatively inexpensive restaurant design and relatively low food costs are probably others.

[lesfen]

I have always had good luck with their soups, but their sandwiches have been kind of a let down, especially for the price. I can go down to a deli and get a far superior sandwich for much less... altho' the deli doesn't usually have the eye candy walking around that Panera does. LOL. Anyway... what really bugs me about Panera, and other sandwich chains (Quizno's... gr.), is that they have to put some kind of nauseating sauce on everything! Chipotle sauce, sundried tomato ale mustard (?!), creamy cucumber sauce, bold gorgonzola roasted red pepper sauce! I know, some people dig on the sauce. I don't, and when you (kindly, politely) ask them to leave it off, there's usually some kind of reaction from the kid at the register, like I'm putting them out by not eating their funk sauce!

I guess I'm just trying to say that I don't mind paying $4.00 for their soup.