Quote from Maverick74:
Using a location smack dab in the middle of yuppiehood probably was not the best idea.
The way this looks this me, panera chooses this location because the area is wealthy enough and perhaps luck out with higher "donations". I'm going to guess Panera probably advertises at homeless shelters or the Y or wherever for the poor and downtrodden to enjoy the panera dining experience sans institution.
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"When you walk in, it's the full Panera experience," Shaich said. "When you go into a soup kitchen, the energy is so negative and the food is institutional and the experience is institutional."
He said the idea for the community model was to "create an experience," that could "lift people up" and provide some dignity for those who can't afford to pay.
To make the concept work, consumers who have extra money are asked to donate it. Those who are short can pay less, and those who can't pay anything can volunteer for an hour to eat free.
Shaich said the idea has worked because Panera turns the stores over to the Panera Bread Foundation, a tax-exempt organization that runs day-to-day operations. This frees the publicly traded restaurant company of its obligation to run a profitable business.
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I wonder how a tax exempt works side by side with a for profit?
Can I take my overstock from one store and donate it to my panera foundation store?
I wonder how this affects real estate taxes on the building. Panera could build equity on the building, not pay taxes.