 | |
| Formerly | Cookie Muncher's Paradise |
|---|---|
| Industry | Bakery, Café |
| Founded | 1976; 48 years ago (1976) |
| Founder | Daniel Patterson |
| Services | Soups, salads, sandwiches, baked goods |
| Parent | Panera Bread |
| Website | paradisebakery |
Paradise Bakery & Café is a Scottsdale, Arizona-based chain of bakery–café quick casual restaurants predominantly located in the western and southwestern United States. It was independently established in 1976; as of 2009, it is wholly owned by Panera Bread. As of early 2012, it operates 60 stores in 9 states.
History
The chain was established in Long Beach, California, in 1976 by Daniel Patterson. At the time it was known as Cookie Muncher's Paradise and exclusively sold cookies, muffins, and lemonade. By 1979, it had expanded to its product portfolio to include sandwiches, soups, salads, and other bakery items.
In February 2007, a majority stake in the chain was purchased by Panera, which later bought out the remainder of the company in 2009. In 2016, the majority of Paradise Bakeries (excluding locations in food courts) were converted to Panera Bread restaurants. In 2012, Mark and Daniel Patterson still owned and operated one Paradise Bakery in Aspen, Colorado. As of 2024, the only locations left are in Omaha, Nebraska and Dallas, Texas.
References
- "Paradise Bakery". Paradise Bakery. Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-11-17.
- "Paradise Bakery & Cafe: The Challenge of Success". Stanford Graduate School of Business. Retrieved 2019-02-08.
- ^ Kneiszel, Judy (2007-09-18). "Paradise Bakery & Café". QSR magazine. Retrieved 2019-02-08.
- Ruggless, Ron. "Panera to close standalone Paradise units". Nation's Restaurant News. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
- "Panera Bread Company Corporate History Page". Panerabread.com. 2010-03-30. Archived from the original on 2012-02-20. Retrieved 2012-03-12.
- "Locations paradisebakery". Paradise Bakery. Retrieved 10 November 2024.