118 Panera Employees Laid Off At Howard County Facility

JESSUP, MD — Panera Bread will be closing its Howard County bakery location in Jessup and letting go of 118 employees.

In 2024, the company announced it would be switching to a par-baked model, which means the bread would be partially baked and fully finished at the restaurant instead of using fresh dough.

The Jessup location at at 7801 Dorsey Run has been scheduled to close between May 20-22, according to a notice filed with Maryland's Work Adjustment and Retraining Notification on March 17, reported WMAR.

“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,” Panera wrote in a statement provided to The Baltimore Sun.

There are 54 Panera locations in Maryland.