More social Q&A from Panera
Q: Are all contributions cash? And if so, is there a missed opportunity for more money with debit/credit cards?
A: We accept cash, credit cards, debit cards and gift cards at Panera Cares. A large number of consumers contribute by credit card at our regular stores so we knew that it would be a missed opportunity to not accept that payment method. The one difference between cash and cards is that we don't know what is put in the donation bin; if you contribute with a card, you have to tell the cashier how much you want to be charged so there certainly is a bit more psychological pressure but our cashiers are trained to treat customers with dignity and be discrete either way.
Q: What community engagement surrounded opening the stores?
A: Our approach definitely evolved and became more extensive with each subsequent opening. With our last opening in Boston, we spent months meeting with anyone and everyone who would listen to us...local government officials (the Mayor's office is right across the street from our store), nearby businesses, neighborhood associations, parents' associations, other non-profits, soup kitchens, pantries, etc. We call these community cafes of shared responsibility, so engaging our communities in this work is essential.
Q: How do you make your bread so good?
A: Magic! Actually, we have one of the largest networks of bakers who bake bread fresh every day in our bakery cafes. We produce all of the dough ourselves at our Fresh Dough Facilities and then transport the dough directly to our bakery cafes, so the dough is never frozen. And we care about the ingredients that go into that dough (only unbleached, unbromated flour, for example).
Q: How do you ensure that you place stores in areas that need them most?
A: We're very careful about where we open Panera Cares. We look for economically diverse neighborhoods that have a mix of all different people...those in need, those who can contribute. We really need people of all demographics to keep these cafes open and to ensure that we're delivering on our higher purpose of feeding those in need. We also look for locations that are easily accessible by public transit, as well as places that are community-oriented.