“Panera’s line of Toasted Baguettes, launched this January, has quickly become its top earning sandwich,” said the company’s June press release.
Over-the-top is more like it.
The three original Toasted Baguettes—the Pepperoni Mozzarella Melt, Green Goddess Caprese Melt, and Smoky Buffalo Chicken Melt—pack 830 to 1,010 calories plus 9 to 20 grams of saturated fat (roughly half a day’s to a full day’s max) and 1,900 to 3,010 milligrams of sodium (80 to 130 percent of the daily limit). Gulp.
But why stop there? In June, Panera added pulled chicken and created three new Stacked Toasted Baguettes: the Chicken & Pepperoni Mozzarella Melt, Chicken Green Goddess Caprese Melt, and Chicken Cordon Bleu Melt.
And the numbers? They’re positively to melt for.
The Chicken & Pepperoni Mozzarella Melt, for example, clocks in at 1,110 calories, 20 grams of sat fat, and 3,120 mg of sodium. Think of it as two Big Macs.
“Our Toasted Baguettes take inspiration from the best cafes in Europe, with fresh and clean ingredients that define Panera’s food with a heavy emphasis on both abundance and value for our guests,” said Eduardo Luz, Panera’s Chief Brand & Concept Officer, in a January 2023 press release.
All that abundance and value may boost Panera’s bottom line. But what does it boost in its customers?