HOUSTON – Panera Bread announced last week that its stores are planning to have palm scanners going forward as it rolls out changes to its MyPanera loyalty program.
The contactless biometric-gathering payment method via Amazon One, which was developed by Amazon, is already deployed at some stores in St. Louis with plans to expand to additional locations in the coming months. It’s unclear from company information when Houston could be put in the mix, but KPRC 2 has reached out to the company on Wednesday for comment on the matter.
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Panera is the first national restaurant company to use the tech. It will be used as a way for guests to pay and access their loyalty account with their palm. As the company noted in its news release, the tech is already in use at airports and stadiums and stores like Amazon Go, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market.
“Amazon One will bring an even more personalized touch to the Panera dining experience. Guests who link their MyPanera account to Amazon One will enjoy the convenience of fast payments, as well as tailored meal recommendations from Panera associates based on their preferences and previous orders. After a simple scan of the palm, Panera associates will be able to greet guests by name, communicate their available rewards, reorder their favorite menu items, or take another order of their choice, extending the guest experience into a true and meaningful relationship. When they are done ordering, guests can simply scan their palm again to pay,” the company said in its news release.
How it will work
First-time Amazon One users can pre-enroll online or sign up when placing their Panera order in the bakery-cafe. Customers can link their credit card and MyPanera account to their Amazon One ID. If a Panera guest has previously enrolled in Amazon One, they will not need to re-enroll at Panera – they can link their MyPanera account to their Amazon One ID online or in store.
Do I have to do this?
The company said enrollment in Amazon One is voluntary and includes opt-in consent, and guests can choose to use Amazon One for loyalty linking, payment or both.
Why is this happening?
Ease of service is the official word from Panera and Amazon One. Here are their statements about the rollout via the news release sent last week:
Niren Chaudhary, CEO of Panera Bread and Panera Brands:
“Collaborating with Amazon Web Services to bring this service into our bakery-cafes is a natural extension of the tech-forward, guest-centric digital thinking that Panera is known for. Our philosophy has been centered around leveraging best-in-class technology to create a better Panera experience and using that to deepen our relationship with our loyal guests. Introducing Amazon One, as a frictionless, personalized, and convenient service, is another way we’re redefining the loyalty experience.”
Dilip Kumar, vice president of Amazon Web Services Applications:
“With one of the largest and most successful loyalty programs in the country, Panera wanted to make it even easier for its guests to access their rewards and have a more customized café experience. We’re proud to collaborate with Panera on the rollout of Amazon One and elevate the guest experience by providing a simple, fast, and effortless way to complete their order so they can spend more time enjoying their meal.”
“Growing concern”
As NPR noted in its report on the scanners, there has been growing concern about palm-recognition technology.
In 2021, a group of U.S. senators questioned Amazon’s data collection practices and specifically whether biometric data is being used for advertising and tracking purposes.
“In contrast with biometric systems like Apple’s Face ID and Touch ID or Samsung Pass, which store biometric information on a user’s device, Amazon One reportedly uploads biometric information to the cloud, raising unique security risks,” the senators’ letter to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said.
NPR also reported, “Earlier this month, a shopper based in New York City filed a lawsuit against Amazon claiming that the company did not properly notify customers in Amazon Go stores that their biometric information was being collected.”