Honor Box in Restaurants?

[chanel]

Imagine walking into a Panera Bread and picking out anything you wanted to eat or drink — then, at the end of the line, instead of handing your money to a cashier, you faced a donation box.

What would you do if you knew that some of the money you placed in the box would be used to train at-risk youths or to feed folks lacking funds to feed themselves?

That's what Panera Bread is trying to find out this week in an outside-the-box experiment in St. Louis. It's a concept that has never been tested by a restaurant chain — and that marks a new career for Ron Shaich, who stepped down as Panera's CEO last week.

"I'm trying to find out what human nature is all about," says Shaich, 56, who has converted a former Panera-owned restaurant in an urban area of St. Louis into a non-profit restaurant dubbed Saint Louis Bread Company Cares Cafe.

Non-profit Panera cafe: Take what you need, pay what you can - USATODAY.com

Predictions on how soon it will go belly up?

 

[Skull Pilot]

Can you say out of business?

 

[Mr.Fitnah]

SAME Cafe: The restaurant where you pay what you can - Page 1 - Dining - Denver - Westword

"Okay," says Brad. "So we're a non-profit restaurant. We operate on a pay-what-you-want model. So we have no set prices. We let our customers pick what they want to eat and then pay afterward, however much they wish. If you can't pay anything, then we ask you to volunteer an hour helping in the cafe."

"Oh," both members of the couple reply. "Okay. Cool." They glance at each other to make sure it really is cool, then place their orders and make their drink selections from a choice of coffee, tea, iced tea or water. Brad hands each of them a small orange envelope with the number of their order.

 

[Mr.Fitnah]

SAME Cafe BLOG

 

[chanel]

I think it's a nice idea, however common sense and experience would lead me to believe that the place will be over crowded with junkies and stoned teenagers who will not be contributing a dime. Not my cup of tea.

 

[strollingbones]

one has began in boone.....small cafe where you pay what you think its worth...i havent been yet

 

[Gatekeeper]

one has began in boone.....small cafe where you pay what you think its worth...i havent been yet

In Boone? Holy smokes I talk to a friend of mine there everyday. They just got back from a world cruise on the Queen Victoria, Cunard line. They spend 6 months in Boone and about 6 in Myrtle Beach. They love Boone, NC. Small world.

As far as the 'honor box' idea, it will not work in the end, the place will be inundated with 'freeloaders' looking for a cheap eats and drinks. Even though most people would 'do the right thing' and contribute enough and in some cases, more than enough, it just wouldn't last long.

I would however give them a fair price for their cappuccino and lattes, instead of $4 or so, I would drop a $1.50 into the box, unless it was a high quality coffee, not necessarily expensive either, the world's most expensive is Kopi Luwak strained through is digestive track of the civet, pooped out and is considered a 'treat'. I am not drinking some civet poop brew for anyone.

 

[syrenn]

My first reaction

MEDIA PLOY!

How may politicians do you think we will we see sitting and eating at Panera Bread eating?

 

[PoliticalChic]

Imagine walking into a Panera Bread and picking out anything you wanted to eat or drink — then, at the end of the line, instead of handing your money to a cashier, you faced a donation box.

What would you do if you knew that some of the money you placed in the box would be used to train at-risk youths or to feed folks lacking funds to feed themselves?

That's what Panera Bread is trying to find out this week in an outside-the-box experiment in St. Louis. It's a concept that has never been tested by a restaurant chain — and that marks a new career for Ron Shaich, who stepped down as Panera's CEO last week.

"I'm trying to find out what human nature is all about," says Shaich, 56, who has converted a former Panera-owned restaurant in an urban area of St. Louis into a non-profit restaurant dubbed Saint Louis Bread Company Cares Cafe.

Non-profit Panera cafe: Take what you need, pay what you can - USATODAY.com

Predictions on how soon it will go belly up?

Bless 'em...now here are liberals who put their dinero where they put their dinner!

 

[syrenn]

As far as the 'honor box' idea, it will not work in the end, the place will be inundated with 'freeloaders' looking for a cheap eats and drinks. Even though most people would 'do the right thing' and contribute enough and in some cases, more than enough, it just wouldn't last long.

If Panera Bread did this in SF it would go bankrupt now matter how much money the "do the right thing" people put in. There aren't enough of us!