15 Leading Fast Food Restaurants Of The Year

11. Panera Bread

US Systemwide Sales: $6.787 billion

Panera spent 2022 diving further into customer convenience. The fast casual partnered with OpenCity's proprietary AI assistant "Tori", which takes customers' orders while employees are on standby to troubleshoot if necessary. Panera also implemented Contactless Dine-In, allowing guests to find a table inside the restaurant and order using the app. In 2023, Panera revealed that it was piloting Amazon One inside two stores in St. Louis, receiving positive social feedback.