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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.
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Franchise Costs
5% royalty + 2% ad fund + monthly technology fees
Financial Performance
Item 19 Financial Performance
Data Based On: 1,073 Franchisee-owned Bakery-Cafes open during the entire fiscal year ending December 30, 2025.
Extracted Item 19 Section
Avg. Revenue: $2,541,217
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Unlock financial performance dataHow PANERA BREAD BAKERY-CAFÉ Compares
Key Insights
- Higher than average SBA loan default rate in Fast Food
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Royalty | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
PANERA BREAD BAKERY-CAFÉ Current | $498K – $4.6M | $50K | 5.0% | 1,106 |
| MCDONALD'S | $1.5M – $2.6M | $45K | N/A | 12,772 |
| LITTLE CAESARS | $377K – $1.8M | $20K | 6.0% | 3,788 |
| AFC | $45K – $151K | $6K | 8.0% | 3,572 |
| KFC (NON-TRADITIONAL) | $1.2M – $4.2M | $45K | N/A | 3,404 |
| SONIC DRIVE-IN | $1.5M – $2.5M | $15K | 5.0% | 3,120 |
Fast Food Average 133 franchises | $597K – $1.6M | $35K | 6.1% | – |
* Comparison based on latest FDD filings. Investment ranges from Item 7, fees from Item 5. Showing top 5 of 133 Fast Food franchises by location count.
Locations & Growth
Outlet Growth Over Time
Total outlets at end of each year
Geographic Distribution (2025)
Outlets by state across the United States
+26 more states
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Unlock location growth dataSBA 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.
3 SBA loans on record
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Unlock SBA loan historyFranchisee Contacts
1,118 franchisee contacts on file from official FDD filings.
1,118 Contacts Available
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Unlock contactsDue Diligence
Litigation (Item 3)
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
System Health (Item 20)
Franchise system changes reported in the most recent fiscal year
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Unlock due diligence reportsFrequently Asked Questions
The total initial investment to open a PANERA BREAD BAKERY-CAFÉ franchise ranges from $498,306 to $4,569,880. This includes a franchise fee of $50,000. Ongoing royalty fees are 5.0% of gross sales.
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