L'Ardente Competitors

Our first bakery-cafe opened in 1987, founded with a secret sourdough starter and the belief that the best part of bread is sharing it. That vision led to the invention of the Fast Casual category with Panera at the forefront, centered around our delicious menu of chef-curated recipes that are crafted with care by our team members. We make food that we are proud to serve our own families, from crave-worthy soups, salads and sandwiches to mac & cheese and sweets. Each recipe is filled with ingredients we feel good about and none of those we don't because we are committed to serving our guests food that feels good in the moment and long after. While our company is now more than 2,200 bakery-cafes strong, our values and belief in the lasting power of a great meal remain as strong as ever. Nothing beats breaking bread together. We believe in serving delicious, freshly prepared food made with carefully selected ingredients that we are proud to serve our own families. Our menu, crafted by chefs and bakers, features classic, comforting dishes, each with an intriguing twist. We’re also focused on improving quality and convenience. With investments in technology and operations, we offer omni-channel access to your Panera favorites – like mobile ordering, catering, and Rapid Pick-Up® for to-go orders, Curbside pick-up and delivery – all designed to make things easier for our guests. Today, Panera operates as both Panera Bread® or Saint Louis Bread Co St. Louis Bread Company in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Canada. To find a location in your area, click here. Panera Bread is privately held by JAB Holding Company. Panera Bread is part of Panera Brands, one of the largest fast casual restaurant platforms in the U.S., comprised of Panera Bread®, Caribou Coffee® and Einstein Bros.® Bagels.

We’re a Belgian bakery and restaurant serving simple, wholesome and seasonal food. Le Pain Quotidien means “the daily bread” in French, and like our name suggests, we’re bakers at heart. Although our handmade, organic bread is how we got our start, we serve a variety of healthy options like organic coffee, pastries, eggs, tartines, soups, salads and desserts. At Le Pain Quotidien, we believe that food should be simple, nourishing and delicious. That’s why we source ingredients that are local or organic whenever possible. We also believe in the importance of eating a healthy, plant-based diet, so you’ll find many vegetarian or vegan options on our menu.

Founded in 1978, Au Bon Pain (“from good bread”) has grown into an internationally recognized leader in the fast-casual restaurant category. The chain’s signature items – sandwiches, breads, pastries, salads, soups and coffee – are served in welcoming café environments emphasizing quick service and hospitality. Au Bon Pain offers consumers a wide array of delicious, nutritional foods that include low-sodium, low-fat, gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options. Calorie counts are clearly posted on menus and full nutritional information is provided in each café which has helped the brand earn Health magazine’s designation as one of America’s Top 5 Healthiest Restaurant Chains over the past three years and one of America’s Healthiest Restaurant Chains by Grellin. Au Bon Pain operates in six key trade channels including urban office buildings, hospitals, universities, transportation centers, malls and museums. Au Bon Pain currently operates in more than 300 locations in the U.S. and internationally. Additional information about Au Bon Pain, which is headquartered in Boston, may be found at aubonpain.com. Follow us at Facebook.com/aubonpain, @aubonpainusa on Instagram and @aubonpain on Twitter.