9 Hacks And Tips For Ordering Panera Bread You Should Know

Panera Bread is popular in our house, where chaos reigns — what with a puppy, a 2-year-old who will eat nearly anything, and a 6-year-old who is the epitome of a picky eater. Between large and healthy salads, bagels and cookies, macaroni and cheese, and easy grab-and-go sandwiches, the fast casual chain has plenty of delicious offerings to please everyone in our house. But, we've learned, there's even more to the yummy meals than meets the eye. Like most fast casual or fast food places, Panera offers some hacks that help with everything from price points to getting the most food for your dollar.

For example, did you know you can add five additional items to your sandwiches and salads for free? How about swapping in avocado for chicken, free of charge? Eat your heart out, Chipotle. Next time you're faced with a meal at this bread-forward spot, be sure to remember these nine hacks for ordering at Panera Bread.

If you're stopping at Panera with kids or youngsters, finding a side that checks the boxes as far as being kid-approved and semi-nutritious is definitely easier than at a burger joint. Apples, bananas, additional bread, and chips are offered along with Greek yogurt and fruit cups, but what you may not know is that if you choose the apple, you can get a little extra, too.

You'll need to do it in-store, since there's no place to do it on the app, but just ask, and the friendly folks behind the counter will cut up your apple and give you a side of honey for dipping. Some locations may give you peanut butter, too, especially if it's near morning and they have leftover packets from breakfast. Even if you (or your youngsters) don't use the honey to dip, you can opt to put that sticky goodness to use in an unsweetened tea, drizzled on a bagel, or save it for your next trip.

In this economy, we can all use a price break here and there. According to several circulating posts (and Panera insiders like yours truly), you can score a cheaper bagel — or many bagels — on Tuesdays. This Facebook post noted that every Tuesday, a local Panera was selling a baker's dozen of bagels for $9.49. The usual price is $13.99, so that's a savings of about 32%. And, to add clout to the Facebook post, the Panera website even has an option for Tuesday baker's dozen pickup at a lower price.

You may be wondering what you could possibly do with all those inexpensive, delicious bagels. Bagels freeze exceptionally well, so you could learn how to properly store them to keep them fresh for your next gathering or, just cuddly, slow Sunday mornings. But, of course, if you accidentally let them go stale, you can make bagel chips in your air fryer, too.

We all know there are pros to eating more vegetables and less meat in our meals. In addition to the goodness they contain, there are plenty of high-protein veggies you could be overlooking in your quest for animal protein. If you're choosing to forego cooking and are, instead, dining at a spot like Panera, you can actually swap meat for one of the best-for-you greens — avocado — for free.

If you're ordering online or on the app, choose any salad that Panera offers — from the Harvest Medley Chicken Salad to the delicious Ranch Parm BLT Salad. Once you get to the area to customize, you can easily opt for no chicken and swap in avocado. Usually, the price of your salad to add avocado will tack on $1.49. But when you swap, the price does not change. Avocado has tons of protein along with lots of good fatty acids and fiber; all excellent if you're trying to get those essential vitamins and minerals while keeping up with a healthy diet.

And, in the same vein as healthy avocado, you can also fill up on healthy, free vegetables the next time you head to Panera. According to Reddit (and yours truly), you can add tons of extra vegetables to your salad or sandwich free of charge. We tested it out on a few items, too.

First, the Harvest Medley Chicken Salad, which comes with chicken, farro and rice blend, feta cheese, arugula, mixed greens, beet strips, pecans, mandarin orange segments, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, and balsamic vinaigrette. If you wanted to add more vegetables, you can do so free of charge for up to five additional items. So, we added on cucumbers, tomatoes, zesty sweet peppers, red onion, and kalamata olives, too. Talk about a filling, delicious meal. Next, we tested it out on the classic grilled cheese. Sure enough, we were able to add caramelized onions, tomatoes, arugula, zesty sweet peppers, and pepperoncini for a filling, tasty grilled cheese and veggie sandwich for the original price of the regular, unadorned grilled cheese.

Trips to Panera in the morning during breakfast mean pastries like croissants, fluffy, warm bagels smothered with cream cheese, sandwiches with eggs, bacon, and cheese, and more. If you're ready for a bagel, croissant, or other breakfast bread around lunch or dinner, though, you can easily swap in one of these options on a regular sandwich.

According to Panera employees on Reddit, you can swap in a bagel for any sandwich for a slight upcharge, since, for most sandwiches, you'd need two, not one bagel to contain the same amount of meat, cheese, and accoutrements present in your sandwich. So, for example, if you order a Toasted Frontega Chicken sandwich, you can swap in a delicious Asiago Everything Bagel as easily as you can swap in tomato basil bread or ciabatta. You can also do something unhinged, like use a chocolate chip or blueberry bagel, which, for the record, it seems that employees are haunted by. But c'est la vie.

As you get older, it's harder and harder to find people willing to celebrate your birthday with free stuff. Maybe that's just me. Regardless, the folks at Panera do mean to make your special day even better with some potential freebies.

According to Panera folks (employees and customers) on Reddit, having the Panera app can score you a few rewards that can be put toward delicious items at the eatery. First, you'll need to download the MyPanera app and register your information, including your birthday (obviously). Additionally, you'll need to have made a purchase through the app within the last year. It can be anything from a drink to a full dinner, or a stop for a bagel or cookies for the kids. When your big day comes around, the app will automatically load your rewards onto your account. Usually, they'll amount to a free pastry or cookie. You have seven days to redeem, too.

I am always thirsty, as are my kids. If they have one drink, they need two more. I like to have water (at all times, obviously), an unsweetened iced tea, and, if things allow, maybe a glass of wine all at the same time. Panera doesn't carry alcohol (yet, but maybe I can get their corporate lords to change that), but it does have many, many drinks, both bottled and made-to-order on the cafe side. And, lucky for us, refills are practically free if you do a little work.

You can join the MyPanera Sip Club. Basically, it's a membership that allows you to get free drinks with a monthly fee (which, according to Panera, pays for itself after four drinks). Although you can't get specialty drinks, you can get all the basics, from hot and iced coffee and tea to fountain drinks to select Bubbler Beverages. With beverage prices at Panera being a bit on the high side, too, it makes sense to sign up for a program like this. Plus, you can earn extra drinks, score freebies (like on your birthday), and get some of those specialty beverages on certain days.

Can you make a delicious, fast, and filling soup at home? Of course. But grabbing a big soup with enough to feed everyone — from the kids to your partner — without having to stand over a stove seems even better some nights. Panera offers bagels, sandwiches, and amazing drinks, but it also offers several varieties of delicious soups. From cult-following Broccoli Cheddar to classic Tomato to creamy and dreamy Rustic Baked Potato Soup, Panera has a lot of liquid deliciousness to choose from.

You can, of course, grab an individual bowl to go with your sandwich. But if you're looking for a bargain — and everyone at the table wants soup anyway — opt for the shareable group soup. The shareable soups at Panera are offered in an aluminum pan for easy eating, come with four free sides, and clock in at 32 ounces for $23.59. The normal singular serving of soup (the cup, not the bowl) is 8 ounces and priced at $6.39. So, four cups would come out to $25.56. Savings, here we come.

We all love freebies, and I, especially, love tasty, delicious ones. If you're friends with, friendly with, or a regular at your neighborhood Panera, you may be able to score some free stuff. According to Reddit, any out-of-date pastries are discarded at the end of the evening shift. In today's day and age, sometimes they go to shelters or food programs for those in need — but not always. It seems that employees are allowed to take an item or two home, and are allowed to throw a freebie here and there out to guests.

So, asking officially is kind of frowned upon, but if you show up 15 to 20 minutes before close, and nonchalantly ask what happens to the unsold cookies and bread at the end of the night, an employee may take the hint and offer you a few free items. Try not to ask outright, though.