Panera Bread announced this week that it is expanding its program that lets customers pay whatever they think is fair for food and will rely on only media reports and word of mouth to spread the news -- perhaps signaling just how successful the company has been, and how loyal its customers remain.
The program began a few years ago with a hand full of stores. This week, Panera Bread officials said they would expand the concept to all 48 of its cafes in the St. Louis region -- but using only one menu item: turkey chili in a bread bowl, according to the Associated Press.
Sound to good to be true? Well, there is a little biit more to it. The price of the chili that Panera Bread suggests will be $5.89 and it will be made with "all-natural antibiotic-free turkey mixed with vegetables and beans in a sourdough bread bowl," the AP reported. The name for the program will be the Meal of Shared Responsibility. Success could mean expanding it across the country, the AP reported.
The idea is somewhat different from the Panera Cares cafes, where customers pay whatever they think is fair for anything on the menu.
The AP reported that Panera officials are relying on media reports and word of mouth to spread the program. There won't be massive marketing or heavy doses of commercials across the country. You could say the way the campaign is being launched is a tribute to Panera Bread's popularity. With more than 1,500 cafes open across the country, the chain has had plenty of success, especially at knowing which communities are growing and getting new restaurants in at just the right time.
So, if you're Panera Bread, you can start up a new program, like the Meal of Shared Responsibility, and figure your loyal customers will spread the word. And as more consumers feel overwhelmed by ads, commercials and direct marketing, saying you will just go by word of mouth may only make the customers love you even more.
