"panera bread" news and stories

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