I’ve made this observation multiple times over the last year, and I experienced it again last night:
My local Panera Bread has a culture of people holding the door open for each other.
The staff doesn’t do this, though they’re very kind too. The customers often open the door for each other, and more frequently, they hold the door open for each other. I notice this when people are carrying big orders, but I also notice that people do this for each other generally and quite frequently, à la,
“I’m coming in, but I see through the multiple glass windows that you’re coming out. Here, let me hold the door open for you.”
Isn’t that kind of sweet?
I am curious how this happened. I’m sure most people don’t think of this as a feature of this specific store. But I go to Panera a lot because I’m a “Sip Club” member. I pay a monthly $12 subscription and get unlimited coffee (this includes unlimited tea, juices, and fountain drinks too). I have both seen and experienced this door opening phenomenon quite a bit in this store. I also don’t notice it at other Panera locations in a parallel way.
How does this happen? How did it catch on? I don’t know how it started, but as it’s continued, my assumption is that a lot of people have had this happen for them at this particular store, and having experienced it here, they suddenly have the idea during another visit (maybe not even recalling that memory) to do it for someone else.
Anyway, kindness catches on. And it can even create a whole culture.
–Renee Roederer
Smuggling Grace 