Panera testing beer and wine at Kansas City-area locations

Two Panera Bread locations in the Kansas City area have added beer and wine to the menu, with three more to follow in the coming weeks. The introduction of Panera Tonight: Beer, Wine & Dine coincides with the debut of three flatbread pizzas—Cheese, Margherita and Chipotle Chicken & Bacon—which also hit menus last week.

Panera has partnered with popular beverage makers for the pilot program. Kansas City-based Boulevard Brewing Co. and Napa Valley’s Ménage à Trois Wines will be on the menu with beer, wine and sparkling seltzer options from 4 pm to close. Boozy offerings include Boulevard’s Pale Ale, Unfiltered Wheat Beer and Quirk Spiked & Sparkling Strawberry Lemon & Basil seltzer from Boulevard Brewing Co. and Ménage à Trois’ Red Blend, Gold Chardonnay and Limelight Pinot Grigio.

Pan American Group, a subsidiary of Flynn Restaurant Group LP, which owns 135 Panera stores, is launching the program.

“We are delighted to expand our evening offerings to customers through partnerships with Boulevard Brewing Co. and Ménage à Trois Wines,” says Rebecca Diefendorf, marketing manager for Pan American Group. “Panera offers delicious food all day long. Now you can start your morning with coffee and bagel and end the day with wine and a flatbread pizza. It doesn’t get better than that.”

Panera Tonight is available at the following two cafes, with the other three to be announced soon:

• Overland Park W 159th St. – 7871 W 159th St, Overland Park, KS 66085
• Overland Park College King Plaza – 11401 College Blvd, Overland Park, KS 66210

“Like mine, families on-the-go are always looking for dinner options that are delicious, healthy and please the entire family,” says Natalie Gershon, vice president of marketing for Boulevard.  “We are honored to team up with Panera for this pilot and offer fans Boulevard beer and seltzer in our backyard.”

“We are thrilled to be the wine partner with Panera for this pilot,” adds Wendy Nyberg, Ménage à Trois Wines’ vice president of marketing. “Kansas City is a sophisticated market that will be a bellwether for the rest of the country.”