Panera came within inches of killing its delivery program four years ago when the initial pilot turned out to be a lot harder than anticipated. But they stuck it out, and CEO Blaine Hurst says it’s a good thing they did, since offering delivery is rapidly becoming table stakes for restaurants. While others are joining the fold, Panera is unique in running its deliveries in-house. Hurst says it’s not just about the increased revenue for Panera: It’s all about the rich data streams delivery offers. |