- Credibility:
EDGEWATER — A new type of Panera store has made its nationwide debut in Edgewater.
Panera To Go recently opened at 5320 N. Broadway. It is the first takeout-only Panera location in the United States, with two others planned to open this year in California and Washington, D.C., according to the company.
The store uses a digital-only ordering system, with orders being picked up on to-go shelves within the store, according to a Panera news release. Its store in an Edgewater strip mall has two designated parking spaces.
Panera To Go was designed for densely populated areas and allows the fast-casual eatery to cater to a growing base of customers who order on the go, according to Panera. By 2021, more than 80 percent of Panera’s sales were via delivery, pickup, drive-thru or catering.
Panera has also launched five ghost kitchen locations, or outposts that use a shared food preparation space and operate as delivery- and pickup-only.
The Panera is open 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
Listen to “It’s All Good: A Block Club Chicago Podcast”: