Imagine a croissant dough as your sandwich bread.
Well, you don’t really have to imagine them anymore since Panera is bringing this bread innovation to life! The chain is launching this first-of-its-kind bread called the new Croissant Toast bread. It is a sandwich bread that is made out of croissant dough. Bread experts from Panera transformed the classic all-butter croissant dough to become a layered and flaky sliced bread that Panera has never offered before.
The Croissant Toast bread will debut on brand new Panera items called Croissant Toast Sandwiches, which will be available starting on April 16, 2025. You can choose from two varieties for a limited time only:
- Croque Monsieur Croissant Toast – This sandwich is packed with black forest ham, melty provolone, and asiago cheeses combined with caramelized onions. The sandwich is also filled with gruyere spread that goes with a ham and cheese sandwich reimagined.
- Fromage Croissant Toast – This croissant sandwich is filled with provolone and American cheeses, caramelized onions, arugula, and some garlic aioli. It’s an upgrade to the classic sandwich that you know and love.
These new sandwiches are the headline for Panera’s Spring menu refresh line, along with the launch of Strawberry Caprese Salad and the return of some of the brand’s seasonal favorites like the Strawberry Poppyseed and Mexican Corn Chowder. Also, these new menu additions are part of Panera’s reenergized brand platform, which is “It Just Meals Good.” This spotlights the high-quality meals that Panera will bring to customers.
A New Era at Panera
Just a year ago, Panera Bread started on a journey towards a new era at their chain through the largest menu transformation ever. The chain focused on innovating and enhancing existing menu items of soups, salads, sandwiches, and their Mac & Cheese. They added nine new menu items and 12 enhanced classics with more portions but at lower price points.
Check out some of your menu favorites that were launched last year:
- Toasted Italiano Sandwich
- Chicken Bacon Rancher Sandwich
- Ciabatta Steak Sandwich
- Tomato Basil BLT Sandwich
- Mediterranean Chicken Greens with Grains Salad
- Southwest Chicken Ranch Salad
- Balsamic Chicken Greens with Grains Salad
- Ranch Cobb Salad
- Bacon Mac & Cheese
Panera also transformed 12 favorites into new and improved menu items with recipe enhancements. Some of these are the popular Bravo Club Sandwich, Chipotle Chicken Avocado Melt, and Fuji Apple Chicken Salad.
Alicia Mowder, SVP of Product Strategy and Insights at Panera Bread, said that their new and improved menu items are centered on guests and what they love about Panera. Mowder explained that they listened to thousands of guests, which made them unveil the 20 new menus and enhanced items based on how fans liked their meals.
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What’s New at Panera This 2025?
Continuing the era in 2025, Panera introduced new menu items to add to their menu. Aside from the spring releases, let’s check out the new menu items that Panera introduced this year. First of all, we’ve got the new Asiago Bagel Stack Sandwiches, which consist of chunks of Asiago cheese that are baked in dough. This was released back on National Bagel Day on January 15, 2025. This also marks the first time that Panera released a lunch sandwich that is built from bagels. It has a starting price of $7.99 each.
They come in the following varieties that you can choose from:
- Chicken Roma – This sandwich features grilled chicken with melty mozzarella and vine-ripened tomatoes. There’s also some basil and arugula for extra flavoring. The sandwich is smothered with Green Goddess dressing with salt and pepper, plus a drizzle of garlic aioli.
- Spicy Steak – This sandwich contains a tender and marinated steak with melty provolone. There’s also some creamy salsa verde spread, arugula, red onions, and some zesty sweet peppers.
- Zesty Tuscan – It features grilled chicken that is filled with soppressata, melty provolone, chopped basil, and arugula. There’s also some zesty sweet peppers plus a drizzle of garlic aioli.
More New Releases to Check Out
Looking for more new menu items? You’re in luck—this season is packed with limited-time launches and returning favorites across your favorite fast food spots. From healthy oatmeal bowls at Jamba to rich truffle-infused bites at Shake Shack, there’s something for every craving. Keep an eye out.
Shake Shack
Shake Shack is adding a gourmet twist to its menu once again with the return of its fan-favorite Black Truffle lineup. That rich, savory umami flavor is making a comeback—but only for a limited time and at select locations. Here’s what you can expect from this indulgent menu:
- Black Truffle Burger – Features a quarter-pound Angus beef patty with some melted Gruyère cheese, caramelized onions, decadent black truffle sauce made with real truffle oil, all inside a warm potato bun.
- Black Truffle Parmesan Fries –These fries are topped with grated parmesan and finished with a drizzle of that same black truffle sauce.
- Black Truffle ‘Shroom Burger – This vegetarian option packs a punch with a crispy portobello mushroom filled with a molten blend of cheddar and muenster cheeses, topped with shredded lettuce and signature truffle sauce, served on a toasted potato bun.
Jamba
This fan-favorite lineup is the perfect way to kickstart your day, blending wholesome ingredients with irresistible toppings like fresh fruit, creamy peanut butter, and Nutella. Jamba believes there’s no better breakfast than a warm, nourishing bowl, and these returning options are here to prove it:
- Berry Brown Sugar Oatmeal Bowl – This treat features steel-cut oatmeal and oatmilk, topped with brown sugar, blueberries, and sweet strawberries.
- Peanut Butter Banana Crunch Oatmeal Bowl –This bowl features steel-cut oats with oatmilk, granola, bananas, a drizzle of honey, and a generous spoonful of peanut butter.
- Strawberry + Nutella & Coconut Oatmeal Bowl – This treat features steel-cut oatmeal, oatmilk, ripe strawberries, a swirl of Nutella, and coconut flakes for that perfect finish.
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is cooking up something you’ve definitely never seen before, introducing Pizza Caviar! That’s right, the fast food giant is putting a bold twist on the luxury delicacy with a brand-new creation that flips the caviar trend on its head. Instead of pairing pizza with traditional caviar, Pizza Hut went one step further and created its own pepperoni-flavored “caviar” made for dipping, dunking, and bumping.
The bite-sized pearls are designed to mimic the look and feel of real caviar—minus the fish—while packing the familiar flavor of savory pepperoni. This daring innovation is the centerpiece of the exclusive Pizza Caviar Bump Box, a limited-time bundle that includes a Personal Pan Cheese Pizza and your choice of 3 plain boneless wings or fries, all topped with the star of the show: Pizza Caviar.
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From The Club
Panera’s Croissant Toast sandwiches are giving breakfast and lunch a serious upgrade. I’m loving the idea of a buttery, flaky crust as my sandwich bread, especially if you’re a fan of croissants and melty cheese. Whether you’re into the rich, savory vibes of the Croque Monsieur or keeping it cheesy with the Fromage, these limited-time bites are setting a new standard for sandwich bread.