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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 OIZEYZfzYFDG+MmKnKip2AE7gdc4qE0PGU56OgcH8MDAgmrzhJj3H9hq/G3pzIok
 IX3FMtPu/7Dz68m2o/oUsQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001209191-08-021286.txt : 20080401
<SEC-HEADER>0001209191-08-021286.hdr.sgml : 20080401
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20080401213257
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001209191-08-021286
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20080328
FILED AS OF DATE:		20080401
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20080401

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			PANERA BREAD CO
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000724606
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	RETAIL-EATING PLACES [5812]
		IRS NUMBER:				042723701
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1227

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		6710 CLAYTON RD
		CITY:			RICHMOND HEIGHTS
		STATE:			MO
		ZIP:			63117
		BUSINESS PHONE:		3146337100

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		6710 CLAYTON RD
		CITY:			RICHMOND HEIGHTS
		STATE:			MO
		ZIP:			63117

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	AU BON PAIN CO INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19940201

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	AU BON PAIN COMPANY INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920501

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			NOLAN MICHAEL J
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001100225

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-19253
		FILM NUMBER:		08731122

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O PANNERA BREAD INC
		STREET 2:		6710 CLAYTON RD
		CITY:			RICHMOND HEIGHTS
		STATE:			MO
		ZIP:			63117
		BUSINESS PHONE:		3146337317

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O PANNERA BREAD
		STREET 2:		6710 CLAYTON RD
		CITY:			RICHMOND HEIGHTS
		STATE:			MO
		ZIP:			63117
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-03-28</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000724606</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PANERA BREAD CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PNRA</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001100225</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>NOLAN MICHAEL J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>6710 CLAYTON ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>RICHMOND HEIGHTS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MO</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>63117</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>SVP, Chief Development Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-03-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2352</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>13232</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Choice Award (Right to Restricted Stock or Stock Option)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-03-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2008-03-14</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2008-03-28</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents disposition of choice award under the 2006 Stock Incentive Plan (&quot;2006 Plan&quot;) permitting the Reporting Person to elect to receive, effective March 28, 2008, an award in the form of (i) up to a number of shares of restricted Class A Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (&quot;Class A Common Stock&quot;), as has a fair market value of $100,000 on March 28, 2008 as determined by the closing price of shares of Class A Common Stock on The Nasdaq Global Market on that date, or (ii) stock options to purchase up to a number of shares of Class A Common Stock as would cause the stock option to have a fair market value of $100,000 on March 28, 2008 based on the Black-Scholes option pricing model, or (iii) a combination of restricted stock and stock options (in 25% increments).  The Reporting Person elected to receive 100% of the choice award in the form of restricted stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents grant of restricted shares of Class A Common Stock the Reporting Person elected to receive under a choice award under the 2006 Plan.  The restricted shares vest over a three-year period from the date of grant, with 33 1/3% vesting on the first anniversary of the date of grant, and an additional 33 1/3% vesting on the second and third anniversaries of the date of grant, respectively.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Louis DiPietro, Attorney in Fact for Michael J. Nolan</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-04-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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