Matt Czuchry, the main crush of Rory Gilmore in college, sits opposite Jared Padalecki, who played her high school boyfriend, in a Panera Bread cafe.| Photo courtesy of Panera Bread.
Panera Bread is partnering with Gilmore Girls’ stars Jared Padalecki and Matt Czuchry to promote its comforting fall menu.
Both tap into nostalgia and the revival of cozy seasonal classics.
For Panera, that means the return of three signature soups, including Black Bean Soup, a well-loved item that is coming back after a seven-year hiatus. It’s a satisfying vegetarian soup combining black beans, celery, onion, red bell pepper, carrots, lima beans, potatoes, garlic and lemon juice.
Panera’s “Fall for your Favorites Meal” also features Autumn Squash Soup, a blend of butternut squash and pumpkin with vegetable broth, honey, apple juice, cinnamon and curry, then finished with sweet cream and topped with roasted pumpkin seeds. And as the weather gets chillier, Hearty Fireside Chili is ready to satisfy cravings. It’s made with beef, kidney beans, fire-roasted tomatoes and green chili peppers, simmered in a flavorful broth with chili spices and cilantro.
The St. Louis-based fast casual is hoping that fans will order some of these favorites as they curl up to watch Gilmore Girls reruns—a fall/winter ritual that occurs regularly among the dedicated. For those craving lighter fare, the menu also includes a brand-new Harvest Medley Chicken Salad composed of mixed greens and arugula tossed in balsamic vinaigrette, topped with a whole grain blend, grilled chicken, mandarin oranges, feta, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, toasted pecans and crunchy beet strips. On the beverage side, sipping the new Crème Brûlée Latte, a cup of brewed espresso, foamed milk and crème brûlée syrup topped with whipped cream, feels like a warm hug.
In Panera’s new digital campaign, Gilmore Girls actors Jared Padalecki and Matt Czuchry reunite to highlight the personalities of Panera’s iconic soup lineup—each variety reflecting the traits of a different kind of “favorite.” Fireside Chili is the dependable classic, Autumn Squash Soup the sophisticated choice and Black Bean Soup the brooding favorite making a long-awaited comeback after seven years.
“Fall and Panera soup just go together, just like a nostalgic rewatch of your favorite fall show. It was so much fun to get back into the autumn spirit for this campaign and it didn’t hurt having some delicious soups and new menu items from Panera while on-set,” said Padalecki in a statement.
“Fall is one of our favorite seasons at Panera, when we get to spotlight warm, comforting classics alongside fresh, seasonal flavors,” said CMO Mark Shambura in a statement. “This year, we’re celebrating not just with the return of guest-favorite soups, but also with playful content that personifies them in a way fans will instantly recognize. It’s all about delivering the cozy, craveable flavors our guests love—and that includes the long-awaited return of Black Bean Soup.”
The Fall for your Favorites Meal is available exclusively on the Panera Bread app.
Panera Bread is no stranger to tapping into pop culture and social trends. In 2023, the fast casual launched the Panera BAGuette, a bread-shaped purse, to promote its Toasted Baguette sandwiches. In August, Christopher Briney, the actor in the wildly successful “The Summer I Turned Pretty” series starred in a campaign for the chain’s “You Pick Two” meal deal. And the “Summer of Free Sips” promotion in June featured rugby star and social media personality Ilona Maher.
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