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Paradise Bakery & Café facts for kids
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Formerly
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Cookie Muncher's Paradise |
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| Industry | Bakery, Café |
| Founded | 1976 |
| Founder | Daniel Patterson |
| Services | Soups, salads, sandwiches, baked goods |
| Parent | Panera Bread |
Paradise Bakery & Café is a chain of restaurants that started in Scottsdale, Arizona. It has bakeries and cafés, mostly found in the western and southwestern parts of the United States. These restaurants are known as "quick casual," meaning they offer good food faster than a sit-down restaurant.
Paradise Bakery & Café began on its own in 1976. Later, in 2009, a bigger company called Panera Bread bought it completely. In early 2012, Paradise Bakery & Café had 60 stores in 9 different states.
Contents
The Story of Paradise Bakery & Café
How It All Started
The first Paradise Bakery & Café opened in Long Beach, California, in 1976. A person named Daniel Patterson started it. Back then, it had a different name: Cookie Muncher's Paradise. As you might guess, it mostly sold cookies! They also offered muffins and lemonade.
Growing Bigger
By 1979, the restaurant chain grew and added more items to its menu. They started selling sandwiches, soups, salads, and many other baked goods. This made it a more complete place to eat, not just for sweets.
Joining Panera Bread
In February 2007, a large part of Paradise Bakery & Café was bought by Panera Bread. Panera Bread then bought the rest of the company in 2009. This meant Paradise Bakery & Café became part of the Panera Bread family.
Changes Over Time
Around 2016, most Paradise Bakery locations changed into Panera Bread restaurants. However, some locations, like those in food courts, stayed as Paradise Bakery. In 2012, Daniel Patterson and Mark Patterson still owned and ran one Paradise Bakery in Aspen, Colorado. As of 2024, only a few Paradise Bakery & Café locations remain. You can find them in Omaha, Nebraska and Dallas, Texas.