PANERA BREAD BAKERY-CAFÉ
Panera Bread Bakery-Café franchises operate fast-casual restaurants specializing in the retail sale of fresh bakery goods, made-to-order sandwiches, soups, salads, mac & cheese, custom roasted coffees, cafe beverages, and related merchandise in a warm, inviting environment with seating, free Wi-Fi, and options for dine-in, carry-out, catering, and delivery. The business model includes franchising single units via Franchise Agreements or multiple units via Area Development Agreements, offering 'Core' (larger) and 'Small Box' formats that support all sales channels, with franchisees required to build baking facilities and use specified technology platforms. They target the general public across breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack segments, competing in the quick-service restaurant industry with emphasis on wholesome, high-quality food.
Franchise Costs
5% royalty + 3.5% national advertising fund + 2% local advertising fund + 0.4% marketing administration fee
Financial Performance
Item 19 Financial Performance
Data Based On: The statement of average net sales is based on 1,050 company-owned Bakery-Cafes and 1,084 Franchisee-owned Bakery-Cafes open during the entire fiscal year ending December 31, 2024.
* Extracted average net sales for franchisee-owned bakery-cafes directly from the 'STATEMENT OF AVERAGE NET SALES' table on page 1. According to footnote 4 on page 2, 'Net Sales' has the same meaning as 'aggregate gross amount', which is equivalent to gross revenue in this context. No profit or EBITDA data was provided for franchisee-owned units.
Extracted Item 19 Section
How PANERA BREAD BAKERY-CAFÉ Compares
Key Insights
- Higher investment than 87% of Fast Food franchises
- Higher than average SBA loan default rate in Fast Food
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Royalty | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
PANERA BREAD BAKERY-CAFÉ Current | $1.3M – $4.7M | $35K | 5.0% | 1,105 |
| MCDONALD'S | $1.5M – $2.6M | $45K | N/A | 12,772 |
| AFC | $45K – $151K | $6K | 9.5% | 3,572 |
| SONIC DRIVE-IN | $1.7M – $3.1M | $15K | 5.0% | 3,441 |
| JIMMY JOHN'S | $366K – $728K | $35K | 6.0% | 2,647 |
| ARBY'S | $645K – $2.5M | $38K | 4.0% | 2,316 |
Fast Food Average 126 franchises | $594K – $1.5M | $35K | 6.1% | – |
* Comparison based on latest FDD filings. Investment ranges from Item 7, fees from Item 5. Showing top 5 of 126 Fast Food franchises by location count.
Locations & Growth
Outlet Growth Over Time
Total outlets at end of each year
Geographic Distribution (2024)
Outlets by state across the United States
+26 more states
SBA Loan History
Historical SBA 7(a) loan data for PANERA BREAD BAKERY-CAFÉ franchisees (2017 – 2018)
Loans by Year
SBA 7(a) loan activity over time
* Data sourced from SBA 7(a) FOIA loan records. Default rate calculated from charged-off loans.
Franchisee Contacts
652 franchisee contacts on file from official FDD filings.
| Name | SBA Loan |
|---|---|
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
652 Contacts Available
Unlock all PANERA BREAD BAKERY-CAFÉ franchisee contacts with verified contact information
Due Diligence
Litigation (Item 3)
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
System Health (Item 20)
Franchise system changes reported in the most recent fiscal year
Frequently Asked Questions
The total initial investment to open a PANERA BREAD BAKERY-CAFÉ franchise ranges from $1,266,805 to $4,651,324. This includes a franchise fee of $35,000. Ongoing royalty fees are 5.0% of gross sales.
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