Panera: A Lesson in the Failure of Socialism

[Moonglow]

you mean to tell me that a company cannot survive or afford to employ people if they give stuff away?

wow, what a surprise, Bernie and his protege AOC will NOT be happy...

Panera is ending its pay-what-you-want experiment, will close last such store

quote:
There's no such thing as a free lunch anymore at Panera.

The sandwich chain will close its last pay-what-you-can location next week after determining the model wasn't sustainable. It's already shut the other free-meals cafes around the country, including locations in Chicago; Clayton, Mo.; Portland, Ore.; and Dearborn, Mich., and its Boston concept will close its doors Feb. 15 after a six-year run.

The original idea was to allow customers to give a suggested donation for their food in a bid to raise awareness about hunger across the U.S. The funds collected were supposed to cover the store's operating costs while also paying for those who couldn't afford their food.

"Despite our commitment to this mission, it's become clear that continued operation of the Boston Panera Cares is no longer viable," Panera Bread said in an emailed statement.

From Eater.com:

quote:
At its peak, Panera Cares operated five locations, including ones in Dearborn, Michigan; Portland, Oregon; Boston, and Chicago. Each restaurant was designed to sustain itself, but the restaurants weren’t financially viable. The Portland-based Panera Cares was reportedly only recouping between 60 and 70 percent of its total costs. The losses were attributed students who “mobbed” the restaurant and ate without paying, as well as homeless patrons who visited the restaurant for every meal of the week. The location eventually limited the homeless to “a few meals a week.”

And again how is this socialism since it was a private company?

socialist experiment

except not the same.

 

[Votto]

you mean to tell me that a company cannot survive or afford to employ people if they give stuff away?

wow, what a surprise, Bernie and his protege AOC will NOT be happy...

Panera is ending its pay-what-you-want experiment, will close last such store

quote:
There's no such thing as a free lunch anymore at Panera.

The sandwich chain will close its last pay-what-you-can location next week after determining the model wasn't sustainable. It's already shut the other free-meals cafes around the country, including locations in Chicago; Clayton, Mo.; Portland, Ore.; and Dearborn, Mich., and its Boston concept will close its doors Feb. 15 after a six-year run.

The original idea was to allow customers to give a suggested donation for their food in a bid to raise awareness about hunger across the U.S. The funds collected were supposed to cover the store's operating costs while also paying for those who couldn't afford their food.

"Despite our commitment to this mission, it's become clear that continued operation of the Boston Panera Cares is no longer viable," Panera Bread said in an emailed statement.

From Eater.com:

quote:
At its peak, Panera Cares operated five locations, including ones in Dearborn, Michigan; Portland, Oregon; Boston, and Chicago. Each restaurant was designed to sustain itself, but the restaurants weren’t financially viable. The Portland-based Panera Cares was reportedly only recouping between 60 and 70 percent of its total costs. The losses were attributed students who “mobbed” the restaurant and ate without paying, as well as homeless patrons who visited the restaurant for every meal of the week. The location eventually limited the homeless to “a few meals a week.”

^ doesn’t know what socialism is

The term is "trans-socialsm" now.

Please keep up.

 

[BlackFlag]

you mean to tell me that a company cannot survive or afford to employ people if they give stuff away?

wow, what a surprise, Bernie and his protege AOC will NOT be happy...

Panera is ending its pay-what-you-want experiment, will close last such store

quote:
There's no such thing as a free lunch anymore at Panera.

The sandwich chain will close its last pay-what-you-can location next week after determining the model wasn't sustainable. It's already shut the other free-meals cafes around the country, including locations in Chicago; Clayton, Mo.; Portland, Ore.; and Dearborn, Mich., and its Boston concept will close its doors Feb. 15 after a six-year run.

The original idea was to allow customers to give a suggested donation for their food in a bid to raise awareness about hunger across the U.S. The funds collected were supposed to cover the store's operating costs while also paying for those who couldn't afford their food.

"Despite our commitment to this mission, it's become clear that continued operation of the Boston Panera Cares is no longer viable," Panera Bread said in an emailed statement.

From Eater.com:

quote:
At its peak, Panera Cares operated five locations, including ones in Dearborn, Michigan; Portland, Oregon; Boston, and Chicago. Each restaurant was designed to sustain itself, but the restaurants weren’t financially viable. The Portland-based Panera Cares was reportedly only recouping between 60 and 70 percent of its total costs. The losses were attributed students who “mobbed” the restaurant and ate without paying, as well as homeless patrons who visited the restaurant for every meal of the week. The location eventually limited the homeless to “a few meals a week.”

^ doesn’t know what socialism is

The term is "trans-socialsm" now.

Please keep up.

Your delusions do not afflict the rest of us. Consider looking up what socialism is so you can comment about it correctly.

 

[BlindBoo]

So you think socialism is just giving stuff away (after of course having stolen it at gun point from the .1%?)

 

[BlindBoo]

you mean to tell me that a company cannot survive or afford to employ people if they give stuff away?

wow, what a surprise, Bernie and his protege AOC will NOT be happy...

Panera is ending its pay-what-you-want experiment, will close last such store

quote:
There's no such thing as a free lunch anymore at Panera.

The sandwich chain will close its last pay-what-you-can location next week after determining the model wasn't sustainable. It's already shut the other free-meals cafes around the country, including locations in Chicago; Clayton, Mo.; Portland, Ore.; and Dearborn, Mich., and its Boston concept will close its doors Feb. 15 after a six-year run.

The original idea was to allow customers to give a suggested donation for their food in a bid to raise awareness about hunger across the U.S. The funds collected were supposed to cover the store's operating costs while also paying for those who couldn't afford their food.

"Despite our commitment to this mission, it's become clear that continued operation of the Boston Panera Cares is no longer viable," Panera Bread said in an emailed statement.

From Eater.com:

quote:
At its peak, Panera Cares operated five locations, including ones in Dearborn, Michigan; Portland, Oregon; Boston, and Chicago. Each restaurant was designed to sustain itself, but the restaurants weren’t financially viable. The Portland-based Panera Cares was reportedly only recouping between 60 and 70 percent of its total costs. The losses were attributed students who “mobbed” the restaurant and ate without paying, as well as homeless patrons who visited the restaurant for every meal of the week. The location eventually limited the homeless to “a few meals a week.”

^ doesn’t know what socialism is

The term is "trans-socialsm" now.

Please keep up.

Trendy Trans-stuff

(from the 80's)

 

[irosie91]

it was an interesting idea. I draw no conclusions other than such an
undertaking would NOT WORK in most places

 

[DigitalDrifter]

Funny that this idea didn't seem to catch on with all other restsurest chains.

 

[LoneLaugher]

That experiment didn't work. But it wasn't socialism.

Why do nutbags hate something that they early don't understand?

 

[RDD_1210]

Hmmm, a company with a market cap of over $7 billion knows nothing about capitalism!

Panera Bread Co Market Cap (M) (PNRA)

where did I say they did not know about capitalism?

my claim is that their socialist/social justice experiment failed miserably

and it did; care to take a shot at proving me wrong

In what way is this socialism? It's at the point now that anything you guys don't like or fails is "socialism".

I can't come to work today I caught a bad case of "socialism".

My car got a flat tire because of "socialism".

The titanic sunk because of "socialism".

 

[danielpalos]

you mean to tell me that a company cannot survive or afford to employ people if they give stuff away?

wow, what a surprise, Bernie and his protege AOC will NOT be happy...

Panera is ending its pay-what-you-want experiment, will close last such store

quote:
There's no such thing as a free lunch anymore at Panera.

The sandwich chain will close its last pay-what-you-can location next week after determining the model wasn't sustainable. It's already shut the other free-meals cafes around the country, including locations in Chicago; Clayton, Mo.; Portland, Ore.; and Dearborn, Mich., and its Boston concept will close its doors Feb. 15 after a six-year run.

The original idea was to allow customers to give a suggested donation for their food in a bid to raise awareness about hunger across the U.S. The funds collected were supposed to cover the store's operating costs while also paying for those who couldn't afford their food.

"Despite our commitment to this mission, it's become clear that continued operation of the Boston Panera Cares is no longer viable," Panera Bread said in an emailed statement.

From Eater.com:

quote:
At its peak, Panera Cares operated five locations, including ones in Dearborn, Michigan; Portland, Oregon; Boston, and Chicago. Each restaurant was designed to sustain itself, but the restaurants weren’t financially viable. The Portland-based Panera Cares was reportedly only recouping between 60 and 70 percent of its total costs. The losses were attributed students who “mobbed” the restaurant and ate without paying, as well as homeless patrons who visited the restaurant for every meal of the week. The location eventually limited the homeless to “a few meals a week.”

no Capitalist rich enough to establish a petty cash fund for this purpose?

 

[RDD_1210]

Oh my god...MOAR SOSHULISM: https://www.panerabread.com/en-us/en_us/community/community-giving.html

At the end of each day, our bakery-cafes package unsold bread and baked goods to donate to local hunger relief and charitable organizations.

so they give away the surplus at the end of the day instead of throwing it away?

good for them, LOTS of restaurants do this, but like I said, good for them

So LOTS of restaurants are engaging in "socialism" and you applaud it.

Got it.

 

[georgephillip]

you mean to tell me that a company cannot survive or afford to employ people if they give stuff away?

wow, what a surprise, Bernie and his protege AOC will NOT be happy...

Panera is ending its pay-what-you-want experiment, will close last such store

quote:
There's no such thing as a free lunch anymore at Panera.

The sandwich chain will close its last pay-what-you-can location next week after determining the model wasn't sustainable. It's already shut the other free-meals cafes around the country, including locations in Chicago; Clayton, Mo.; Portland, Ore.; and Dearborn, Mich., and its Boston concept will close its doors Feb. 15 after a six-year run.

The original idea was to allow customers to give a suggested donation for their food in a bid to raise awareness about hunger across the U.S. The funds collected were supposed to cover the store's operating costs while also paying for those who couldn't afford their food.

"Despite our commitment to this mission, it's become clear that continued operation of the Boston Panera Cares is no longer viable," Panera Bread said in an emailed statement.

From Eater.com:

quote:
At its peak, Panera Cares operated five locations, including ones in Dearborn, Michigan; Portland, Oregon; Boston, and Chicago. Each restaurant was designed to sustain itself, but the restaurants weren’t financially viable. The Portland-based Panera Cares was reportedly only recouping between 60 and 70 percent of its total costs. The losses were attributed students who “mobbed” the restaurant and ate without paying, as well as homeless patrons who visited the restaurant for every meal of the week. The location eventually limited the homeless to “a few meals a week.”

quote:
There's no such thing as a free lunch anymore at Panera.

From your link:

"The JAB Holding Co.-owned chain said that those who couldn't afford their food, including homeless patrons, were supposed to eat in-store. That was intended to create a feeling of community, but it also highlighted the tensions that arise when private businesses try to be welcoming for everyone — a challenge rival Starbucks Corp. has also faced."

In other words, a private capitalist business could not afford to distribute food based on need instead of profit.

How does that apply to socialism?

 

[Harpy Eagle]

you mean to tell me that a company cannot survive or afford to employ people if they give stuff away?

wow, what a surprise, Bernie and his protege AOC will NOT be happy...

Panera is ending its pay-what-you-want experiment, will close last such store

quote:
There's no such thing as a free lunch anymore at Panera.

The sandwich chain will close its last pay-what-you-can location next week after determining the model wasn't sustainable. It's already shut the other free-meals cafes around the country, including locations in Chicago; Clayton, Mo.; Portland, Ore.; and Dearborn, Mich., and its Boston concept will close its doors Feb. 15 after a six-year run.

The original idea was to allow customers to give a suggested donation for their food in a bid to raise awareness about hunger across the U.S. The funds collected were supposed to cover the store's operating costs while also paying for those who couldn't afford their food.

"Despite our commitment to this mission, it's become clear that continued operation of the Boston Panera Cares is no longer viable," Panera Bread said in an emailed statement.

From Eater.com:

quote:
At its peak, Panera Cares operated five locations, including ones in Dearborn, Michigan; Portland, Oregon; Boston, and Chicago. Each restaurant was designed to sustain itself, but the restaurants weren’t financially viable. The Portland-based Panera Cares was reportedly only recouping between 60 and 70 percent of its total costs. The losses were attributed students who “mobbed” the restaurant and ate without paying, as well as homeless patrons who visited the restaurant for every meal of the week. The location eventually limited the homeless to “a few meals a week.”

I am surprised and impressed it lasted 6 years.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Oh my god...MOAR SOSHULISM: https://www.panerabread.com/en-us/en_us/community/community-giving.html

At the end of each day, our bakery-cafes package unsold bread and baked goods to donate to local hunger relief and charitable organizations.

so they give away the surplus at the end of the day instead of throwing it away?

good for them, LOTS of restaurants do this, but like I said, good for them

Yes, actually. I was once part of a start-up of a new Panera that was opening. New building, new-hire employees, the whole wad. They had a week in which they ran kitchen drills to make sure everyone knew how to make everything on the menu in the allotted amount of time, how to serve it, whatever. And afterward, all the leftover food got driven over to a local homeless shelter for donation. An excellent idea all the way around, really.

 

[westwall]

Hmmm, a company with a market cap of over $7 billion knows nothing about capitalism!

Panera Bread Co Market Cap (M) (PNRA)

where did I say they did not know about capitalism?

my claim is that their socialist/social justice experiment failed miserably

and it did; care to take a shot at proving me wrong

It lasted six years .

Thanks to the deep pockets of the CAPITALIST side of the business. Duh...

 

[Harpy Eagle]

As they say...and now the rest of the story...

Why Panera’s experiment with pay-what-you-want dining failed

 

[mikegriffith1]

It lasted six years.

Only the Boston store lasted six years. The Chicago store lasted less than three years.

 

[Grace Is Stoked]

It's a wonderful concept and there are successful versions of this restaurant concept but it looks like Panera struggled with the details a bit especially when it comes to the human element of it.

 

[danielpalos]

Solving for simple poverty on an at-will basis in our at-will employment States and raising the minimum wage to fifteen dollars an hour would have yielded much different results.

 

[Weatherman2020]

you mean to tell me that a company cannot survive or afford to employ people if they give stuff away?

wow, what a surprise, Bernie and his protege AOC will NOT be happy...

Panera is ending its pay-what-you-want experiment, will close last such store

quote:
There's no such thing as a free lunch anymore at Panera.

The sandwich chain will close its last pay-what-you-can location next week after determining the model wasn't sustainable. It's already shut the other free-meals cafes around the country, including locations in Chicago; Clayton, Mo.; Portland, Ore.; and Dearborn, Mich., and its Boston concept will close its doors Feb. 15 after a six-year run.

The original idea was to allow customers to give a suggested donation for their food in a bid to raise awareness about hunger across the U.S. The funds collected were supposed to cover the store's operating costs while also paying for those who couldn't afford their food.

"Despite our commitment to this mission, it's become clear that continued operation of the Boston Panera Cares is no longer viable," Panera Bread said in an emailed statement.

From Eater.com:

quote:
At its peak, Panera Cares operated five locations, including ones in Dearborn, Michigan; Portland, Oregon; Boston, and Chicago. Each restaurant was designed to sustain itself, but the restaurants weren’t financially viable. The Portland-based Panera Cares was reportedly only recouping between 60 and 70 percent of its total costs. The losses were attributed students who “mobbed” the restaurant and ate without paying, as well as homeless patrons who visited the restaurant for every meal of the week. The location eventually limited the homeless to “a few meals a week.”

That wasn’t real socialism because it failed. If they had done it right it would have succeeded.