logo
Donate
    • Magazine
    • Membership
    • Donate
  • Racial Justice
  • Economic Justice
    • Collections
    • Glossary
  • Climate Justice
  • Health Justice
  • Leadership
  • CONTENT TYPES
  • Magazine
  • Webinars
  • Membership
  • Submissions

Nonprofit Newswire | Will Customers Rise To Occasion at Nonprofit Bakery-Cafe?

Bruce S Trachtenberg
May 19, 2010

May 18, 2010; Source: St. Louis Post Dispatch | We’re all used to the idea of tipping for what we think is good service in restaurants. But what if you could pay whatever you wanted for what you ordered? Before you answer, what if you knew the restaurant’s net proceeds would be donated to local community groups? Would you pay a little more?

That highly unusual model is being tested in a Missouri cafe, St. Louis Bread Co. Cares, which formerly operated as a for-profit. Located west of the city it’s named after, the Clayton bakery-cafe began a new life this week as part of the charitable arm of the well-known and highly profitable Panera Bread Co. Items for sale carry the same price as other Panera outlets, which do business in the area as St. Louis Bread Co. But in this cafe customers pay whatever they like. Instead of a receipt telling them how much they owe, customers are given a “suggested” amount to pay.

Sign up for our free newsletters

Subscribe to NPQ's newsletters to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from NPQ and our partners.

In the charitable spirit of the enterprise, patrons are encouraged to pay more than list price. Those who can’t pay are invited to volunteer at the cafe. On Monday, Ron Shaich, executive chairman of the board of the parent Panera, spent several hours Monday in the cafe carrying trays and explaining to customers the pay-as-you-wish approach. Those who know Shaich, who retired as CEO last week, said he hinted at wanting to do something philanthropic when he announced plans for the company’s leadership transition last November. At the time, he said: “I have long harbored desires to contribute to the broader world beyond Panera.”—Bruce Trachtenberg

Our Voices Are Our Power.

Journalism, nonprofits, and multiracial democracy are under attack. At NPQ, we fight back by sharing stories and essential insights from nonprofit leaders and workers—and we pay every contributor.

Can you help us protect nonprofit voices?

Your support keeps truth alive when it matters most.
Every single dollar makes a difference.

Donate now
logo logo logo logo logo
See comments

You might also like
Amid Disappearing Federal Funds, Could New York Be a Model for City-Level Health?
Rebecca L. Root
Madeleine L’Engle’s Books Were Never Meant to Be “Safe”
Charlotte Jones Voiklis
The Human Cost of Cutting Medicaid
Rebekah Barber
As Long as Social Media Is Around, Can We Really Break Free of Overconsumption?
Anmol Irfan
Flood Insurance Is Becoming Unaffordable—Can Community-Based Catastrophe Insurance Help?
Cinnamon Janzer
Arab and Muslim Advocates Fight Back Against Federal Repression
María Constanza Costa

Upcoming Webinars

Group Created with Sketch.
May 27th, 2:00 pm ET

Ask the Nonprofit Lawyer

Register
Group Created with Sketch.
June 26th, 2:00 pm ET

From Performance Management to Mutual Commitment

Fostering a Culture of Joyful Accountability

Register

    
You might also like
US Capitol Building
Tax Provision Would Give Trump Administration Unilateral...
Rebekah Barber and Isaiah Thompson
A piggy bank wearing a graduation hat and standing on a pile of cash, symbolizing how endowments for academic institutions can be accessed in difficult times.
Endowments Aren’t Blank Checks—but Universities Can Rely...
Ellen P. Aprill
Saving AmeriCorps: What’s at Stake and Why We Must Act Now
Hillary Kane

Like what you see?

Subscribe to the NPQ newsletter to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

See our newsletters

By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from NPQ and our partners.

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Copyright
  • Donate
  • Editorial Policy
  • Funders

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

 

Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.