Panera Bread is pulling its contentious line of extremely caffeinated lemonade drinks, known as “charged.” The decision was made in response to legal action and concerns raised by some customers who claimed to have experienced severe medical reactions from the fast-casual chain’s beverages. One family even claimed that their 21-year-old daughter had died after consuming a charged lemonade.
Many drink enthusiasts, however, are expressing their regret at the drinks’ departure despite these problems. Well, we’re not just sorry—they’re utterly devastated.
Many commenters on the social media platform X, which was formerly known as Twitter, expressed their frustration. Someone said they would “never stop mourning” the drink. The charged drink was dubbed “my one and only” by another.
And a fan on TikTok went even further with an even more dramatic declaration: “You’ll have to take it from my cold dead hands.” The fan posted multiple pictures of the lemonade drinks along with Whitney Houston’s rendition of “I Will Always Love You.”
In response to a MarketWatch inquiry, a Panera representative mentioned other beverage options the chain offers rather than directly commenting on the decision to discontinue the drink.
The spokesperson mentioned new releases like the blueberry-lavender lemonade and tropical green smoothie. “We listened to more than 30,000 guests about what they wanted from Panera, and are focusing next on the broad array of beverages we know our guests desire — ranging from exciting, on-trend flavors, to low-sugar and low-caffeine options,” the spokesperson said.
On X, one fan of Panera’s charged lemonades declared they’re ‘never going to stop mourning’ the drink. Another called the charged sip ‘my one and only.’
Of course, Panera is not the only restaurant to make a menu item removal decision; however, most of the time, the item in question wasn’t one that had been sued over. Note experts and professionals in the field: most of the time, the problem is just that an item wasn’t selling.
Restaurants frequently check sales reports every day to determine which items are moving and which aren’t in our increasingly data-driven world, according to Arlene Spiegel, a restaurant consultant based in New York. Based on this information, they are able to decide to stop something with more confidence than before.
Spiegel and others added that there are additional factors at work. Sometimes a product is too labor-intensive to produce. In other cases, specialized equipment might be required, which would increase the expense and preparation time.
Spiegel stated that restaurants are cognizant of the possibility that certain patrons may feel let down when an item is put on the cutting board. Frequently, a chef will leave a dish on the menu merely because they enjoy it and think they can eventually persuade customers to order it.
Spiegel stated, “Chefs would like to do more, not less.”
Veteran New York chef Franklin Becker, who currently runs the Press Club Grill and Point Seven restaurants, agreed. He described the things that aren’t selling quickly as “children we continue to foster and maintain.”
Becker also talked melancholy about the things he had to let go of in the end. A prime example is an appetizer-style dish he served at Point Seven that included caviar and smoked sturgeon salad. Due to the high cost of the materials, he charged $55, but not enough clients were ready to pay that amount.
Due to consumer demand, discontinued items do occasionally—sometimes permanently—make a comeback. The McDonald’s MCD, -0.54% McRib, which resurfaces occasionally on the fast-food chain’s menu, is arguably the most well-known example of that.
In light of this, industry expert Steve Zagor, who teaches Columbia University courses on the restaurant industry, stated he wouldn’t be shocked if Panera eventually reinstated the pricey lemonades in spite of the entire controversy.
According to Zagor, some menu items simply have a cult following, and restaurants find it difficult to ignore that. He remarked, “The cult can be so vocal and strong.”
