Pay What You Want Restaurant

[Book]

Panera cafe says pay what you want
Bakery hopes to expand nonprofit restaurants around U.S.

By Christopher Leonard

May 18, 2010

CLAYTON, Mo. - Panera Bread Co. is asking customers at a new restaurant to pay what they want.

The national bakery and restaurant chain launched a new nonprofit store here this week that has the same menu as its other 1,400 locations. But the prices are a little different — there aren't any. Customers are told to donate what they want for a meal, whether it's the full suggested price, a penny or $100.

The new store in the upscale St. Louis suburb of Clayton is the first of what Panera hopes will be many around the country. Ronald Shaich, Panera's CEO until last week, was on hand at the new bakery Monday to explain the system to customers.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37213165/ns/business-consumer_news

:oo-->

[Olmstein]

They should try that in East St Louis, too.

:ROFL:

[Book]

On teevee yesterday they interviewed the owner. He said some people ordered $20 worth of food (to go) and left a dollar on the counter.

:o

[MNeagle]

They seriously expect otherwise?? :oo-->

[k-os]

I wish them well. It's a novel and very optimistic idea. Unfortunately, I am not so optimistic.

[Book]

They seriously expect otherwise?? :oo-->


http://www.andypryke.com/twiki/pub/Andypublic/BlogJuly2005/naive_water.jpg

I remember a college campus town in California buying a bunch of bicycles and creating "Free" bike racks so students could get to classes across campus.

All the bikes were stolen within 24-hours...lol.

:D

[cedarchopper]

One of the realities is people only value things in proportion to how much they pay...another one is no good deed goes unpunished :]

[MNeagle]

They seriously expect otherwise?? :oo-->


http://www.andypryke.com/twiki/pub/Andypublic/BlogJuly2005/naive_water.jpg

I remember a college campus town in California buying a bunch of bicycles and creating "Free" bike racks so students could get to classes across campus.

All the bikes were stolen within 24-hours...lol.

:D




Never noticed the backward spelling of Evian water! That's a classic!!

[Book]

Never noticed the backward spelling of Evian water! That's a classic!!



Gotta be naive to buy a bottle of "imported" water from France in a plastic bottle for $1.50...lol.

:D

[jedemdasseine]

They seriously expect otherwise?? :oo-->


http://www.andypryke.com/twiki/pub/Andypublic/BlogJuly2005/naive_water.jpg

I remember a college campus town in California buying a bunch of bicycles and creating "Free" bike racks so students could get to classes across campus.

All the bikes were stolen within 24-hours...lol.

:D




Amsterdam has free bicycles for anyone's use. About a million when I lived there.

Then again, every year about a hundred thousand are stolen and about seventy-five thousands end up in the canals.

:(

[1970 Silver Art]

I wish them well. It's a novel and very optimistic idea. Unfortunately, I am not so optimistic.


The reality of their financial bottom line will kill their optimism because I think that there will not be enough "donations" to cover Panera Bread's operating expenses. It sounds like a good idea but it does not sound profitable for the company.

[silverchris]

I agree with the previous poster, there is no way this will last long.

After about a month goes by and they realize there are going to be next to no white knights willing to drop 100 dollars on the counter for a sandwich, they are going to have to go for profit.

I can just imagine the freeloaders coming in after the policy change... WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE TO PAY FOR MY LUNCH!! IT WAS FREE LAST WEEK!! LET ME SPEAK TO YOUR SUPERVISOR!!