Panera Bread is inviting its guests to “Stuff it.”
The fast-casual sandwich chain on Wednesday launched a new menu category that bridges the gap between the core sandwich and salad lineup. They call the new item Salad Stuffers, which debut systemwide in two iterations.
It’s a unique take on a wrap sandwich that also borrows from Panera’s longtime soup-in-bread-bowl tradition.
The Steakhouse Salad Stuffer, for example, includes crisp romaine and arugula tossed with a new Farmhouse Ranch dressing made with buttermilk, as well as tender marinated sliced steak, applewood-smoked bacon, gorgonzola, pickled red onion, grape tomatoes and crispy frizzled onions, all stuffed into an Italian Stuffer Roll.
In another variation, the Santa Fe Salad Stuffer includes romaine in ranch dressing tossed with grilled chicken, bold taco seasoning, roasted corn, feta, sweet peppers, pickled red onion, fresh cilantro and blue corn tortilla strips, all stuffed into the roll.
The sandwiches range in price from $8 to $13, the company said.
The bread is new, Panera said. It’s soft and fluffy and appears to allow diners to eat with one hand, at least in theory.
Mark Shambura, Panera’s chief marketing officer, said guests who tested Salad Stuffers couldn’t get enough of the roll when paired with the new salad flavors.
“Just like soup in our bread bowl is the perfect match, Salad Stuffers bring salad and bread together in a way that is sure to be the next icon on the Panera menu,” he said in a statement.
The menu debut is the latest move in Panera’s ongoing transformation plan, dubbed Panera RISE. The plan has included menu upgrades, and operational improvements to enhance the customer experience. Panera has also focused on value, launching its first dedicated value menu earlier this year, with half portions of Mix & Match items at $4.99.
Other new items at Panera this year have included a new lineup of energy drinks, frescas and lemonades, as well as a Dubai-style Chocolate Pistachio Cookie.
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