Panera Is Making A Major Change To Its Greens That Fans Already Love

A good bed of greens can make or break a sandwich, and fast-casual chain Panera Bread is taking note with some supposed upcoming changes to its menu this summer. In a recent post on Reddit, user HeckingKay_ shared a photo of what appears to be leaked internal communications about new items and menu adjustments coming this month.

In the subreddit r/Panera, HeckingKay_ includes a caption to the photo of the Panera menu updates screenshot, writing that a "new celebration is rolling out and we have new sandwiches, salads, drink, pastries!" Limited time only Italian Steak & Mozz and Ham Croissant Benny sandwiches, as well as brownie cheesecake bites, presumably will be launching in June (with early access for MyPanera members) to add on to Panera's best ranked pastries and new croissant toast sandwiches. There's also a subtle detail included on the presumed menu changes that fans of the fast-casual sandwich chain are already loving — a refresh to the romaine salad mix to exclude iceberg lettuce.

While the new menu items certainly bring some anticipation, the romaine lettuce mix called for particular attention in the recent Reddit post. "Also making the switch back to only romaine blend NOT mixed with iceberg (thank goodness) Launching June 25th!" HeckingKay_ explains. And the relief is shared. In response to the leaked menu changes, comments from Panera fans (and critics) quickly rolled in. One Reddit user wrote, "Going to romaine-only is truly the highlight of this entire post. So tired of the big, hard pieces of white/yellow iceberg that taste like mop water."

It makes sense that fans would rejoice, since iceberg lettuce is widely unpopular due to its high water content and relatively low taste and nutritional contribution compared to other salad greens. It's sometimes said to be a watery, crunchy filler when stacked up against darker leafy greens like romaine, or even the spicy arugula featured in the chain's mixed greens (as well as some of Panera's best and worst salads and bowls). Another user writes, "Iceberg lettuce has no nutrition," indicating that these anticipated changes to remove the lettuce from the romaine blend could very well be met with open arms by Panera customers.