Remember last summer when rumors were going around about Panera Bread shrinking its menu? Well, that’s not exactly the case, but there's still going to be a change. Today, Panera announced its biggest culinary transformation with a brand new menu. The casual establishment will be focusing all its attention on customer favorites, including soups, salads, sandwiches, and mac and cheese. Here’s what the new Panera menu looks like.
What’s actually changing at Panera?
Starting April 4, Panera will be embarking on a new era with more than 20 menu updates in its salad, sandwich, and mac and cheese sections. This includes nine new menu items and 12 enhanced classics — including the Bravo Club Sandwich, Chipotle Chicken Avocado Melt, and Fuji Apple Chicken Salad.
These are the four new sandwiches to look forward to:
Toasted Italiano. Panera’s iconic toasted French Baguette will be filled with Black Forest ham, soppressata, provolone, romaine, red onion, sliced pepperoncini peppers, and garlic aioli topped with a Greek dressing.
Chicken Bacon Rancher. This sandwich features grilled chicken, applewood smoked bacon, aged white cheddar, and ranch dressing on a Black Pepper Focaccia.
Ciabatta Cheesesteak. Tender marinated sliced steak, provolone, garlic aioli, caramelized onions, and zesty sweet Peppadew peppers on Ciabatta bread.
Tomato Basil BLT. This isn’t your classic BLT. Panera’s adding a twist to the sandwich that includes Applewood smoked bacon, mixed greens, vine-ripened tomatoes, garlic aioli, salt and pepper on Tomato Basil Miche.
Now to the four new hearty salads:
Mediterranean Chicken Greens with Grains. The hearty bowl comes with romaine lettuce and mixed greens tossed in Greek Dressing. It’s then topped with a whole grain blend of farro and red rice, grilled chicken, hummus, feta, red onions, zesty sweet Peppadew peppers, sliced cucumbers, and a sprinkle of Panera’s Mediterranean shawarma seasoning.
Southwest Chicken Ranch. This fiery salad features romaine lettuce tossed in ranch dressing. Salad toppings include grilled chicken, a drizzle of chipotle aioli, avocado, grape tomatoes, fire-grilled corn, cilantro, and blue corn tortilla strips.
Balsamic Chicken Greens with Grains. Romaine lettuce and mixed greens are tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette. The hearty bowl comes with a whole grain blend of farro and red rice, sliced cucumbers, topped with sliced pepperoncini peppers, avocado, feta, pumpkin seeds, and a drizzle of Green Goddess dressing.
Ranch Cobb Salad. This salad starts with a bed of romaine and mixed greens that have been tossed in ranch dressing. It’s then topped with grape tomatoes, pickled red onions, applewood smoked bacon, feta, and a hard-boiled egg.
The last new menu item is Bacon Mac & Cheese. It’s Panera’s mac & cheese — shell pasta in a blend of cheeses including a tangy aged white cheddar sauce — topped with applewood smoked bacon.
All new and enhanced menu items will be available at Panera cafes nationwide starting on April 4.