Kent city officials expect a new agreement with Panera Bread to help boost lunch business at the Senior Activity Center deli and cafe.
Starting next week, Panera will cater the 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday lunches at the city-owned senior center.
Consolidated Food Management, based on Mercer Island, will continue to serve the Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday lunches.
The deli is open for lunch to anyone, not only senior citizens. The cost for lunch is $6.
“We’re hoping people will come in who have never been in here before,” said Lea Bishop, facility manager at the senior center. “We hope they see what we have and come on other days as well.”
City officials reached out to Panera to help increase business at the deli. The deli needs to attract a certain number of customers to keep the lunch program going.
“We’re trying to decide how to get more people in to eat so we stop losing money,” Bishop said.
Panera, a national chain with a location at Kent Station, will pay to rent the senior center’s kitchen. Panera will keep the proceeds from the lunch sales.
“The benefit to the city is that there will be no financial loss to us,” Bishop said.
Panera officials agreed to see if they could help boost business at the city facility.
“We like to reach out to community events and the senior center is a good place to reach out,” said Kimmie Johnson, assistant manager at the Panera at Kent Station. “We thought we could help them get new people to visit them.”
The Panera $6 menu at the deli will include a half sandwich; a choice of soup or salad; a choice of chips, French bagette or fresh apple; a cookie; and a choice of coffee or tea.
“We thought it might be an exciting place to bring our food,” Johnson said. “We’ll give them good food, help them and help us have a good name in the community.”
Bishop said the city reached an agreement with Panera to try the new lunch on a trial basis with no deadline for when the trial might end.
“We hope it takes off,” Bishop said.
The city’s contract with Consolidated Food Management was reduced to four days from five days and allowed the company to reduce staff by one. The year-to-year contract with Consolidated Food Management comes up for renewal in January. The company also has the food contract with the city jail.
The Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday $6 menu includes choices of entrees, sandwiches, soups and salads as well as a beverage and dessert.
For more information and menus, go to www.ci.kent.wa.us/senioractivitycenter and click on deli and cafe or call the senior center at 253-856-5150.
If you go
What: Senior Center deli
When: 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday-Friday
Where: Kent Senior Center, 600 E. Smith St.
Cost: $6
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