Panera Bread's Socialist 'Pay What You Want' Experiment Fails Miserably

Panera Bread's Socialist 'Pay What You Want' Experiment Fails Miserably

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Seems this was a good real life, in action, demonstration of how socialism would work in the USA.
We do not possess the morals as a society to obtain, and make work, this type of socialism which would rely on some form of integrity.

Panera Bread has shuttered the last of its ideologically driven "pay what you want" restaurants. The socialist-tinged ventures were called "Panera Cares" and the higher-ups have finally figured out that "caring" is not synonymous with "viable business model." On February 15, the final Panera Cares, located in Boston, will close.

The last of.
I wonder how many were attempted?

The chain opened its first donation-based community cafe in St. Louis, Missouri, in 2010. Under the model championed by the company’s founder Ron Shaich, the restaurant operated like a typical Panera, but offered meals at a suggested donation price, with the goal of raising awareness about food insecurity. “In many ways, this whole experiment is ultimately a test of humanity,” Shaich said in a TEDx talk later that year. “Would people pay for it? Would people come in and value it?” It appears the answer is a resounding no.

Seemed like a noble attempt.
Seems like not enough noble people participated.

You know who's probably suffering from food insecurity? The employees of Panera Cares who are no longer employed and no longer receive paychecks. You can't buy food if you don't have a job, and providing jobs is only assured if companies are focused on making money. If Panera had cared more about making money than promoting a constantly refuted ideology, its employees would still be receiving paychecks. Frighteningly, though, a growing segment of the populace seems to be allergic to common-sense economic principles.

Sad to see actual people lost jobs over this.

I don't understand things like this.

Anyone with some basic grade school intelligence would tell you that it would lose money(at best) or cause a complete shutdown.

a reply to: MisterSpock

It appeared to be a real time experiment in socialism to me.
One that failed miserably and cost people jobs.

a reply to: shooterbrody

I can’t help but giggle at the astounding stupidity of such a venture.
I mean WTH did they expect would happen, make more money!
I get the whole idea but from a humanitarian perspective, butthey should’ve known this would happen. Serves them right and I don’t really feel bad for the employees that got let go. They should have known what the fate of this program was going to be.

This isn't socialism. But it is economic illiteracy from leftist idiots who don't understand how money works.

Let's model the tax system after this people.

Just pay what you want.

a reply to: neo96

That would be nice! This year I paid what I had to and didn’t get a refund cause I did it right. I don’t over pay the greedy gubment and here I don’t have to file state so hells ya.

a reply to: shooterbrody

Dearborn's West Village has lost our Panera Bread pay what you want....over a year or so ago. It was great, and luckily, we have several more (3?) within 10-or so miles that are regular Pan. Bread restaurants.

At 1st...folks would actually pay up....sometimes even more than suggested/posted menu prices...

Then...the "exectutive-class" started not paying...while us average customers did.

Shame too...pretty great food....now we have to go farther.

This place was profitable for years until then...

Heh heh heh heh

Pay what you want, get paid what you want.

It's cute.

How is this socialist? This is capitalism diluted to its most basic principles. A company gets paid what the public thinks their product is worth.

a reply to: Xcalibur254

That's not even close to being any flavor of capitalism.

A company gets paid at a set price after fixed costs,wages,salaries, and everything else that has be shelled out for it might turn a profit.

Said profit gets reinvested and the cycle repeats.

a reply to: mysterioustranger

How long did that location operate?

originally posted by: Xcalibur254
How is this socialist? This is capitalism diluted to its most basic principles. A company gets paid what the public thinks their product is worth.

oh would this not be an example of " social ownership as "ownership by those who are affected by – who have an interest in – the use of the assets involved?

Frighteningly, though, a growing segment of the populace seems to be allergic to common-sense economic principles.

That business would have really been screwed by the world according to Booker.

Fake meats, and cheese.

a reply to: neo96

The basis of capitalism comes down to supply & demand. A product's worth comes down to how much the populace is willing to pay for it.

That's exactly what Panera was doing in this instance.

How can you argue against those basic facts? The only reason I can see is that it makes capitalism look bad.

a reply to: Xcalibur254

That's not capitalism at all. Capitalism, or rather, free market requires both parties agree to a mutually beneficial transaction. If one party simply says pay what you want or nothing, of course the other part is going to pay less. This is just forest Gump, stupid is as stupid does...

Jaden

a reply to: Xcalibur254

First rules of capitalism.

Know your market.

Know your product.

Is there a profit to be made.

Because without it.

Doomed to fail.

There's no room for ideology especially political in business.

Those are the basic facts.

Capitalism don't look bad because all the business 'expert's don't know what the eff they're talking about.

a reply to: shooterbrody

Socialism:

a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.

Capitalism:

an economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state.

Based on those two definitions we're looking more at a capitalist situation than a socialist situation.

a reply to: mysterioustranger

Then...the "exectutive-class" started not paying...while us average customers did.

Any proof for that statement? I would be interested in knowing who the executive class in Dearborn, MI are.

There's nothing political about capitalism.

It's nothing more than a modern version of barter.

Something for something.