The Trailblazing Tactic Panera Employed That Nearly Every Chain Copied

In 2010, customers at Panera Bread became the first at any major chain to see calorie counts listed directly on the menu. This was consistent across all locations, allowing diners to tally up their counts no matter where they were. The idea was soon adopted by countless other chains across the country, offering a quick reference to how many calories customers were about to consume. At the time, Panera didn't have to do this nationally, but there were rumblings that such information might become government mandated. Panera took the leap to get ahead and offer transparency to its customers.

Although some cities required restaurants to include this information on menus, it was not a law that needed to be followed everywhere. That didn't come until 2017. That law was only applicable to chains that had 20 or more locations with essentially the same menu at each one. McDonald's made the move in 2012. Starbucks upgraded its menus in 2013. Subway got the job done in 2016 but had been offering up calorie information in-store on things like cups and napkins as far back as 1997.

A study from Obesity Science and Practice showed pizza places were the most likely to be non-compliant with the laws once they came into effect, including major ones like Domino's. Pizza places were in favor of a modification of the law that would have only required them to include nutritional information online, not in physical menu boards in stores. In the end, everyone complied.

Calorie counts were initially posted on menus in an effort to be transparent with consumers and also promote healthier eating. The requirement was part of the Affordable Care Act. Several restaurants voluntarily changed their menus to offer lower-calorie options to customers. In subsequent years, not everyone has been happy about the information and some, customers and nutritionists alike, have even called for an end to calorie counts on menus.

Studies have shown there's little evidence that calorie counts affect nutritional choices made by diners. For customers, the numbers can be an anxiety-inducing reminder of their eating habits, pushing them to change in ways that make them unhappy but don't necessarily improve their health. Instead of making everyone healthier, it just makes people feel bad about their choices without significantly changing what or how often they eat.

Trying to simply eat fewer calories, especially when it's not what someone wants to do, is often counterproductive. Calorie counting is not considered an effective way to improve public health and mandating it doesn't work. Still, for some, having the option to see how many calories are in the sandwich lineup at Panera is helpful and supports healthier choices. One of the 12 facts you should know about Panera is that they blazed the trail when it came to nutritional transparency.