A New "Fast Food" Charity

[DiamondDave]

And this is not 'bashing' Panera about whatever charity you call this... this is about calling a spade a spade.. this is pointing out that it is a marketing ploy, no more no less

 

[KevinWestern]

If they do this at every restaurant they will be out of business in 6 months. The Obama phone people will eat them out of house and home and walk out without so much as a Thank you.

Obviously they can use this model in every store. That's not the point.


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Not the point?

Ever been to Black Friday at Walmart? Try it sometime and see what these people are really like. They offer a TV for half price and people are beating the shit out of each other for a TV.

As usual the same class of people will fight over a TV will abuse a free program to help the needy.

I mean, Panera's intention is not to roll this out to all of its restaurants; that is not the point of this.

They're just rolling this out in a few locations and the program helps to feed a few poor people thanks to the donations of the wealthier people in the community.

I'm confused as to what your point is..?


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[KevinWestern]

And this is not 'bashing' Panera about whatever charity you call this... this is about calling a spade a spade.. this is pointing out that it is a marketing ploy, no more no less

But do you knowledge that this is - at the end of the day - a good thing (marketing ploy or not)? Or do you think it's not a good thing, ultimately?

 

[DiamondDave]

Obviously they can use this model in every store. That's not the point.


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Not the point?

Ever been to Black Friday at Walmart? Try it sometime and see what these people are really like. They offer a TV for half price and people are beating the shit out of each other for a TV.

As usual the same class of people will fight over a TV will abuse a free program to help the needy.

I mean, Panera's intention is not to roll this out to all of its restaurants; that is not the point of this.

They're just rolling this out in a few locations and the program helps to feed a few poor people thanks to the donations of the wealthier people in the community.

I'm confused as to what your point is..?


.

Again.. it is not about feeding poor people as it is not being done where the poor people are.... you are falling into the marketing trap that they are putting out there... Their intent is to get you to spend more money, whether it be because you like their food, whether it be out of guilt or a feeling of charity, or whatever other reason they wish to stroke with their campaigns

 

[DiamondDave]

And this is not 'bashing' Panera about whatever charity you call this... this is about calling a spade a spade.. this is pointing out that it is a marketing ploy, no more no less

But do you knowledge that this is - at the end of the day - a good thing (marketing ploy or not)? Or do you think it's not a good thing, ultimately?

I think it is a marketing campaign that is at least on some level successful, as it does have people like you falling for it

 

[Pogo]

Not the point?

Ever been to Black Friday at Walmart? Try it sometime and see what these people are really like. They offer a TV for half price and people are beating the shit out of each other for a TV.

As usual the same class of people will fight over a TV will abuse a free program to help the needy.

I mean, Panera's intention is not to roll this out to all of its restaurants; that is not the point of this.

They're just rolling this out in a few locations and the program helps to feed a few poor people thanks to the donations of the wealthier people in the community.

I'm confused as to what your point is..?


.

Again.. it is not about feeding poor people as it is not being done where the poor people are.... you are falling into the marketing trap that they are putting out there... Their intent is to get you to spend more money, whether it be because you like their food, whether it be out of guilt or a feeling of charity, or whatever other reason they wish to stroke with their campaigns

Again... Panera has already been very very successful at what they do with the restaurants. They don't need the PR.

Actually McDonald's needs it a lot more. Might help put a band-aid on their image of victimizing the poor.

 

[DiamondDave]

I mean, Panera's intention is not to roll this out to all of its restaurants; that is not the point of this.

They're just rolling this out in a few locations and the program helps to feed a few poor people thanks to the donations of the wealthier people in the community.

I'm confused as to what your point is..?


.

Again.. it is not about feeding poor people as it is not being done where the poor people are.... you are falling into the marketing trap that they are putting out there... Their intent is to get you to spend more money, whether it be because you like their food, whether it be out of guilt or a feeling of charity, or whatever other reason they wish to stroke with their campaigns

Again... Panera has already been very very successful at what they do with the restaurants. They don't need the PR.

Actually McDonald's needs it a lot more. Might help put a band-aid on their image of victimizing the poor.

If successful companies did not NEED PR, we would never see commercials or ads for Coke, McDonalds, Panera, Apple, Microsoft, or whatever else

All companies NEED PR or exposure

 

[Kondor3]

There is little to no risk, and as usual people overstate what they are doing. This is in Lakeview near Lincoln Park in upper Chicago, a very well to do area. When they build one on the south side, say southern Calumet - then I will believe they are "charitable". All of the elitist liberal assholes who live in the area love this kind of thing...makes them feel good. But again, Panera wouldn't dream of building one where it would actually be needed.

I'll call them 'charitable' when they build a few in the Austin neighborhood, or at, say... the intersection of Madison and Cicero on the West Side...

 

[blastoff]

Attn: low income folks. Your food dollars will go much farther eating somewhere other than a Panera.

 

[Pogo]

Again.. it is not about feeding poor people as it is not being done where the poor people are.... you are falling into the marketing trap that they are putting out there... Their intent is to get you to spend more money, whether it be because you like their food, whether it be out of guilt or a feeling of charity, or whatever other reason they wish to stroke with their campaigns

Again... Panera has already been very very successful at what they do with the restaurants. They don't need the PR.

Actually McDonald's needs it a lot more. Might help put a band-aid on their image of victimizing the poor.

If successful companies did not NEED PR, we would never see commercials or ads for Coke, McDonalds, Panera, Apple, Microsoft, or whatever else

All companies NEED PR or exposure

Not to go out of their way on it, they don't, unless they have a tarnished image to fix, which doesn't apply here.

Again, all you got is sour grapes. Government taxes help the poor? That's Statism! Commercial business helps the poor? That's a "marketing trap!"
Yeah yeah yeah, moan, bitch, complain.

Actually Panera has some cheeses that would go with that whine.

 

[Pogo]

Attn: low income folks. Your food dollars will go much farther eating somewhere other than a Panera.

And you'll get what you "pay" for too: cardboard.

 

[Pogo]

There is little to no risk, and as usual people overstate what they are doing. This is in Lakeview near Lincoln Park in upper Chicago, a very well to do area. When they build one on the south side, say southern Calumet - then I will believe they are "charitable". All of the elitist liberal assholes who live in the area love this kind of thing...makes them feel good. But again, Panera wouldn't dream of building one where it would actually be needed.

I'll call them 'charitable' when they build a few in the Austin neighborhood, or at, say... the intersection of Madison and Cicero on the West Side...

The glaring flaw in the original quote is that for somebody to post "Panera wouldn't dream of building one where it would actually be needed" requires that that wag has no clue what Panera is.

 

[YWN666]

And this is not 'bashing' Panera about whatever charity you call this... this is about calling a spade a spade.. this is pointing out that it is a marketing ploy, no more no less

But do you knowledge that this is - at the end of the day - a good thing (marketing ploy or not)? Or do you think it's not a good thing, ultimately?

I think it is a marketing campaign that is at least on some level successful, as it does have people like you falling for it

Even if it is a marketing campaign and the company benefits from it, if it is helping people who would not otherwise be helped, why does anyone have a problem with it?

 

[KevinWestern]

Again.. it is not about feeding poor people as it is not being done where the poor people are....

Not sure how many times I need to say this; THE BUSINESS MODEL CAN’T WORK IN A LOW INCOME NEIGHBORHOOD. They can’t install one of these in a poor section of town because there will not be enough donations to keep it running. It needs to be setup in a more affluent neighborhood or it doesn’t work. Make sense?

Also, it seems to be feeding quite a few poor people. How do I know this? I live right next to it.

you are falling into the marketing trap that they are putting out there... Their intent is to get you to spend more money, whether it be because you like their food, whether it be out of guilt or a feeling of charity, or whatever other reason they wish to stroke with their campaigns

So what? I’m going to spend money somewhere, and if I choose to go to Panera because I know some of the money I spend will help feed a poor person – is that a horrible thing that needs to be criticized.

More power to Panera. Building a stronger brand name WHILE helping out some homeless people on the side. It’s a win-win.


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[KevinWestern]

I'll call them 'charitable' when they build a few in the Austin neighborhood, or at, say... the intersection of Madison and Cicero on the West Side...

If they build one of these in a poor area, there will not be enough people frequenting the establishment that have money to donate and the experiment will fail.

There's a very specific reason it's placed in a nicer community within Chicago.

Get the point?


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[DiamondDave]

Again... Panera has already been very very successful at what they do with the restaurants. They don't need the PR.

Actually McDonald's needs it a lot more. Might help put a band-aid on their image of victimizing the poor.

If successful companies did not NEED PR, we would never see commercials or ads for Coke, McDonalds, Panera, Apple, Microsoft, or whatever else

All companies NEED PR or exposure

Not to go out of their way on it, they don't, unless they have a tarnished image to fix, which doesn't apply here.

Again, all you got is sour grapes. Government taxes help the poor? That's Statism! Commercial business helps the poor? That's a "marketing trap!"
Yeah yeah yeah, moan, bitch, complain.

Actually Panera has some cheeses that would go with that whine.

Yes.. they do.. as even companies without 'tarnished images' spend VAST amounts on PR.. even the successful ones.. to claim otherwise is pure ignorance

Again.. I am not against a needy person getting a meal for less at the expense of the company.. but that is NOT what they are trying to do or else they would be putting it IN THE AREAS WHERE THE NEEDY ARE... this is done where it is, how it is, and in the image it is FOR PURE PR.... and you may have a couple of people benefiting from it and a couple people feeling good about paying $10 for a $5 sandwich.. but it is to do nothing more than to get your money to come in to their coffers...

 

[DiamondDave]

I'll call them 'charitable' when they build a few in the Austin neighborhood, or at, say... the intersection of Madison and Cicero on the West Side...

If they build one of these in a poor area, there will not be enough people frequenting the establishment that have money to donate and the experiment will fail.

There's a very specific reason it's placed in a nicer community within Chicago.

Get the point?


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If it is about the charity, it is not about getting 'money people' coming in... though it is more likely to get a charitable person with money to come to a poor area for the sake of charity than it is to get a poor person to pay more for transportation for 1 discounted or free meal

 

[whitehall]

Panera Bread has created a sort of charity restaurant near my home in Chicago. The concept is that customers order as normal (it's a full-scale Panera restaurant) and when it's time to pay they are given a "suggested donation" amount which is essentially the retail cost of the meal.

Wealthier customers who can spare a bit more often round up or tack on an additional $1/$2 for the meal, while less fortunate customers have the option of paying less than the retail price (or in some cases) nothing at all.

What do you guys think of the concept?

I like it, personally.


Panera Cares Pay-What-You-Can Cafe Opens In Lakeview: Chicagoist

I think it's a great idea. You have to trust the restaurant to do the right thing but it gives liberals the option to put their money where their mouth is and gives the rest of the option to donate to a program that the government doesn't skim money off.

 

[DiamondDave]

Again.. it is not about feeding poor people as it is not being done where the poor people are....

Not sure how many times I need to say this; THE BUSINESS MODEL CAN’T WORK IN A LOW INCOME NEIGHBORHOOD. They can’t install one of these in a poor section of town because there will not be enough donations to keep it running. It needs to be setup in a more affluent neighborhood or it doesn’t work. Make sense?

Also, it seems to be feeding quite a few poor people. How do I know this? I live right next to it.

you are falling into the marketing trap that they are putting out there... Their intent is to get you to spend more money, whether it be because you like their food, whether it be out of guilt or a feeling of charity, or whatever other reason they wish to stroke with their campaigns

So what? I’m going to spend money somewhere, and if I choose to go to Panera because I know some of the money I spend will help feed a poor person – is that a horrible thing that needs to be criticized.

More power to Panera. Building a stronger brand name WHILE helping out some homeless people on the side. It’s a win-win.


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I'll make my own sandwich for my lunch.. and donate canned goods and money to an actual soup kitchen or homeless shelter... it will do more good than falling for a PR stunt....

 

[KevinWestern]

If it is about the charity, it is not about getting 'money people' coming in... though it is more likely to get a charitable person with money to come to a poor area for the sake of charity than it is to get a poor person to pay more for transportation for 1 discounted or free meal

Dave- Let's get real here and try to be just a tiny bit practical. When you build in an affluent neighborhood, you're (naturally) going to bring in donations because you're likelier to get wealthier people to come through the doors and donate.

Without people donating above and beyond, this doesn't work. Therefore, this model ONLY works in affluent neighborhoods. Sure, you can build this in a crappy area, but when I'm looking for some dinner at 7:30pm do you think I'm more likelier to take a 40 min bus ride just to donate to Panera or grab something quick around my house because I worked all day and I'm tired?

And by the way, a slew of poorer folks do frequent the Panera so apparently they're not having any trouble getting to the establishment. There are homeless people all throughout Chicago, regardless of the neighborhood.

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