"panera bread" news and stories

Tired of "healthy" fast food that packs close to a day's worth of sodium (or more) per serving? At least a couple of the so-called fast casual restaurant chains -- Au Bon Pain and Panera Bread -- are making efforts to get some of the sodium out of their salt-packed sandwich, salad and soup offerings.

Yes, it's definitely on our screen," said Ed Frechette, senior vice president of marketing at Boston-based Au Bon Pain. Frechette said the chain has more than a dozen soups targeted for at least a 15-percent sodium reduction by August -- and that's on top of reductions they've already made. They're using chickens that aren't injected with saltwater and trying to figure out how to get some of the salt out of their breads.

The need for action was pretty clear. A listing by the food police folks at the Center for Science in the Public Interest in their November Nutrition Action Health letter, states that there is more than 2,500 mg of sodium in Panera's signature smokehouse turkey hot Panini, more than 2,200 mg in its French Onion soup and 1,670 in its Greek salad with dressing – which is still a heck of a lot considering the recommended daily maximum is 2,300 mg and only 1,500 for older people and those with high blood pressure and other health problems.

The fast-food giants have nothing on America's regional favorites, according to a survey released this week.

Diners rated regional chains over traditional heavyweights in a survey of overall customer satisfaction. In-N-Out Burger of Irvine, Calif., took the top spot in the survey of 141 chains conducted by Sandelman & Associates.

Regional faves grabbed top honors in the survey released Monday: In-N-Out Burger moved to the top spot from second place in 2007, receiving a 60 percent "excellent" rating. The popular California burger chain was followed this year by Raising Cane's of Baton Rouge, La., with 59 percent and Giordano's Pizza of Chicago with 56 percent. Pei Wei, which won the satisfaction survey in 2007, finished seventh.

A judge in Worcester, Massachusetts has ruled that a burrito is not the same thing as a sandwich.

Why is this important? Well, Panera Bread tried to keep a Qdoba Mexican Grill out of the White City Shopping Center in Shrewsbury because it would violate an agreement the shopping center owner made to keep another sandwich shop out of the mall. They not only got a USDA official to testify, they called Boston chef Chris Schlesinger, who said, "I know of no chef or culinary historian who would call a burrito a sandwich...the notion would be absurd to any credible chef or culinary historian."

Other things that aren't sandwiches:

• Tacos
• Quesadillias
• Tortillas
• Price Is Right host Bob Barker