Dive Brief:
- Panera Bread added Salad Stuffers to its core menu on Wednesday, according to an emailed press release.
- The Stuffers are handheld sandwiches made using a new Italian Stuffer Roll filled with premium salad ingredients, a concept Panera likened to its soup bread bowls.
- The newest menu option, which can turn any salad into a Stuffer, is part of Panera’s RISE transformation plan. That plan launched in November and includes both menu refreshes and a focus on value, improved customer experience and unit growth.
Dive Insight:
Panera hit the ground running with its transformation plan this year by debuting several new menu items. The restaurant launched a new beverage lineup, including Energy Refreshers and Frescas, in March. In February, it added a Mix & Match value menu, offering guests the ability to pick at least two items from a roughly 10-item menu, each priced at $4.99.
As part of the Salad Stuffer launch, the chain added two chef-created options, a Steakhouse Salad Stuffer and a Santa Fe Salad Stuffer. Salad Stuffers range from $8 to $13, a Panera spokesperson wrote in an email.
This menu balance echoes similar strategies at chains, like McDonald’s, Papa Johns and Wendy’s, that offer premium items alongside low-priced options. Value options are helping get guests in the door, who often upgrade to more premium items.
Panera’s Salad Stuffer menu concept did well during testing, with guests saying they “couldn’t get enough of our new Italian Stuffer Roll,” Panera CMO Mark Shambura said in a statement.
Salad Stuffers are available for dine-in, delivery, Rapid Pick-Up and drive-thru at Panera Bread locations nationwide.
