The Pay-What-You-Can Panera

Advertising Disclosure: When you buy something by clicking links on our site, we may earn a small commission, but it never affects the products or services we recommend.

Image Not Available

From The Boston Globe

A smiling employee greeted [recent grad Jonathan] Diotalevi at the door, he waited in line, ­ordered a tomato- mozzarella panini, and then asked the clerk, “So, can I, like, just give you two bucks?”

Yes, he could. And he did, dropping the money into a nearby donation bin.

The new location at Boston’s Government Center (near a homeless shelter) is one of five in the country – the others are in St. Louis, Detroit, Portland, and Chicago – that takes donations instead of payment. The goal is to help the less fortunate, but also treat them with dignity.

Representatives say 20 percent of customers end up purposely paying more than retail price. On average, customers pay about 70 percent of what they would at a regular Panera cafe.

Get smarter with your money!

Want the best money-news and tips to help you make more and spend less? Then sign up for the free Money Talks Newsletter to receive daily updates of personal finance news and advice, delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for our free newsletter today.