Panera today is jumping fully on the on-demand food delivery bandwagon. The restaurant chain this morning announced the nationwide launch of its delivery service, which will reach 897 cities and 43 states across the U.S.
The service continues to be powered by the delivery startup Bringg, the delivery logistics platform that raised an additional $12 million in funding earlier this year. Bringg offers companies, including restaurants, the tools to run their own, branded delivery platform.
However, while Bringg is helping Panera with the logistics of deliveries, the restaurant says it aims to employ its own drivers. By year-end 2017, it had hired over 10,000 drivers, and to date delivery has helped create more than 13,000 jobs, the company said.
Panera’s delivery service will operate during lunch and dinner service (11 AM to 8 PM), and can be accessed both online from the Panera website and from the mobile app. The service will run 7 days a week, only require a $5 minimum order, and will charge $3 per delivery as a fee.
Delivery has been in development and a staged rollout since 2016.
Panera says it’s helping to increase digital sales, which are now 30% of total sales.
However, the company did admit to a data security issue recently, with the reveal that under 10,000 consumer records were inappropriately accessed. The company claims it found nothing to indicate that full credit or debit numbers, passwords or PINs were exposed. Still, the news may give some customers pause before ordering Panera.
“Panera delivery isn’t a pilot program. It’s not in just a few test markets. We now offer delivery across the country,” said Blaine Hurst, Panera CEO, in a statement. “Delivery is fueling our next phase of growth, and the success we have seen so far is exciting. The combination of providing clean food options via an entirely digital experience is giving us a real advantage, and the momentum is just beginning.”