What happens when large restaurant chains try to find out what human nature is all about, trusting that customers will be fair and honest in paying for their food?
This question was posed recently in the news last week about a new non-profit restaurant in St. Louis, operated by the former CEO of Panera Bread, that encourages patrons to leave their "fair share" for their food rather than formally charge them for meals at cash registers. Customers that can't pay for their food are asked to donate time, and the non-profit Panera Foundation provides the same food as a regular Panera, except that the bread is a day old. The CEO hopes that this "honor system" will be the "next big thing" in Panera communities across the country, with plans already in the works to expand.
Will this work? Are people likely to pay the actual value for the food they consume? Will it be abused as an easy way to save some money? Will customers reward the organization by paying even more for their food than its monetary worth in support of the cause? These are all questions that will have to wait to be answered. But I think it is an interesting and innovative concept, and I appreciate that in an age when we consistently receive discouraging news of corrput or suspect corporate practices, some organizations are hoping to give back and trust that the generosity of mankind can be greater than the drive to simply make money. Hopefully it will encourage other companies and customers to consider how they too can leave their "fair share," not just when it comes to paying for a meal, but in all aspects of business and life.
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