Six months into a turnaround plan that includes a refreshed menu and a renewed commitment to the customer experience, Panera Bread is growing at a healthy clip.
So far in 2026, the fast-casual has opened 23 new bakery-cafes, including 15 company-owned locations and eight franchised ones, a spokesperson told Fast Company. And at least 25 additional locations are expected to open before the year is out.
The growing footprint comes after CEO Paul Carbone announced his “Panera Rise” plan in November 2025, a transformation strategy that also includes modernizing its existing store portfolio.
But not all of Panera’s locations are going to survive the transformation.
Since last summer, at least two dozen Panera Bread locations have closed across several states, according to an analysis of local media reports, online review platforms, and Panera’s store locator tool.
California has been hit especially hard, with at least six closures, while Panera Bread locations have also closed in Iowa, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, and Ohio.
In Texas, meanwhile, more than a dozen locations in the Houston area closed last summer after the high-profile collapse and bankruptcy of a large franchisee.
Court records show that eight of those locations have since been sold to an entity tied to Hamra Enterprises, which already owns Panera bakery-cafes in states including Illinois and Massachusetts.
But if and when those shuttered Houston-area locations will reopen was not immediately clear. Hamra Enterprises did not respond to requests for comment.
Which Panera Bread locations have closed?
According to our review, the locations listed below have closed since last summer. The list may not be a full count. We’ve also noted which Texas locations were reported sold in court records. We’ll update this story if we hear back from the buyer about the fate of those stores.
California
- 13450 Highland Pl Bldg D Ste R4 San Diego, CA 92130
- 2415 E Chapman Ave, Fullerton, CA 92838
- 5895 Katella Ave Suite F, Cypress, CA 90630
- 640 Ventura Blvd Suite 1200, Camarillo, CA 93010
- 8152 E Santa Ana Canyon Rd, Anaheim, CA 92808
- 6344 CA-27 Suite 1090, Woodland Hills, CA 91367
Iowa
- 101 Jordan Creek Pkwy, West Des Moines, IA 50266
Maryland
- 45250 Worth Ave, California, MD 20619
- 219 E Middle Ln, Rockville, MD 20850
New York
- 254-41 Horace Harding Expy, Little Neck, NY 11362
North Carolina
- 9321 JW Clay Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28262
- 201 S College St Suite 150, Charlotte, NC 28244
Ohio
- 3806 Paxton Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45209
Pennsylvania
- 3401 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Texas
- 1302 W Davis St, Conroe, TX 77304 (sold)
- 1448 Louetta Rd, Spring, TX 77388 (sold)
- 3548 Rayford Rd, Spring, TX 77386 (sold)
- 12220 FM 1960 W, Houston, TX 77065 (sold)
- 13704 Northwest Fwy, Houston, TX 77040 (sold)
- 19506 Katy Fwy, Houston, TX 77094 (sold)
- 22521 Tomball Pkwy Suite 125, Houston, TX 77070 (sold)
- 25546 Kingsland Blvd, Katy, TX 77494 (sold)
- 1201 Lake Woodlands Dr, The Woodlands, TX 77380
- 15607 Hwy 105 W, Montgomery, TX 77356
- 26003 Northwest Fwy., Cypress, TX 77429
Will more Panera Bread stores close?
Reached for comment, a spokesperson for Panera Bread did not provide details about why specific locations have closed or whether additional closures were expected. But the spokesperson noted that Panera’s overall footprint is growing this year.
It’s not unusual for restaurant chains or franchisees to close underperforming locations, even when a chain’s footprint may otherwise be growing.
As of the end of May, Panera Bread had 2,255 bakery-cafes, including company stores and franchised locations. Overall, the chain has opened more restaurants than it has closed over the last sixteen years.
Panera Bread was taken private in 2017 when it was acquired by investment firm JAB Holdings in a deal estimated to be worth $7.5 billion at the time.
According to a report last year from Franchise Times, sales slowed post-COVID and “turned negative” in 2024. More recently, Panera began closing its fresh dough facilities as part of a shift to a par-baked model.
This story is developing and may be updated . . .
