thoughts from Seattle

JFK, not JFK AGAIN !!! after a red eye from Seattle there is no place you want to be but JFK......but that's not important.

Three days of Caffine, Bread and Pizza have taken their toll but clarity is somehow the end of this... Something about Seattle that brings me around.

you could say this has been a tough couple of weeks!! Cheeries,Parfaits,focaccia, sr exec insecurity, FOM's that think they are food guys and franchisees that aren't laughing were really starting to take their toll on my sanity. But leave it to seattle to bring me back...the best thing it was PANERA in Seattle that did the trick!!!

After a day of touring some of seattle's best coffee and bakiers while trying to keep the rest of the leadership team from going over the cliff I was feeling drained. But Tue AM I once again found the promised land and it was in Kent Washington at the Panera.

we walked in and it was everything that makes you say WOW!!! This thing really Rocks!!

Some of the finest pastries and baked goods we've ever seen, anywhere. Wow they look great when they are done right...Just beautiful. But wait new focaccia, Ciabatta, egg sandwiches, Parfait and new coffee all live here 3000 miles from Inlet. It all looked great!!! People there LIKE the paper cups (envirionmental issues are serious there). the new coffee tags look great (brewed at..) and the ciabatta makes the egg sandwich ROCK!!

As I'm standing there taking it all in a regular comes up next to me and assuming it's my first time in a Panera says "it's all great!!!, the food here is wonderful"
NICE!!!

watching all the positive energy just makes sense of all the stuff we have to deal with. It's like a religous experience!!!


Thanks to everyone out there for creating and executing nothing short of the best food in the business... makes me proud..

we had some laughs and might even have some insight on how to sell bread better. More on that later.

where's my gate, get me home!!!! I hate JKF