• by Teresa Buyikian , Yesterday

Panera is leaning into the workplace tendency to put off until January anything important that comes up during the holidays with its new “Circle Back” meal.

The Circle Back meal includes options such as the Green Goddess Chicken Cobb Salad, Toasted Frontega Chicken Sandwich and the Cinnamon Crunch Bagel, and is available only via the Panera app through Dec. 23.

To promote the meal, Panera has tapped corporate-culture creators @corporate.bro, known for satirizing Silicon Valley work culture, and @roxycouse, also known as the Millennial Manager. The two social media stars have posted humorous videos on end-of-year workplace woes, in conversations where every action is put off until January, such as in this video.

“Late December has become its own moment in corporate culture, where people are simultaneously working hard toward the end of year while actively anticipating the holidays and ‘circling back in January,’” Panera CMO Mark Shambura told Marketing Daily. “We saw an opportunity to tap into that shared experience in a way that felt timely and unmistakably Panera. The Circle Back Meal is about meeting people where they are, balancing humor and relatability with the craveable, feel-good food they already turn to during busy workdays.”

In the true spirit of circling back, upon returning the office after the first of the year, customers can use code CircleBack on the Panera app to receive a complimentary sweet treat on Jan. 5.

Late last month Panera announced its “Panera Rise” transformation strategy, which is focused on four pillars: “refreshing the menu, igniting value, serving our guests with excellence and expanding our network,” per the brand. Plans for 2026 include “elevating Panera’s food across dayparts to incorporate flavorful and distinctive ingredients,” delivering high quality food at a variety of price points and weaving “Panera Warmth” into every guest interaction.”