FOOD NEWS
We Want These Discontinued Panera Menu Items Back
BY Samantha Maxwell
Crispani
Panera discontinued the Crispani in 2008, just two years after its launch. This flatbread pizza was too hard to produce, and the chain didn't market it well enough.
The Crispani came with a variety of toppings, including roasted wild mushrooms, sweet sausage and roasted peppers, tomato and fresh basil, pepperoni, and three cheeses.
Chicken Salad Sandwich
Discontinued in April 2024, the Napa Almond Chicken Salad Sandwich featured its ingredients layered between two pieces of high-quality rustic sourdough bread.
The chicken salad included grapes, tomatoes, almonds, and diced celery, while greens and a signature dressing tied the sandwich together. The result was fancy but not too complex.
Kale Caesar Salad
The Power Kale Caesar Salad, which used handfuls of kale for a healthy-ish take on the classic, was replaced by a now-defunct Southwest-style Caesar salad in 2023.
However, the latter just wasn't as good as the former. The kale Caesar salad also contained lettuce and was dressed with Parmesan crisps, which created a deeply appetizing texture.
Mac And Cheese
Creamy and cheesy with a hint of veggies, the now-discontinued Broccoli Cheddar Mac and Cheese used shell pasta — arguably the best pasta shape for mac and cheese.
Alongside broccoli, it also had carrots. Adding in some crushed black or red chili pepper really rounded out the dish, yielding an earthiness that went well with the creamy cheese.
Chocolate Chip Bagel
No other type of bagel at Panera Bread can compete with the now-defunct Chocolate Chip Bagel. The item tasted like a slightly lighter version of a donut.
The bagel itself wasn't that sweet, but the chocolate chips added a subtle yet perfect amount of sweetness. It paired well with melted butter, cream cheese, and strawberry jam.