US-based fast casual restaurant company Panera Bread has added Crunch Time Ordering, a one-swipe ordering option, to its Panera app.

The restaurant company claimed that Crunch Time Ordering is an industry-first feature designed to allow customers to schedule their favourite meals for a specific date and time with a single swipe.

Aiming to simplify dinner crunch time, the new feature offers customers the option to place their favourite stored Crunch Time order either for pickup or delivery.

The option is available exclusively for MyPanera members on the Panera iOS app.

The Panera app offers customers personalised recommendations based on their preferences and time constraints.

Panera Bread chief digital officer Meenakshi Nagarajan said: “Our guests lead busy lives and need convenience more than ever.

“They have always been able to rely on Panera for delicious food made with great ingredients and now we have their backs when they need to quickly and easily have dinner handled between meetings, practices or recitals, or other moments of crunch time in their lives.”

Crunch Time Ordering, now integrated into the app, allows customers to select a schedule that suits their needs, thereby ensuring their orders are ready when they want them.

Recently, the company added Stacked Toasted Baguettes, featuring smoked pulled chicken for added protein, to its Toasted Baguette sandwich line.

These sandwiches come on Panera's signature French Baguette and are available in three options.

It comes in three options – Chicken and Pepperoni Mozzarella Melt, Chicken Green Goddess Caprese Melt and Chicken Cordon Bleu Melt.

In August, Panera Bread expanded its autumn menu and added the Value Duets option to its overall menu.