Au Bon Pain's Slogans & Taglines

Au Bon Pain is an American fast-casual bakery café chain founded in 1978 by businessman Louis Kane in Boston’s Faneuil Hall Marketplace. Originally conceived as a showcase for French bakery ovens, Kane was captivated by the aroma of fresh breads and pastries and transformed the concept into a food-service operation. In 1981, Ronald Shaich merged his Cookie Jar bakery with Au Bon Pain, pioneering the fast-casual dining category. The brand expanded rapidly, going public and acquiring the Saint Louis Bread Company—the precursor to Panera Bread. The Au Bon Pain division was later sold, while the parent company evolved into Panera. In 2017, Panera reacquired Au Bon Pain, only to sell it to Ampex Brands in 2021. Today, the chain operates over 250 locations worldwide, serving freshly baked breads, pastries, sandwiches, soups, and all-day breakfast.

Brand messaging has been anchored by the literal promise of its name—Au Bon Pain means From Good Bread in French—which has served as the foundational brand identity. Early slogans included The good bread and Good food served quickly, while the positioning evolved to Beyond the expected, reflecting its commitment to elevating fast-casual dining. The 2022 campaign introduced Back to Bright, signalling a return to the brand’s vibrant, bakery-centric roots with refreshed store design and menu innovation.