Panera Bread has spent much of the past year changing what customers see when they walk into its restaurants.
To keep freshness alive and as part of its broader Panera RISE transformation strategy, the fast-casual restaurant is working overtime to cater to its customers.
The latest change is in how it tries to keep customers coming back.
Panera has rolled out a new points-based MyPanera rewards program for its more than 70 million loyalty members.
The change comes shortly after Andrew Rebhun joined Panera as chief marketing officer, putting the chain’s brand, digital business, loyalty program, and menu innovation under new leadership.
Rebhun, who has previously worked at Cava and held roles at McDonald’s, replaces Mark Shambura, who helped launch Panera’s RISE strategy.
His appointment puts an executive with experience in loyalty and digital growth in charge as Panera tries to get more out of an already massive customer base.
This new move places greater focus on customer retention as Panera continues its broader reset, which has included menu changes, restaurant closures, layoffs, and a major overhaul of its bakery production network.
What is Panera’s new reward program?
Panera’s new loyalty program launched nationwide in August, replacing its previous rewards structure with a more traditional points system.
Members now earn 10 points for every $1 spent.
Rewards start at 250 points for a free bagel or mini bakery item and rise to 2,000 points for a full entree.
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And don’t worry, previously earned rewards will carry over into the new program.
“From everyday favorites to exclusive offers, we have reimagined MyPanera to deliver more value with every purchase,” said Chief Digital Officer Joshua Fine.
The newly revised program offers what customers want most: “more transparency, better rewards, and more choice,” Fine added.
The chain also introduced MyPanera+, available to members who spend at least $300 in a calendar year. This will include additional benefits such as a birthday You Pick Two meal and bonus points on delivery purchases.
And its MyPanera+ Sip Club combines those benefits with Panera’s existing beverage subscription.
The new structure gives customers a clearer connection between spending and rewards at a time when restaurant chains are competing harder for repeat visits from value-conscious diners.
Panera’s reset goes beyond rewards
The loyalty overhaul is only one part of Panera’s broader transformation. Earlier this summer, the chain expanded its menu with new Market Bowls, premium salads, proteins, and frozen coffee beverages.
TheStreet previously reported that Panera also brought shrimp back to its menu after roughly a decade as it sought to expand its protein offerings.
Behind the scenes, Panera has been making even bigger changes.
Panera is closing all its regional Fresh Dough Facilities as it moves away from its longtime in-house dough-production network and toward outside artisan baking partners.
The company has also been reshaping its restaurant footprint. TheStreet reported in June that Panera had closed at least two dozen bakery-cafes across several states since the previous summer, even as it continued to open new locations.
However, based on TheStreet’s tally, Panera had 2,208 bakery cafes as of July 2025.
By July 28, 2026, that number had risen to 2,251, a net increase of 43 locations, despite the closures.
It suggests that the company is not simply shrinking its footprint, but repositioning it.
Panera is changing several parts of its business at once, including where it operates, how it produces its food, what it serves, and now how it rewards customers.
Currently, it already has more than 70 million MyPanera members.
The bigger question is whether a simpler rewards system and a new marketing chief can turn that enormous membership base into more frequent visits.
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