Springfield Panera to add delivery services

The Springfield Panera location on Bechtle Avenue will add delivery service beginning this week, according to the restaurant’s owners.

The store, located at 1950 N. Bechtle Ave., will begin delivery on Thursday, March 15, according to information from Covelli Enterprises, the Ohio-based franchisee of the chain.

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Covelli launched the service in Dayton in 2016 and decided to make delivery available in all Covelli markets after seeing a significant boost in sales.

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Panera will deliver anywhere within the delivery radius, including homes and places of work, according to information from the company. The business will deliver within an 8-mile radius of the Springfield location and requires a minimum $5 order and includes a $3 delivery charge.

The company will also add delivery options to Panera’s Englewood location beginning Thursday, March 22.

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“Offering small order delivery is a fantastic opportunity for us,” said Sam Covelli, owner and CEO of Covelli Enterprises in a news release.“We hope to be able to continue to reach new customers but also offer this incredibly convenient service to our existing loyal customers who are unable to make it to the bakery cafe on a regular basis.”

Delivery orders must be placed online using the Panera Bread app or at panerabread.com. Delivery hours will be 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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In addition to Panera Bread, Covelli Enterprises also owns O’Charley’s Restaurants and Dairy Queen stores. Covelli is the largest franchisee of Panera Bread cafes in the U.S., with more than 300 Panera locations in six states.

Last year, Panera awarded Covelli Enterprises the Franchisee of the Year designation. The designation is the top award that a franchisee owner can receive from the Panera corporation.

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