Panera confirms longtime location ‘permanently closed’ after restaurant was issued eviction notice
PANERA has confirmed the permanent closure of a location after the fast food chain received an eviction notice in July.
In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, about 107 miles west of Philadelphia, a Panera location closed its doors this week.
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However, the closure is not unexpected for residents.
The facility was served an eviction notice by commercial real estate firm The Vartan Group two months ago, according to local ABC news outlet WHTM.
The Vartan Group created the Susquehanna Union Green development property where the Panera was located.
CEO Ralph Vartan explained that the eviction request was filed due to the announcement of Panera’s “temporary closure,” which has reportedly been ongoing since October 2022.
Given Vartan Group’s actions, it looked like the restaurant would close permanently in July, but remained open throughout August.
Panera representatives even contradicted Vartan’s claims that the location would be permanently closed until a representative recently told WHTM that it would actually be gone forever.
It’s unclear why Panera remained temporarily closed for so long or what might have caused the closure in the first place.
The US Sun has reached out to Panera for further comment on the situation.
Vartan also told the outlet that another restaurant would fill Panera’s space in their project, but they have not confirmed which chain that might be.
Several restaurants are already located in Vartan’s Susquehanna Union Green development, including Potato Coop, which offers a variety of potato-based menu items, and Playa Bowls, a popular chain that sells various acai bowls and smoothie options.
According to the news station, the grand opening of the Playa Bowl will take place on September 16th and 17th.
Panera has also recently faced criticism from customers after cutting its menu items.
As The US Sun previously reported, some establishments had smaller menus, with some fan-favorite dishes seemingly disappearing from customers’ reach.
According to KTLA in Los Angeles, at least three percent of Panera locations in the U.S. are currently testing the smaller menu.
Other menu items include flatbread pizzas, sandwiches, salads and desserts.
However, according to a fan Reddit thread, at least 50 items from the larger menu have reportedly been cut.
A Panera spokesperson told the outlet that the company regularly tests different menu options at select locations “with the goal of providing guests with a faster, more convenient experience while simplifying processes for our associates.”
“We routinely conduct these tests to find new ways to better serve our guests, whether through menu innovations, simplifications or new technologies,” the company added.
Some online customers weren’t happy.
“Wait, wait, wait what? These are the most popular things I crave,” wrote one Reddit user.
“Does this apply to all companies and franchises?”
For more related content, check out The US Sun’s coverage of a Panera fan’s horrific discovery about a popular drink.
The US Sun also reports on the big change Panera has made to the way customers order.