Pay What You Want

Dawn Frierdich stood at the counter. Surrounded by the rich aroma of freshly baked breads, pastries, and cookies, she finally settled on three loaves of bread and an iced tea. But when it came time to pay, her cashier, Mike Miller, redirected her to the donation jar on the counter. This week, Panera Bread Company, a national bakery and restaurant chain, launched its new nonprofit store in Clayton, Missouri with the same menu as its 1,400 other locations. But the prices are a little different- there aren't any. Customers are told to donate what they want for a meal, whether it's the suggested price, a penny, or $100. This new store is the first of what Panera hopes to be many around the nation. And based on the success of similar experiments, their prospects are high. Salt Lake City's One World Everybody Eats restaurant has been running on the honor system since 2003. "It somehow stays in balance," says One World restaurant founder Denise Cerreta, "I think people are ultimately good. They want to contribute."

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