Panera Bread Is Bringing 2 New Cheesy Sourdough Melts To The Menu

Panera Bread is adding two new hot sandwiches to its menu to help keep customers warm during the remaining winter months. Differing from the chain's other toasted sandwiches, the new Panera menu items are served on Panera's Country Rustic Sourdough bread — and both sound mouth-wateringly good.

The first new item is the Bacon Avocado Melt, which includes applewood-smoked bacon, avocado, and smoked Gouda, as well as everything bagel seasoning blend and chipotle aioli. The second new sandwich is the Southwest Chicken Melt, which contains smoked pulled chicken, smoked Gouda, and red onion and is topped with cilantro and chipotle aioli.

According to a press release shared with Tasting Table, the new sandwiches are "expertly toasted to showcase the feel-good flavor of classic grilled cheese that pairs perfectly with Panera's signature soups this National Soup Month." In fact, for a limited time, customers can add a cup of soup for just $1 with any entrée — including the new toasted sourdough melts — by using the Panera app and entering the code "SOUP" at checkout.

If you're excited about Panera Bread's new toasted sourdough melts, then you'll be more than happy to find out that there's a chance you can get a free one. On January 17, which is National Ditch Your Resolution Day, Panera is giving away 1,000 free sourdough melts. In the press release, the company lightheartedly stated that it is aiming the giveaway at customers "who are looking to forgo the 'no bread or carbs' resolution."

To try your hand at getting that free sandwich, you'll need to have the Panera app downloaded and ready to use when you place your sourdough melt order. You'll also need to become a MyPanera member by signing up for free on the website. The first 1,000 MyPanera members to place a sourdough melt order using the code "BREADSOGOOD" at checkout on January 17 will receive their sandwich completely free of charge. 

There are some limitations to keep in mind. Each customer can only receive one free sandwich, even if you order two within the first 1,000 orders. Additionally, the offer isn't valid if you use a third-party delivery service, such as Uber Eats or GrubHub.