Looking to get the most out of your Panera Bread experience? Let’s explore 16 secret menu hacks you could try at the nearest location in your area. From secret menus to saving hacks, you’ll surely enjoy trying any of the hacks someday!
And who said menu hacks are only about food? Here at the Fast Food Club, we’re teaching you how to save in other ways as well!
16. Get 3% Apple Pay Discount
Apple Pay with an Apple Card gets you 3% off at Panera Bread, and sometimes even more! Everyone can save with the MyPanera Rewards app, offering free treats and personalized discounts. Panera also has promotions throughout the year, so check their website or social media for birthday specials and promo codes. Remember, Panera portions can be big, so consider sharing or ordering a smaller size to save even more!
How to order: Simply choose your food items and pay with your Apple Card using Apple Pay at checkout to receive your 3% discount.
15. Free Treat for Incorrect Orders
Panera Bread aims to please, so if your order isn’t quite right, let them know! They’ll fix it and often offer a complimentary treat to make things better. Freshly baked pastries are a great choice! While some locations might not offer the treat automatically, Panera’s customer service team is happy to hear from you if you have any issues. You can reach them through the online survey, email, or social media. Remember, mistakes happen, so be kind to your server; a friendly reminder is usually enough.
How to order: There’s no specific way to “order” a free treat for an incorrect order. However, politely point out the mistake to your server. In most cases, they’ll remake your order and may offer a complimentary pastry or other treat to apologize for the inconvenience.
14. Enjoy a Free Side of Honey
Believe it or not, there are a few ways to get complimentary food at Panera, and all the options are fantastic. When ordering an apple as your side, simply ask for a side of honey. Your server can also slice up the apple for you if you like. For takeout orders, ask them to pack it in a cup or box to prevent the pieces from rolling around the bottom of your bag.
You can use that free side of honey with other Panera foods as well. Spread it on just about any fruit upgrade or buttered bread item. If you prefer a healthier sweetener option to sugar or artificial ones, add it to your hot or iced tea. For breakfast, order a bagel and get the cream cheese on the side. This allows you to mix in the honey for a sweet topping. Finally, drizzle honey on oatmeal breakfast items. Just don’t forget that breakfast ends at 10:30 a.m.
How to order: When choosing your side, request an apple and politely ask for a side of honey to complement it.
13. Dairy-Free Options
We were pleasantly surprised to find that, with the exception of cheese, dressing, and a few other items, many choices at Panera Bread are dairy-free. For salad dressing, you can opt for Greek, White Balsamic Apple Flavored, Apple Cider BBQ Sauce, and Lemon Tahini Dressing. However, if you simply drop the cheese and dressing altogether, you’ll be safe and Whole 30 diet-compliant. Dairy-free options that do not require customization include the Chicken Walnut Salad on Molasses Bread and Turkey Chili with a baguette on the side.
Most of the bread and bagels are also dairy-free. Bagel options include Blueberry, Everything, Plain, Sesame, and Multigrain Bagel Flat. For bread options, see the list under the vegan section. Panera Bread offers many other dairy-free options as well, including a variety of cookies like Ginger Molasses, Snickerdoodle, and Sugar.
How to order: When ordering salads, skip the cheese and choose a dairy-free dressing like Greek, White Balsamic Apple Flavored, Apple Cider BBQ Sauce, or Lemon Tahini Dressing.
12. Vegan Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich
Not every restaurant offers vegan dishes, but Panera has some great vegan menu options that make ordering easy. You can also customize other menu items to suit your diet. For example, the popular Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich becomes vegan with a few simple changes, such as eliminating the feta cheese.
Most bread options at Panera are safe, but a few contain honey or dairy. Safer options include Country Rustic Sourdough, Artisan Ciabatta, French Baguette, Classic Sourdough, Black Pepper Focaccia, Whole Grain Lahvash Wrap, and White Whole Grain. However, these breads are labeled vegetarian rather than vegan. We recommend exercising caution if you have an allergy.
The Sourdough Bread Bowl is vegan. Currently, there are no vegan soup options, so you may want to buy the bread bowls online (also tagged as vegetarian) to hold your homemade soup.
How to order: Choose the Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich and ask for “no feta cheese.”
11. Boost Your Sandwich or Salad with Extra Veggies
At Panera, you can craft nutritious meals to support your fitness goals. What kind of foods would you add to your order if you were a nutritionist? Panera Bread has a great solution: free vegetables. You can customize nearly any bowl, salad, or sandwich with these add-ons. Some items have an upcharge, like avocados, which do not replace meat. Keep in mind that five customizations are the limit.
One hack to those customizations is to start with the Power Vegetable Blend, which includes kale, spinach, broccoli, carrots, and red cabbage. Panera’s website does not list the exact ingredients, which may change based on availability.
Other free add-on vegetables include cilantro, Romaine lettuce, spinach, mixed greens, Kalamata olives, red onions, cucumber, and red tomatoes. For a fee, you can also add edamame for extra protein without extra meat (note that if your meal already contains a certain veggie, it will cost you more). Other toppings include crispy carrots, pickled red onions, pepperoncini, and basil. Make the most of these toppings to enjoy a full rainbow of veggies whenever you visit Panera.
How to order: Simply select your bowl, salad, or sandwich and customize it with your choice of free add-on vegetables or the Power Vegetable Blend. Keep in mind that a maximum of five customizations is allowed per order.
10. Save Money by Ordering Group-Sized Soups
When you stop by Panera with family, friends, or colleagues and all want the same soup, there is a hack from the regular menu that can save you money. While individual portions are one way to go, you can order a group soup off the standard Panera menu. The group soup is reportedly 32 ounces and is meant to serve four people. It comes with four free sides and, overall, is a better deal than buying four cups of soup. There are some other bulk items off the standard menu, too, including a dozen bagels, one dozen chocolate chip or mixed variety cookies, coffee and tea totes, and half-gallon cold beverages. Naturally, Panera also offers catering with discounted delivery and the opportunity to earn rewards.
How to order: To order a group-sized soup, simply request the 32-ounce group soup from the standard Panera menu.
9. Replace Meat with Avocado For Free
You don’t have to eat vegan to use this easy hack, which is a great option for anyone who wants to cut down on meat. Simply request your server to replace the meat item with avocado at no extra charge, as long as the dish does not already contain avocado.
You can also do this when ordering online, but if you select the option to add avocado, it will cost you. Instead, click customize, then delete the meat. Next, go under the “Topping” menu to add avocado. We successfully tried this for salads and sandwiches, and the price remained the same.
If you are choosing vegan options at Panera, check the complete list of toppings. Many entrees add bacon, cheese, or eggs, so step through to customize your order. Before leaving the restaurant, check to see if your order is correct. If not, you may be eligible for a free treat.
How to order: To replace meat with avocado for free, simply request your server to make the substitution.
8. Create Your Own French Dip
Panera doesn’t offer a French dip sandwich, which is surprising, but you can easily create one yourself. This is an excellent way to upgrade your Pick Two menu options. Start with an item off the baguette sandwich menu, as this is the traditional bread choice for a French dip. It doesn’t matter which one you select, but we thought the Smoky Buffalo Chicken Melt was the easiest to customize. First, replace the chicken with steak (there is an upcharge). Next, you may want to change your cheese. We recommend Gouda or white American cheddar (also an upcharge), or you can delete it altogether. You can keep the red onions or delete them. Complete your sandwich by swapping buffalo sauce for horseradish.
You can also do this hack using the Toasted Steak and White Cheddar sandwich. If you like cheese and onions, you won’t have to customize this one at all. You won’t get a baguette, but the toasted ciabatta works just as well. Your second pick is the Bistro French onion soup. Customize by eliminating both the croutons and the cheese.
How to order: To create your own French dip, start with an item off the baguette sandwich menu, such as the Smoky Buffalo Chicken Melt, then replace the chicken with steak, change your cheese to Gouda or white American cheddar (or delete it altogether), and complete your sandwich by swapping buffalo sauce for horseradish.
7. Sierra Turkey Sandwich Customization
Many favorite sandwiches are missing from Panera’s current menu, as they were permanently discontinued, along with the secret menu. Some Panera fans have created petitions to bring them back but to no avail. However, just like with the mac and cheese items, customization can do a fair job of mimicking that long-lost sandwich. This time, you won’t have to order two separate items.
To recreate the Sierra Turkey Sandwich, start with the Roasted Turkey sandwich. Remove all options except the greens and add chipotle sauce and red onions. Asiago Focaccia bread is no longer available, but there is a bagel in that flavor, so swap that for the bread. Unfortunately, some beloved discontinued items you can’t recreate, such as paninis or anything with pork. For now, we’ll have to do without the fan favorite, Coronado Carnitas Panini, or find a way to make it at home.
How to order: To recreate the Sierra Turkey Sandwich, start with the Roasted Turkey sandwich, remove all options except the greens, and add chipotle sauce and red onions. Swap the bread for an Asiago Focaccia bagel.
6. Order from Special Menu Guide
Panera is known for catering to people with special dietary needs. There is a menu page for each of the six different diets, including vegetarian, vegan, high protein, gluten-conscious, sodium-conscious, and one that’s unique: climate-friendly.
Panera partnered with the World Resources Institute (WRI), which has analyzed the meal’s ingredients to ensure they are within sustainable carbon emission guidelines. These specialty menu guides include either a complete list of options, like vegetarian, or dining options with accommodations, like the vegan page. The high protein menu lists options with 20% or more of the U.S. recommended daily value of protein, which is 50 grams.
How to order: Order from Panera’s special menu guide by selecting from the six different diet options: vegetarian, vegan, high protein, gluten-conscious, sodium-conscious, or climate-friendly.
5. Late-Day Treat Discounts
Panera values sustainability and community support. Rather than wasting day-old food, the company supports its community with its Day-End Dough-Nation program, donating leftover bakery items to local programs.
Just before closing, ask the cashier for a discount on the remaining treats. Customers have reported getting 50% off for these items. Remember, you can always score a $0.99 treat when you order a meal with a beverage.
How to order: Simply ask the cashier for a discount on the remaining treats just before closing.
4. DIY Arnold Palmer: Lemonade & Iced Tea Mix
When you order beverages at Panera, they hand you a cup for unlimited refills. You can order the best pre-made drinks or make your own drink creations by mixing and matching. Want an Arnold Palmer? Fill half your cup with iced tea and half with lemonade. Kick it up a notch by adding a specialty iced tea instead of plain. Panera also allows you to visit the drink station as often as you like while there, so we recommend ordering a small cup. Skip the ice to get even more in your cup.
We also recommend using the mug for a hot beverage unless you need to take it to go. This makes it easier to refill your hot drink when dining there. It also gives your meal a homier feel. Of course, you can save even more by joining the Unlimited Sip Club. The subscription allows you to pay a monthly or annual fee for unlimited drinks so you can order the best ones offered. Eligible drinks include hot coffee, iced coffee, hot tea, fountain soda beverages, bubbler drinks, and Charged Sip.
How to order: To make your own Arnold Palmer, simply fill half your cup with iced tea and half with lemonade.
3. Mac and Cheese with Salad Options
Some years ago, Panera used to offer the option to make your own personalized mac and cheese. Now, the only customization available on the dish is bacon, which sounds heavenly, but you can’t add options like barbecue sauce or cilantro.
Or can you? There is a hack. If you order mac and cheese and a salad, you can use the options to upgrade your mac bowl. Either use the Pick Two menu or get the full-sized version with a half-salad option.
The best way to do this is to order the salad or bowl that comes with the options you want. For example, to recreate the Baja Mac and Cheese that Panera once offered, you’d order half a Baja Bowl Salad and remove everything but salsa, cilantro, and avocado.
How to order: To build your own mac and cheese with salad options, order mac and cheese and a salad, then use the options to upgrade your mac bowl.
2. Keto-Friendly Steak and White Cheddar Sandwich
The ketogenic, or keto, diet isn’t just a trend; some follow it under a doctor’s care. To adapt Panera’s Toasted Steak and White Cheddar Sandwich, add avocado and an egg for more protein. Ask if you can swap out the bread for lettuce. If not, stick to salads like the Greek Salad, Caesar Salad with Chicken, or Green Goddess Cobb Salad without pickled onions.
How to order: Ask if you can swap out the bread for lettuce. If not, stick to salads like the Greek Salad, Caesar Salad with Chicken, or Green Goddess Cobb Salad without pickled onions.
1. Bagel Bread Swap
Panera bagels are too good just for breakfast. We prefer to swap out the sandwich bread for a bagel. While there is a small upcharge, we think it’s worthwhile. If the sandwich has that option, you can select any bagel. However, you cannot do this with every sandwich. Keep in mind there is no option to change the bread on the Toasted Baguette menu, the Signature Take and Spicy Take Chicken Sandwiches that come on brioche, or the Value Duets menu items. You can, however, swap your sandwich bread out for a bagel on the Pick Two menu, surprisingly, since you get half a sandwich.
How to order: When choosing your sandwich on the Pick Two menu, ask the cashier if you can upgrade the bread to a bagel and choose your favorite bagel flavor.
Enjoy That Secret Hack!
It’s truly amazing how these hacks could give you more options or save money. So next time, when you feel it, ask the counter politely, and you could eat and save more these hacks too!