Customer surveys of parents with young children prompted the Panera franchisee to begin including drive-throughs in its new shops, and the company may retro-fit some of its existing locations with the enhanced service, Ballato said.
“We see drive-throughs as a pathway to the future of Panera,” she said. “We need another way of serving our customers.”
The Panera franchisee is “actively looking at several different locations” in the Dayton and Cincinnati areas to add more locations, Ballato said.
The prototype and future Panera bakeries also will include an imported oven that is customized for Panera, according to Keith Willis, director of construction for the franchise owner. Company officials are planning to roll out an expanded menu in the coming months, Willis said.
Panera is among the first of several restaurants slated to open in and around the retail, office and entertainment development at the Austin Pike/Ohio 741 intersection in southern Montgomery County.
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