Panera Bread has agreed to pay $2 million to settle a lawsuit over claims that the soup and sandwich chain misled customers about fees and menu prices for delivery orders.
The class-action settlement by the Missouri-based fast-casual chain covers orders placed with Panera Bread on its app and website.
Customers allege they were paying higher menu prices when placing orders for delivery. They also accuse Panera of misleading consumers about fees. Panera agreed to the settlement without admitting wrongdoing.
The settlement follows a similar case involving Chick-fil-A, which agreed to pay out $4.4 million to eligible customers over delivery charges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Customers alleged the chicken sandwich purveyor advertised low delivery fees on its app or website, only to increase its food prices by up to 30% on delivery orders.
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Who is eligible to file a claim for the Panera settlement?
Customers who placed an order using the Panera app or on the company's website between Oct. 1, 2020 and Aug. 31, 2021, can file a claim to receive a food voucher or cash payment. The settlement excludes orders made online or in the app that were made for pickup, as it has to be delivery.
According to the settlement agreement, some customers who are eligible for a claim may have received an email alerting them about the settlement.
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How to file a claim
Claims must be submitted or postmarked on or before June 10, 2024 to be entitled for a payment. For information on how to submit a claim in writing, click here. To file a claim online, use this port here.
Customers will be required to submit the phone number used when making their orders to verify that their purchases were made in the affected time period.
How much money will I get from the settlement?
That depends. Customers who elect to receive a voucher will get up to two vouchers worth $9.50 each for Panera's "Soups & Mac" menu. Those who elect to receive a cash payment can get up to $12 paid through PayPal, Venmo or other electronic means. The final amount will depend on how many people file claims.
According to the settlement agreement, payments and vouchers will be sent within 60 days after the court certifies the settlement, which is scheduled to occur at a May 31 hearing.
