I actually like Panara’s food, but between crap like this and their anti-GMO nonsense, I won’t eat there.
I mean, he might as well call out Hershey’s while he’s at it. After all, would they eat nothing but chocolate bars for a week?
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I read it as if they were asking the CEOs if they would eat their own children’s food instead of letting their children eat. To which I answer, Yes. Yes they would.
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Until Panera starts having “PlayPlaces” in their restaurants I think I’ll stick to McDs. Besides, in my experience McDonald’s coffee is superior to Panera’s anyway.
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You are not comparing similar things though.
That sandwich comes with the sandwich and a side of yogurt or an apple (or a piece of baguette which makes zero sense, but its an option). No it does not come with a drink, but the fountain machine’s water option is free as are sliced lemons and sugar to make a quick and free lemonade.
The happy meal basic is $2.50 ($2.80 and 3.29 for the cheeseburger and nuggets respectively) but the order of fries is smaller than the small, and the drink is a dixie cup. Compare the actual amount of food and Panera sandwich is more actual food to consume than what is in the Happy meal. And it is only a dollar difference between the high end and low end of each.
Unless you are a representative of the “poor and disenfranchised” I find this a difficult position to uphold. That $1 is not what is keeping someone from going to Panera.
We can argue that it is all splitting hairs…in the end, it is about availability and convenience. People go to what is close, they are familiar with, and often what suits not just their budget but also their timing. Panera is fairly quick, but nearly as reliably quick as McDonalds or Burger King.
I think the CEO of Panera is making an accurate claim…no eating kids meals 3 meals a day at BK or McDonalds is not viable and the meals at Panera are more substantive; however, its not realistic to eat 3 meals a day at either of these establishments to which I feel @nungesser made that point and is spot on as far as I am concerned. I also believe based on the story and video his issue is more that these companies advertise and market to children in a way he finds distasteful…again, something I agree with.
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like I said in another reply…I believe his issue is more marketing to children than in the quality. Not that the quality isn’t off limits or anything.
Did he mention why he doubled it? Your wording doesn’t make it clear wether this was simply his observation or a choice. I’ve recently tried a Burger King meal after years of avoiding them and McDonald’s or the other chains. The softness made it absurdly easy to eat it too fast and even though it was loaded with calories, I was ravenously hungry only a few hours later.
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You can make a good point out of his position. Though if you’re going to get upset about marketing food to children, you really have to make a statement about the quality of the food. After all, no one is going to get mad if you market apples to children.
There’s plenty of legitimate arguments to make as to why you shouldn’t market horrifyingly unhealthy food to children. “This food is not able to completely supplement the human diet” isn’t one of them. It’s just a way to invent hypocrisy as yet another attempt by a company to co-opt health for advertising, without any regard for actual human health.
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I understand that position and do not fully disagree with it. I do though feel what Panera produces is better and more balanced for one’s diet even if not perfect.
Don’t eat any of it. Don’t feed it to your kids. Spend you 10 dollars on a whole meal worth of healthier ingredients at the market.
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If you’re a CEO pulling in 6 figures why would you eat at either place?
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Hopefully your kids now prefer their whiskey with a drop of water, right? 
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I’m pretty sure Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup bread bowl has come in near the top of those “most unhealthy” chain food item lists. Like a lot. In terms of calories fat, salt content etc. I’ve seen nothing to indicate Panera’s food is any better or worse than McDonalds’ .
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Well…I was allowing that the kids arent the only ones in the house and the adults have options other than water
My kids often make homemade lemonade and iced tea, obviously hot tea and coffee are acceptable (rule for us is 13 and up get coffee and caffeinated tea; the 9 year old still can only have herbal no caffeine tea). We allow our 16 and 14 yr olds to have small samplings of alcohols (wine, beer, spirits), the 9 yr old can have a sip/taste of beer or wine only (no spirits for him whatsoever).
And my oldest two have begun to learn how to mix drinks properly…basic mixology/bartender lessons.
I mean, I can’t just throw them out of the nest when they turn 18…they have to have some skills!!!
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the sandwiches are “healthier” than any of the fast food burgers and fried offerings. The soups to your point are atrociously terrible.
And that broccoli cheddar soup is like heroin god help me I love it.
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Exactly – my household does a lot of Weight Watchers and other fitness type of things, so I’ve gotten fairly familiar with how to get food on the road without eating total garbage. McD’s hamburgers are pretty good, actually; the beef is fairly low-fat and without cheese the worst part is the bun. Everything else in a Happy Meal is fruit or milk or juice, not bad at all. Then you have Panera; sure, there’s salads, but kids are going to want cheddar cheese soup, mac & cheese, or grilled cheese: tons of calories, fat, salt, carbs, and zero veggies or fiber. Honestly, I’d take McDonalds.
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And some of those salads, at either place rack up the calories as well.
That’s not really saying much. The lower cal options at McDonalds are far, far less extreme than the soups and other high call options at Panera.
Neither of these places are “healthy”. Especially not as a regular part of your diet. Which can be said of any restaurant really. Panera dude is just trying to bolster his brand’s “healthy”, “real food” credentials by driving trollies The Burger Clown.
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HTF do you get out of a Panera at $6 a head?
Tell me your secret, please! I’m begging you! 
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“Ok, kids, you each get one untoasted bagel with no toppings and a cup of water. Choose your flavor wisely.”
Profit!
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Well, now a days we don’t. 9, 14, 16 they eat like horses. But just only a few years ago, Oldest would get the mac n cheese with yogurt and a piece of bread…middle and youngest would get a grilled cheeses with chips and apples. All of those are about $6 a pop. And as I stated above…water is free from the fountain drink machine as are lemons.
When I roll through BK or Wendy’s (They do not like McDonalds) for them it always runs $20 minimum and that is with no drinks.
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I’m just kidding, you know. I know how tough it is to save money when eating out, even at any of these places. And we were never allowed to get drinks when I was a kid – my dad would say “bubbly sugar water’s a waste of everyone’s money.”
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