Panera launches new loyalty program

November 18, 2010, St. Louis, MO – Panera Bread Company has completed the nationwide rollout of its new customer loyalty program.

The MyPanera program offers customers rewards for dining at Panera Bread bakery-cafes. Loyalty program members enjoy exclusive invitations, experiential opportunities like baking with Panera bakers, and preview tastings of new menu items. Program members also receive recipes, cooking tips and surprises such as free bakery-café menu items. The program is designed to become increasingly personalized the longer a member participates in the program.

“MyPanera is a loyalty program done the Panera way,” said Bill Moreton, Panera Bread CEO and president. “Our brand has always demonstrated value to be far more than price. So unlike the typical buy 10 get one free type loyalty programs, MyPanera is focused on fostering unique relationships with out customers through deeply understanding how each guest enjoys and interacts with Panera today, and new ways they might like to in the future.”

So far the program, which already has more than two million members, has proved to have a meaningful impact on frequency of visits.