8 Discontinued Panera Items We Probably Won't See Again
Panera Bread has long thrived on providing an alternative to the typical fast food scene. The fast-casual company was founded in 1987 and has exploded in popularity in the past decade or so. It's a brand that hangs its hat on healthier, artisan food that is a break from the typical burgers, chicken nuggets, and tacos that you find in most fast food restaurants. This is the place to stop when you want salads, sandwiches, coffee, dessert, pastries, lemonade, and iced tea.
As the chain has grown in the past several years, it has also experienced the discontinuation of a number of its menu selections. Many of these discontinued foods were wildly popular, and many customers are clamoring for returns even years later. Other menu items were dropped in the blink of an eye, and you might not have known that Panera had ever even sold them in the first place. In this guide, we'll explore eight Panera menu items that we probably won't see again.
1. Sierra Turkey Sandwich
You'll always find turkey as an option when you're looking into healthy menu items. Panera's Sierra Turkey Sandwich was a turkey lover's paradise and one of the most popular discontinued items among the brand's most loyal customers. With this sandwich, customers were treated to smoked turkey breast, a mishmash of field greens, Asiago cheese focaccia, red onions, and zesty chipotle mayo. This was a hot sandwich option that mixed nutritional value with taste, and customers loved combining it with their favorite chips or an apple.
The main problem with the sandwich was that Panera decided to alter the formula. The company switched out both the sauce and bread for alternative options, and it was never quite the same ever since. After changing the formula, the popularity of the Sierra Turkey Sandwich began to dip, and the writing was on the wall. Customers petitioned for its return for some time, but the sandwich doesn't appear primed for a comeback.
2. Butternut Squash Ravioli
Panera has always had a penchant for the fancy and the flavorful. The butternut squash ravioli was an example of this. This menu item was a favorite that people loved ordering from Panera and included squash, ravioli, and a variety of sauces and cheese. Fans who were around since Panera Bread started rapidly expanding in the mid-2000s might remember this one. It was a favorite at the time for its healthfulness and flavor, perfect for the autumn.
The butternut squash ravioli got few complaints as far as taste goes, but the main issue people had was that the menu item left them wanting more. It wasn't very filling, so customers thought it was overpriced for the small portion that they received. It was pulled from the menu roughly a decade ago and is unlikely to make a comeback. Plenty of fans would like to see this menu item back, and many have left messages on the brand's Facebook posts, saying that they're still waiting for a return.
3. Chipotle Chicken Panini
This is the crème de la crème of discontinued Panera Bread items. Panera's Chipotle Chicken Panini is arguably the best sandwich ever created by the restaurant. It featured a healthy serving of special chipotle sauce, chicken breast, bacon, and spicy melted cheese on toasted panini bread. This sandwich was the ideal combination of ingredients and a true delight. It had enough of a kick for people who like their food spicy, and the texture of the different ingredients and toasted bread brought it all together. It paired so wonderfully with an apple, chips, baguette slice, soup, or other side items.
Unfortunately, the sandwich was pulled from Panera Bread's menu in 2015, leaving many die-hards scratching their heads. Fans of this sandwich have consoled themselves by comically mourning the loss of this sandwich with online posts and even T-shirts. One all-black T-shirt has a picture of the Chipotle Chicken Panini as the centerpiece, along with the text "The light has gone out of my life..." and the hashtag #BringBacktheChipotleChickenPanini. To add insult to injury, Panera released a similar sandwich, the Chipotle Chicken Avocado Melt, which fans of the original Panini don't consider a suitable enough replacement to hold a candle to the original. Backlash or not, Panera doesn't seem to have any plans to bring back the Chipotle Chicken Panini.
4. Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
Alongside its tasty sandwiches and soups, Panera Bread is known for its wide variety of delicious pastries and desserts. Helped by a surge in red velvet food popularity in the past few decades, Panera Bread's Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies were treats you just had to try when they debuted in early 2012 around the holiday season. These crinkle cookies were soft like brownies and featured a similar ingredients base that you'd find with red velvet cake.
It was the ideal cookie for people with a sweet tooth. Reviewers stated that these cookies were particularly sweet, rich, and chewy. People enjoyed pairing these cookies with Panera Bread's hot chocolate, particularly during the holidays. Panera quietly removed its Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies from the menu not long after the release in favor of other cookie selections. Dessert lovers are still waiting for Panera to bring back these cookies so that they have some for themselves, and some to leave Santa on Christmas Eve. They might get a lump of coal from fans who preferred the original Mint Crinkle Cookies, which the red velvet variety replaced. Regardless, the Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies are among the most missed items that Panera Bread has discontinued in the history of its restaurant.
5. Frosted Brownie
We're back to back with discontinued dessert options. If you're more of a chocolate fan, perhaps you're longing for a return of Panera Bread's Frosted Brownie. This dessert item featured a freshly baked chocolate brownie with a double layer of chocolate frosting. Chocolate on chocolate has long been a winning combination in the dessert world, and Panera customers appreciated the taste that this brownie brought. It was thick and hearty and even better when made hot and fresh.
Since Panera Bread prides itself on its coffee, this dessert was an excellent complement to the restaurant's 100% Arabica hazelnut, dark roast, and light roast offerings. You might have also chosen to pair the brownie with a nice cup of hot chocolate. Panera customers who loved the Frosted Brownie probably didn't know or appreciate how good they had it. This dessert was replaced in 2021 by a regular brownie dusted with powdered sugar. The new brownie is still tasty, but it leaves something to be desired if you preferred the double chocolate and the creamy frosting. Customers were shocked and dishearted once they found out that the double chocolate variety would be discontinued. Many fans are disappointed in the new brownie and want a return to form — or at least a frosted, double chocolate option. Chalk this one up as another deliciously popular dessert option that we probably aren't getting back.
6. Crispani
Panera Bread's first attempt at pizza led to multiple discontinuations and even a lawsuit. This first rendition, called the Crispani, was Panera's take on a flatbread pizza. The company took a crack at flatbread in 2006 to provide a dinner option that its customers could enjoy in addition to its bagels, sandwiches, salads, and soups. It was an attempt to diversify the menu with a crowd-pleasing option that everyone could appreciate. Customers who ordered this flatbread pizza could enjoy toppings such as pepperoni, mushrooms, sweet sausage and roasted peppers, three-cheese, and barbecue chicken and caramelized onions, as well as the original tomato and basil variety. These pizzas were strictly sold after 4 p.m. to cater to the post-work dinner crowd.
Though the concept was seemingly great, Panera discontinued the Crispani in 2008. Panera Bread stated that this decision came largely due to production issues that made it difficult to meet demand. Shareholders said that these reasons were misleading and that Panera misrepresented the situation. This led to a class-action lawsuit, which Panera Bread settled for $5.75 million.
While the Crispani ultimately failed, it paved the way for the flatbread pizza options that the company sells today. These are similarly personal-sized pizzas Panera is able to roll out quickly without as many production issues. Among the trial and error, the success of the new pizzas, and a multimillion-dollar lawsuit, don't expect the Crispani to return in its previous form.
7. French Toast Bagel
Bagels are among the most popular breakfast and brunch items that many people eat every single day. Panera is a chain that takes pride in its bagel quality and variety, which is why we've seen so many different types released over the years. The French Toast Bagel was an offering that the company released a few years ago. As the name suggests, it was a bagel made from the same ingredients you'd make your French toast from. You could then pile on maple syrup, honey, cream cheese, or anything else that you like on your French toast. It was an excellent item to purchase alongside your morning coffee.
Unfortunately, Panera Bread decided to discontinue its French Toast Bagel in 2020. This decision came as part of a line of cuts that took place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Customers originally were under the impression that the menu item would return once restaurants opened back as normal, but it quickly became evident that this discontinuation was permanent. Like other discontinuations, Panera Bread released a similar replacement item that die-hards aren't pleased with. You can now order the Cinnamon Crunch Bagel, which fans of the French Toast Bagel said doesn't taste quite the same. The biggest difference is in the texture, and that the cinnamon bagel is topped with sugar and lacks a bagel hole. Looks like you'll have to shop around elsewhere if you've got a craving for French toast bagels.
8. Spinach Power Salad
People today are looking for nutritious and protein-rich meals, and Panera's Spinach Power Salad accommodated them. This menu item was great for lunchtime when you want to satiate your hunger with a sensible and nutritious meal. It's a salad that featured ingredients like fresh baby spinach, onions, applewood-smoked bacon, roasted mushrooms, and diced eggs. The salad also featured a healthy dousing of Vidalia onion vinaigrette dressing. The salad paired well with soup options, such as French onion, creamy tomato, and broccoli cheddar soup.
Panera Bread originally released the Spinach Power Salad in 2013, but this salad was quietly pulled from Panera Bread's menu in favor of its other salad options. Customers have some second-place items that they might choose, including the chicken Caesar salad. This is the closest that you can get now, especially since the restaurant also discontinued its Power Kale Caesar Salad.
Fans of the Spinach Power Salad miss it dearly because it was an easy way to get plenty of protein and vitamins. You'll need to check out some other salads on the menu to see if they suit your tastes, or create your own homemade spinach salad or a superfood salad with kale and spinach for your work lunch.