Panera Bread is testing a smaller menu selection at select café locations nationwide as the company continues to improve its guest experience.
The smaller menu is being tested at less than 3% of all Panera Bread locations nationwide.
About 50 items, including all kids’ menu items and flatbread pizzas, along with select sandwiches, salads, and dessert options, have been cut from the menus, according to a Reddit post.
The company declined to comment on which items have been removed or where they are testing the smaller menus but did tell KTLA that the drastic change is all a part of a test.
“As part of our effort to continually improve our guest experience, we routinely test different menu options in a small number of Panera bakery cafes with the goal of providing a faster and more convenient guest experience while also simplifying operations for our associates,” a Panera Bread spokesperson said in a statement to KTLA.
“We routinely run these tests to identify new ways to better serve our guests, whether that’s through menu innovation, simplification, or new technology. This current program is being tested in less than 3% of our nationwide cafés.”
Panera Bread isn’t the only place testing simplified menu options.
In April, Chick-fil-A locations nationwide temporarily discontinued its Side Salad option from menus but reversed its decision due to guests’ feedback.
Taco Bell has also removed items from its menus nationwide in favor of adding other items.
Overall, dining out has become more expensive for consumers and businesses, thanks to inflation.
In August, the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that restaurant food costs rose nearly 8% in June compared to the same period last year.
Data from OpenTable also showed that reservations across the Golden State decreased by 5% since February, the largest decrease nationwide.
However, inflation isn’t the only culprit behind rising food costs. The U.S. Government Accountability Office stated that severe weather conditions, animal and plant diseases and the COVID-19 pandemic, among others, all impacted food prices.