Dive Brief:

• Panera has reworked its breakfast menu with new core and limited-time items, the chain said in a press release Wednesday.
• The menu addition includes three breakfast sandwiches, one of which is available for a limited time, and two CinnaScrambles, which are breakfast sandwiches that use cinnamon rolls. 
• The breakfast changes are the next stage in Panera’s menu transformation, which began in April and included 20 new and enhanced menu items across the salad, sandwiches and mac & cheese categories.

Dive Insight:

The New Era at Panera, as the chain calls its menu transformation, is “guided by listening to our guests and our associates and delivering what they want most — the right combination of high-quality ingredients, taste and value,” the chain said in an email to Restaurant Dive. “All of our menu updates are a direct reflection of what our guests are telling us.” 

The chain said that its April menu has been received well and the Toasted Italiano is “an instant favorite.” 

“Not only are we hearing great things from our guests, but the energy and excitement from our associates around these new menu items has been incredible, and that simplified and improved associate experience translates to an even better experience for our guests,” Panera said.

The breakfast sandwiches include the Bacon Double Take, which has twice the bacon of one of Panera’s traditional sandwiches, the Ham Egg & Cheese and the Steak & Wake, made with thin-sliced steak on Ciabatta bread. The last of these is available for a limited time. 

For its breakfast menu, the chain said it is “leaning into the distinctive breads” that guests like and combining them with various ingredients and a broader variety of protein options, like the double bacon, steak, ham or sausage. 

Additionally, the chain is selling a limited-time bakery treat called a CinnaTop, which is a cinnamon roll with icing and a choice of toppings, including Candy Cookie, Chocho Chipper Cookie or Fudgy Brownie. These items start at $4.79 and are available at participating restaurants. Prices may vary by location. 

As part of its breakfast update, the chain will offer three months free of its Unlimited Sip Club membership to new subscribers who sign up by Aug. 1.

Its menu transformation also impacted its beverage menu. Last week, the chain added Pomegranate Hibiscus Tea, Citrus Punch, Blueberry Lavender Lemonade and Tropical Green Smoothie to its drink menu. 

The company has removed some items from its menu during the transformation, including flatbread pizzas, in a move it says focuses on more of its core menu items. Panera also took its charged lemonade off the menu.  The company told The New York Times that the removal of the lemonade was due to this menu. However, the chain faced several lawsuits during the past year that claimed the highly caffeinated drinks caused death or medical distress.