Catering Lead

Panera rolls out new Salad Stuffer menu category. It's a twist on the soup-in-a-bread-bowl tradition. These are salads in a bread roll. Lisa Jennings, Executive Editor, Restaurant Business April 8, 2026 The Steakhouse Salad Stuffer is a steak salad stuffed into a soft Italian roll. Panera Bread Panera Bread is inviting its guests to "Stuff it." The fast-casual sandwich chain on Wednesday launched a new menu category that bridges the gap between the core sandwich and salad lineup. They call the new item Salad Stuffers, which debut systemwide in two iterations. It's a unique take on a wrap sandwich that also borrows from Panera's longtime soup-in-bread-bowl tradition. The Steakhouse Salad Stuffer, for example, includes crisp romaine and arugula tossed with a new Farmhouse Ranch dressing made with buttermilk, as well as tender marinated sliced steak, applewood-smoked bacon, gorgonzola, pickled red onion, grape tomatoes and crispy frizzled onions, all stuffed into an Italian Stuffer Roll. In another variation, the Santa Fe Salad Stuffer includes romaine in ranch dressing tossed with grilled chicken, bold taco seasoning, roasted corn, feta, sweet peppers, pickled red onion, fresh cilantro and blue corn tortilla strips, all stuffed into the roll. The sandwiches range in price from $8 to $13, the company said. The bread is new, Panera said. It's soft and fluffy and appears to allow diners to eat with one hand, at least in theory. Mark Shambura, Panera's chief marketing officer, said guests who tested Salad Stuffers couldn't get enough of the roll when paired with the new salad flavors. "Just like soup in our bread bowl is the perfect match, Salad Stuffers bring salad and bread together in a way that is sure to be the next icon on the Panera menu," he said in a statement. The menu debut is the latest move in Panera's ongoing transformation plan, dubbed Panera RISE. The plan has included menu upgrades, and operational improvements to enhance the customer experience. Panera has also focused on value, launching its first dedicated value menu earlier this year, with half portions of Mix & Match items at $4.99. Other new items at Panera this year have included a new lineup of energy drinks, frescas and lemonades, as well as a Dubai-style Chocolate Pistachio Cookie. Executive Editor, Restaurant Business Lisa Jennings was executive editor of Nation's Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She joined the NRN staff as West Coast editor in 2004 as a veteran journalist. Before joining NRN, she spent 11 years at The Commercial Appeal, the daily newspaper in Memphis, Tenn., most recently as editor of the Food and Health & Wellness sections. Prior experience includes staff reporting for the Washington Business Journal and United Press International. Lisa's areas of expertise include coverage of both large public restaurant chains and small independents, the regulatory and legal landscapes impacting the industry overall, as well as helping operators find solutions to run their business better. Lisa Jennings' experience: Executive editor, RB Executive editor, NRN (March 2020 to 2021) Executive editor, Restaurant Hospitality (January 2018 to present) Senior editor, NRN (September 2004 to March 2020) Reporter/editor, The Commercial Appeal (1990-2001) Reporter, Washington Business Journal (1985-1987) Contact Lisa Jennings at:

Panera closing its fresh dough factory in west chester twp. * Sue Kiesewetter * Apr 2, 2026 Updated Apr 2, 2026 Panera will close its fresh dough factory in the Prologis NorthPark industrial park on Muhlhauser Road May 22. It is part of a move that began more than a year ago when the St. Louis-based company began a 2-year transition to a new baking model. "In this model, we partner with expert artisan bakery producers who follow Panera's time-honored recipes and use our high-quality ingredients to craft bread that is finished baking in our cafes throughout the day," Panera said in a statement. In a notice to the Office of Workforce Development, Panera said 70 employees will lose their jobs at the 4434 Muhlhauser Road bakery between May 20-22. "Great bread is at the heart of the Panera experience and will always be the foundation of who we are. Last year, we began a nationwide transition to a new baking model that helps us to have greater availability of the breads our guests love, ensuring quality while allowing us to expand innovation and variety," the statement said. None of the employees are represented by a union or have job bumping rights. But they will be given a severance package, assistance locating other jobs within Panera, and outplacement services, including an April 20 job fair, according to the notice. "We deeply value our team members and are committed to supporting them through this transition with resources, career opportunities and guidance," Panera said in its statement to the Journal-News.