Panera to Create 10,000 Delivery Jobs

New digital and mobile ordering-based service will provide meals to offices, hospitals, campuses and homes within an eight-minute drive.

May 01, 2017

ST. LOUIS – Last week, Panera Bread announced plans to add more than 10,000 new delivery driver jobs system-wide by the end of 2017, as it expands delivery service to 35%-40% of its cafes by year end.

The fast-casual chains says Panera Delivery is the latest way the company is meeting consumer demand through technology and a new delivery driver team.

“Panera is doing for delivery what we did for quick service: creating an elevated guest experience end-to-end,” Ron Shaich, Panera founder, chairman and CEO, said. “In many places across the country, all that’s available for delivery is pizza or Chinese food. We’re closing the gap in delivery alternatives and creating a way for people to have more options for real food delivered to their homes and workplaces.”

The new digital and mobile ordering-based service will provide lunch and dinner to offices, hospitals, campuses and homes, typically within an eight-minute drive of a Panera bakery-cafe. Cafes will generally deliver between the hours of 11:00 am and 8:00 pm, seven days a week.

In addition, Panera is currently rolling out a new order tracking system, powered by Bringg technology, that allows customers to track their delivery order. The system displays the expected arrival time, follows the delivery’s progress on a map, provides a picture of the driver, and sends a notification when the driver is arriving.

Panera is hiring its own drivers in company-owned and franchised markets across the country.

“For the first time, Panera Delivery is making it possible for us to hand deliver our great food directly to people where they work and live,” said Blaine Hurst, president, Panera Bread. “For us, hiring our own drivers was the only way we could ensure that our delivery guests get the same high quality experience
they have come to expect from our bakery cafes.”

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