A $2 million settlement has been reached by Panera in a class-action lawsuit.
The popular bakery-cafe chain, has resolved their class-action lawsuit and has reached an agreement to provide certain customers with a monetary compensation.
Panera was charged by plaintiffs in three states (Missouri, California, and Illinois) of falsely advertising their delivery costs and menu prices for delivery orders through the Panera app and website from October 1, 2020 to August 31, 2021.
According to a filing made on February 22, 2023, Panera has been accused of increasing the prices of food for delivery orders by 5% to 7%. The filing, which can be found here, stated that Panera advertised “FREE, $1 or flat fee, low-cost delivery” for orders placed through their App and website, but in reality, they included undisclosed charges that acted as a delivery fee.
According to the lawsuit, the cost of a sandwich is around $1 higher when ordered for delivery compared to ordering through the same mobile app for pickup or in-store. The lawsuit claims that this supposed hidden markup was intentionally implemented to cover the expenses of delivering food.
Panera has come to a settlement with the plaintiffs, with the condition that the company will not have to accept any wrongdoing. The agreement states that the settlement should not be interpreted as an acknowledgment or concession by Panera.
Steps for Filing a Claim
Individuals who made a purchase using the Panera app and/or website for delivery between October 1, 2020 and August 31, 2021 could potentially receive compensation as part of the class action settlement. There are two possible methods for receiving payment.
1) The “Soups & Mac Vouchers Settlement Award” offers class members the option to receive two vouchers for a free item from Panera’s “Soups & Mac” menu. As stated on the Kroll site, the value of this award is up to $19 per individual or $9.50 per voucher. No additional purchase is required to redeem the vouchers.
2) As an alternative, class members can choose to receive a cash settlement award of up to $12 through PayPal. However, if there are too many class members to distribute the full $12 to each individual, the funds will be distributed proportionally among all parties involved.
Customers impacted by the issue and have received an email with a class member ID can complete an electronic claim form by visiting this link. The deadline for submission is June 10.
To verify their claim, individuals will be required to provide proof of purchase, which may include the phone number used to place the order and any email notifications they may have received.
Individuals who are aware that they are part of the class action but did not receive an email notification can obtain a claim form by downloading it. After completing the form, they can send it to: Panera Delivery Fees Settlement, c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC, PO Box 225391, New York, NY 10150-5391.
