Business Combination Business Combinations and Divestitures (Details Textuals) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Dec. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jul. 01, 2014	Apr. 01, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 24, 2013	Jun. 25, 2013	Mar. 26, 2013	Dec. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 25, 2012	Apr. 08, 2013	Mar. 27, 2012	Dec. 25, 2012	Apr. 09, 2013 bakery-cafes	Mar. 28, 2012 bakery-cafes
Business Acquisitions and Divestitures [Line Items]
Payment of Deferred Acquisition Holdback									$ 270,000	$ 4,112,000	$ 2,055,000
Business Combination, Provisional Information, Initial Accounting Incomplete, Adjustment, Intangibles										5,000
Net income attributable to Panera Bread Company	48,492,000	39,214,000	49,192,000	42,395,000	54,248,000	42,762,000	51,042,000	48,117,000	179,293,000	196,169,000	173,448,000
Business Acquisition, Contingent Consideration, Potential Cash Payment	0				300,000				0	300,000
Florida Franchise Acquisition [Member]
Business Acquisitions and Divestitures [Line Items]
Number of bakery cafe															1
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Purchase Price															2,700,000
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Cash Paid												2,400,000
Payment of Deferred Acquisition Holdback			300,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment															400,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles															1,000,000
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life									12 years
Business Acquisition, Goodwill, Expected Tax Deductible Amount															1,300,000
North Carolina Franchise Acquisition [Member]
Business Acquisitions and Divestitures [Line Items]
Number of bakery cafe																16
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Purchase Price																48,000,000
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Cash Paid													44,400,000
Payment of Deferred Acquisition Holdback										3,600,000
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Current Assets, Receivables																100,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Inventory																300,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment																6,400,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles																29,100,000
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life									12 years
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities, Accounts Payable																1,400,000
Business Acquisition, Goodwill, Expected Tax Deductible Amount																13,500,000
Business Combination, Provisional Information, Initial Accounting Incomplete, Adjustment, Intangibles											100,000
Sales Revenue, Goods, Net														36,000,000
Net income attributable to Panera Bread Company														$ 2,900,000