Panera Bread Named Most Popular

Everyone knows that Panera Bread in Nanuet is usually bustling with with a long lunch line of people hungry for soups, sandwiches and drinks.

It should be busy since Zagat Survey named Panera as the most popular large restaurant chain in the U.S. in its 2010 Zagat Fast-Food Survey released earlier this month. Zagat provides consumer survey-based leisure information.

Panera Bread beat out 90 other restaurants in this category, which is defined as chains with less than 5,000 locations. Panera has 1,399 bakery-cafes as of June 29, 2010. Zagat also recognized Panera as No. 1 for salads and facilities.

Survey respondents rated each chain in the following categories on Zagat's signature 30-point scale: food, facilities and service. More than 6,500 diners participated in the 2010 survey.

"It is an honor to be recognized by our customers as their favorite restaurant for a second consecutive year," said Bill Moreton, Chief Executive Officer and President of Panera Bread. "We strive to provide our customers with wholesome, quality menu options and a relaxing environment in which to enjoy their meal. This recognition serves as great reinforcement for Panera Bread to keep giving our customers the dining experience they love."

Panera Bread came in 2nd for the following categories: Healthy Options, Best Value and Best Breakfast Sandwich. 

"Panera is particularly proud to be recognized in the food categories of this year's Zagat survey," said Tony Diaz, Operations Partner for Take Home the Bread, Franchisee. "We've worked hard to create wholesome, "cravable" menu items, like our salads and breakfast sandwiches, and we're very pleased our customers can taste the care that goes into each bite."

For the past 14 years, Panera Bread has helped many charitable organizations through Operation Dough-Nation®, a program that allows Panera Bread and its customers to aid local charities.  Cash donations made by customers in the Community BreadboxÔ cash boxes at the registers are distributed annually to local charities. Panera also donates unsold bread to local area hunger relief agencies.  

For more information, contact BBG&G Advertising & PR at 845-695-1880 or http://www.panerabread.com

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