Fast food restaurant makes major change – customers will love the convenience

PANERA Bread has partnered with Amazon One to offer customers a new way to pay – with the palm of their hand.

The new contactless payment method gives customers access to their loyalty accounts and the ability to pay with the palm of their hand.

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Select bakery cafes in St. Louis will be testing the program and plan to expand to additional locations in the coming months.

The fast-casual chain claims to be the first national restaurant company to use Amazon One technology.

“Working with Amazon Web Services to bring this service to our bakery cafes is a natural extension of the technically advanced, guest-centric digital thinking that Panera is known for,” said Niren Chaudhary, Chief Executive Officer of Panera Bread and Panera Brands .

“Our philosophy is focused on using best-in-class technology to create a better Panera experience, thereby deepening our relationship with our loyal guests.”

Guest participation is opt-in only, and Panera said no personal palm data will be stored.

PALM PAYMENT

Customers who link their MyPanera account to Amazon One can “enjoy the convenience of fast payments as well as tailored meal recommendations,” according to a statement.

This is based on previous orders and customer preferences.

After palm scanning, Panera associates can greet guests by name, view available rewards, reorder menu items, or take another order of their choice.

First-time Amazon One users can pre-register online or sign up when placing their Panera order in-store.

Guests only need to link their credit card and MyPanera account to their Amazon One ID.

If you are already enrolled in Amazon One at Amazon Go, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market or other locations, you do not need to enroll in Panera again.

All you have to do is link your MyPanera account online or in store to your Amazon One ID.

Amazon One is voluntary and includes an opt-in consent where customers can choose to use Amazon One for loyalty linking, payments, or both.

WHAT IS MYPANERA?

MyPanera started in 2010 as one of the first guest loyalty programs in the restaurant industry.

It grew quickly and became one of the largest rewards programs with nearly 48 million members.

MyPanera membership benefits include discounts on next purchases, personalized digital ordering experiences, programs like Unlimited Sip Club, surprise offers and early access to new menu items.

Panera said in the first quarter of fiscal 2022 that more than half of all Panera transactions came from MyPanera members.

Additionally, members visit Panera more often and spend more money on each visit than non-MyPanera members.

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