Panera to open first local pay-what-you-can cafe in Lakeview

The Chicago Tribune ^ | June 20,2012 | Emily Bryson York

[lex33]

Panera is turning one of its first Chicago stores over to the community. The store at 616 W. Diversey Pkwy. is converting to a pay-what-you-can model Thursday with only suggested prices and donation boxes. This is the St. Louis-based company's fourth "Panera Cares Community Cafe" and its first in Chicago. In an interview, founder and co-CEO Ron Shaich said the Lakeview location has particular significance for him because he wrote the company's mission statement there. "Chicago is a very important market for us," Shaich said, adding that the company has more than 100 locations in the area, and co-CEO William Moreton lives in Hinsdale. "We've had a lot of success here." He added that the Lakeview location is ideal for a community store because there are "million-dollar townhomes and people on the street," meaning there are customers who can help support the cafe and those who can benefit from a free meal. "When you walk in, it's the full Panera experience," Shaich said. "When you go into a soup kitchen, the energy is so negative and the food is institutional and the experience is institutional." He said the idea for the community model was to "create an experience," that could "lift people up" and provide some dignity for those who can't afford to pay. To make the concept work, consumers who have extra money are asked to donate it. Those who are short can pay less, and those who can't pay anything can volunteer for an hour to eat free. Shaich said the idea has worked because Panera turns the stores over to the Panera Bread Foundation, a tax-exempt organization that runs day-to-day operations. This frees the publicly traded restaurant company of its obligation to run a profitable business.

[servo1969]

Why do people always act as though this is an original idea that's never been tried before? "You know, the traditional business model so harsh and uncaring. Hey, let's invent a new way of doing business. We'll just let people pay whatever they think our goods and services are worth. They will give us money not because we force them to but because they can see how much we care about them! We'll all be best buddies! Tra la la la..."

IT. NEVER. WORKS. Time and time again it's been proven that people will not give a business enough money to survive if they don't have to - even when they can afford to do so. Oh, maybe enough people will pay at first but then the freeloaders will show up and start a domino effect. Then it's a quick death-spiral into bankruptcy and foreclosure. This happens every single time.

These people are delusional.

[dsrtsage]

For just a nickel, you can get soup, sandwich, botulism, and hepatitis C

[Bigg Red]

He added that the Lakeview location is ideal for a community store because there are “million-dollar townhomes and people on the street,” meaning there are customers who can help support the cafe and those who can benefit from a free meal.

&&&
Oh, yeah, the residents of those townhouses are going to be coming into the cafe to have a sandwich next to Joe the Bum’s barf pool....

[CrazyIvan]

Now that Panera has pay as you can bread, will Barnum and Baily have a pay as you can circus?

[Iron Munro]

I predict great popularity for the new Panera location.

[virgil]

Ever hear of St. Roger Abbey Patisserie? I went into a mall yesterday and saw this store. I went in to get a croissant, and there were Nuns behind the counter waiting on people. It’s not “pay as you can”, but it looks like the money is for their order and to help the poor. Cool.

[Poison Pill]

consumers who have extra money are asked to donate it. Those who are short can pay less, and those who can't pay anything can volunteer for an hour to eat free.

They'll have 50 people showing up to "volunteer" at lunchtime and they will drive away the paying crowd.

Here in Chicago folks are now avoiding going into the city because of the roving black gangs. Looks like Panera has come up with a more efficient gang delivery system.

[rawhide]

This will never ever work! Never!

[BfloGuy]

The lack of shame is what is killing the US work ethic.

Yep. These days, providing for your family means you went and filled out the applications for Welfare, WIC, Medicaid, HEAP, SSI, and Food Stamps. Sooo responsible!

[Chode]

[sergeantdave]

“It will be fun to see how long this lasts.”

I’ll bet a box of Dunkin Donuts that it shuts down 24 hours after a flash mob that looks like obuma’s sons, if he had a sons, makes a visit.

I’ll bet another box of donuts that there’s not a penny in the donation box.

And I’ll bet a third box of donuts that the donation box is missing or ground under the heels of certified Nike jackboots.

[DoughtyOne]

;^)

[DoughtyOne]

Heh, heh, heh... good one.

[UCANSEE2]

I love these satire pieces.