Panera Bread Set To Open Aug. 13 In Canton

CANTON, GA — Canton residents are gearing up for the opening of Panera Bread in the city's downtown District. The grand opening for this new restaurant is set for 6 a.m. Monday, Aug. 13, the company said.

A ribbon cutting will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 15 at the restaurant at 205 West Main Street with the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce. Marianne Harris, owner and operator of Panera Bread, told Patch is "thrilled to open our newest bakery-cafe in Canton."

"Our concept has been embraced by many surrounding communities over the past 18 years, and we look forward to sharing our signature Panera warmth here in Canton," she added.

For those who want to dine in, Panera Bread will offer a welcoming environment including intimate seating areas, comfortable chairs, a community table and free WiFi internet access. If you'd rather grab your meals on the go, the entire Panera Bread menu will be available to order through the bakery-cafe's drive-thru window during regular hours of operation.

An ordering option called Rapid Pick-Up will enable customers to place an online/mobile order from their office, car, work or home – up to five days in advance – and pick up their food at a predetermined time without waiting in line.

The bakery-cafe will be equipped with a special "to go" pick-up area, featuring dedicated seating, an order-status monitor providing real-time information as orders are prepared and completed, and shelf space, all to facilitate easy pick up.

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The restaurant in the county seat is located in the former location of the Cherokee County Board of Education's central offices. The Cherokee County School District has since relocated to its new Dr. Frank R. Petruzielo Educational Services Facility on Bluffs Parkway.

Panera touts itself as being committed to quick, yet quality food options. It began baking fresh bread from fresh dough each day in the bakery-cafes. That commitment led to others, like the early decision to remove artificial trans-fats, post calories on menu boards and invest in serving chicken raised without antibiotics.

It expanded upon that commitment by noting it would remove artificial additives from its standard bakery-cafe food menu by the end of 2016. Panera franchisees are also active participants in the communities where they do business. The Canton location will give back to the community through its Day-End Dough- Nation™ and Panera Cares® Community Breadbox™ programs.

The hours of operation for Panera Bread at the 205 West Main Street are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday.

Image via Randy Saxon