Panera Bread

EST. 1987 · St. Louis, Missouri

+ CompareFranchise requirements
US UNITS2,0202025 record · QSR Pro estimates
GLOBAL UNITS2,1002025 record · QSR Pro estimates
FRANCHISED %55%2025 record · QSR Pro estimates
FRANCHISE REQUIREMENTSView source notes ↓Primary-source review pending

01Our Coverage

Latest

Panera's Energy Drink Comeback Is a Bet on Menu Credibility

After pulling the Charged Lemonade amid wrongful death lawsuits, Panera Bread is re-entering the beverage space with a reformulated, lower-caffeine lineup. The move signals a broader menu reset as new management works to win back lost ground at the second-largest fast-casual chain in the country.

Mar 24, 2026

Wendy’s reunites Wright and Cirulis in finance and strategySep 15, 2026Panera's Market Bowls pair shared ingredients with portion choiceSep 15, 2026Biometric Drive-Thru Payment Arrives: Facial Recognition and Palm Scanning Reshape QSR CheckoutMar 24, 2026The Kiosk Takeover: 80% of QSRs Now Run Self-Service and the Counter Will Never Be the SameMar 24, 2026The GLP-1 Effect: How Weight Loss Drugs Are Reshaping Fast Food DemandMar 20, 2026The Death of the Dining Room: Why QSR Is Going Drive-Thru OnlyMar 20, 2026The QSR App Wars: Who Wins the Mobile Order BattleMar 20, 2026Women in QSR Leadership: Progress and ProblemsMar 20, 2026QSR Mergers and Acquisitions 2026: Who's Buying WhomMar 20, 2026Multi-Unit Franchise Operators: The Hidden Power Players Running QSRMar 20, 2026The QSR IPO Pipeline: Who's Going Public NextMar 20, 2026

02About the Brand

Fast-casual bakery-café chain offering soups, salads, and sandwiches

FIG 1 — US UNIT COUNT, 2019–2025

RECORD YEARS AND SOURCE LABELS BELOW

Records can refer to different reporting dates within a year. Estimates are identified in the source labels; these records are not a like-for-like growth calculation.

2019
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2020
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2021
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2022
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2023
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2024
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2025
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