Image provided by Panera Bread.
Panera Bread, a fast casual restaurant chain, announced the opening of its updated urban store format in New York that includes updated ordering kiosks, the newest of several formats targeted at more densely populated and non-traditional trade areas, according to a press release.
With digital sales at Panera now representing 50% of total system sales, the company now offers store formats designed to an increasingly digital and off-premise guest.
The new Panera urban format marries a 40% smaller footprint than traditional bakery cafes with updated ordering kiosks, a fully digitized menu and a new tracking screen providing a more detailed order status.
Designed with only limited counter seating, the bulk of the bakery cafe is geared toward a rapid pick-up experience with dedicated shelves for pick-up and to-go orders.
Following a successful test earlier this year, the first New York Panera To Go opens next month. Different from the new urban format, Panera To Go offers no dine-in seating, solely offering rapid pick-up and delivery shelves where guests and delivery drivers can easily pick up orders.
