This year is shaping up to be the death of the value menu. While we don’t expect actual dollar menus anymore, we do expect some savings. Instead, restaurant chains are announcing value menu revamps that are simply a way to disguise price increases, and hoping we won’t notice. The latest culprit? Panera.
The chain just announced its “first” value menu, but they’re conveniently ignoring the actual deal it’s replacing. Here’s what Panera’s new mix-and-match value menu looks like, and what people are saying about it. Spoiler alert: It’s not pretty.
Mix-and-Match Replaces Value Duets
Panera’s new value menu works in a mix-and-match fashion. If you’re familiar with the long-running mix-and-match deals at pizza chains like Domino’s and Pizza Hut, then you already understand how this works.
There are 10 items on the value menu, and they’re priced at $4.99 each. That actually doesn’t sound bad, right? Well, you MUST buy at least two of them to get that value price. So, that means it’s a $10 meal right off the bat. Naturally, Panera advertises the $5 price all over, with the “but you have to buy two” in fine print. The company also throws in a “free” side: baguette chunk, chips, or apple. How gracious.
There are half sandwiches, half salads, and cups of soup to choose from on the new Mix & Match value menu. They are:
- Half sandwiches: Toasted Italiano, Toasted Caprese Focaccia, Bacon Turkey Bravo, Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad
- Half salads: Fuji Apple Chicken, Ranch Parm BLT, Caesar
- Soups: Creamy Tomato, Homestyle Chicken Noodle, Bistro French Onion
There’s one big caveat to this new value menu: You can’t choose two of the same option. So no, it’s not a sneaky way to actually get a whole sandwich for cheap, if that’s what you were thinking.
In all the information for this new menu, Panera fails to mention that it’s replacing the Value Duet menu. Those were seven meals of half sandwich, soup, and half salad combos that were only $7 each. They did not offer customization like this new value menu does, but they did actually feel like more of a value. R.I.P. Value Duets.
‘Ahh So It’s More Expensive and More Confusing!’
Panera customers on social media are generally unimpressed with the menu changes, to say the least. Most get right to the chase that this isn’t a value anymore. “This is a price increase in disguise,” said one Panera fan in a Reddit thread about the new value menu.
“Ahh so it’s more expensive and more confusing!” said another Redditor in a popular comment. Many purported Panera employees chimed in with similar sentiments, not looking forward to explaining to customers that they must order two items.
Others on Reddit lamented that this reflects the state of fast food prices on the whole. “Eating out for lunch is horrible now,” said one commenter. “If ya gonna be spending $12 a meal anyways, go to a local (non-franchise) restaurant folks. At least support local business if you’re going to get gouged anyways.”
“Feels like late stage capitalism has won…,” they continued. “A) Open chain restaurants/stores that offer food/products cheaper than local establishments. B) Drive them into bankruptcy. C) Raise prices when competition is gone.” Ooof.
“The only value this ignites is shareholder value cuz my wallet aint seeing nothin’,” said someone else. We’re feeling that, hard.
More From Cheapism
- Wendy’s Shrinks Biggie Bags and Axes 4 for $4 Deal in Terrible Menu Revamp — Wendy’s value bundles were the best deal on the menu. They’re being replaced by new meals that are more expensive and give you less food — shrinkflation at its finest.
- ‘Sounds Like an Excuse to Raise Prices’: Taco Bell Revamps Its Value Menu — Taco Bell has always been one of the best fast-food chains for getting your money’s worth. But now it’s making big changes to its value menu, which is going to undoubtedly raise prices on the part of the menu with the cheapest items.
- McDonald’s New ‘McValue’ Menu Won’t Be Much of a Deal — Here’s Why — McDonald’s announced that it’s rolling out a new value menu, which they’ve aptly named the McValue Menu. Will there be deals as good as dollar menus used to be? Doesn’t look like it.
