Panera Bread opens 3rd "pay what you wish" location

[charlie]

It's good to see that these haven't been shuttered because, hey, free eats. Fairness and decency is still the norm.

Panera Bread Co. will open a nonprofit restaurant Monday in Portland where customers can pay what they wish for food.

It's the third "Panera Cares" community cafe for the company and its first West Coast location.

Panera opened community cafes last year in Clayton, Mo., and Dearborn, Mich. The restaurants are owned and operated by a nonprofit arm of the national restaurant chain, which receives no profit from the business.

"In some ways it is a test for humanity," said Ron Shaich, founder of Panera who launched the concept for the company. "Will people step up and help each other or will they take advantage?"

So far, people have stepped up. Panera said about 20 percent of the visitors to the cafes leave more than the suggested amount, 20 percent leave less and 60 percent pay what is suggested...

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=12600397

[gratuitous]

1. We're planning to go soon

We'll probably be in the group that leaves more than the suggested amount, because doing so makes Rush Limbaugh cry.

[grasswire]

4. hey!

We ought to have a meetup there next month.

[gratuitous]

5. Yeah, right

And everybody finds out what a selfish creep I really am? Probably wouldn't hurt my reputation.

[louis-t]

7. Rush is so ignorant, he thinks Snapple is good.

The worst tasting crap I ever drank.

[j420norcal]

2. Awesome

I hope this concept spreads like wildfire, plus if this place could demonstrate that it's capable of paying it's employees well and turn profit if it needed to, that would be a huge FU to every corporate business model around the world.

[grasswire]

3. I know that location very well.

It's in the same building as a Trader Joe's. A few blocks down the street is a Whole Paycheck. A restored grand movie theater sits a block away. Gee, I basically grew up in that neighborhood! A medical clinic is directly across the street, providing lots of customers. It's a block away from a light rail station, meaning that anyone with transit fare can easily be attracted there for a meal.

My question: will the neighborhood worry about people who really need a meal bringing some undesirable atmosphere? Will current Panera customers avoid the store?

[BlueJac]

6. Fantastic, I love their products

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

8. I'd probably pay more at Panera

That's good shit.