Create Winning Panera Sandwich for Chance at $10K

What’s in a sandwich? The answer to that question is reinvented around the world, around the clock. And also, there are the classics: the submarine, Rueben, Muffuletta, BLT, PB and J and more.

St. Louis-based Panera Bread is asking customers to build their ideal club on an interactive website hosted by their partner in the promotion, TLC, for a shot at a grand prize of $10,000, a Panera gift card for $500, free bagels for a year and bragging rights. The top hoagie will be featured on Panera menus across the country.

The deadline for sandwich entries is Saturday, Oct. 6. The top 20 concoctions will be posted online for everyone to vote on from Oct. 22 to Nov. 11. The grand prize winner will be announced on Nov. 12.

To build your sandwich and view official contest rules, visit TLC’s website.

Amanda Burns, marketing manager for Paneras in the Chicago area, said, “We’re asking the public to vote for the sandwich, you know, power to the people.”

The sandwich entry website allows participants to select a bread, protein, cheese, toppings, up to five condiments, and pick to serve it cold or grilled. You can also name your sandwich, tell the story behind it and give special preparation instructions.

Burns said out of the more than 20,000 entries Panera had received between Sept. 12 and Sept. 23, out of the ones participants identified the café’s location, the Chicago area had the most out of any city at 1,345. She said it was encouraging to know so many people in the area were excited about the contest.

“It’s just a really nice rallying cry,” Burns said.

Mike Santos, of Carol Stream, works in Des Plaines and was recently dining at . Panera Bread also has a location at 500 E. Touhy Ave. in Des Plaines.

Santos said he would name his sandwich the Smoked Turkey Caesar, and would include healthy ingredients: focaccia bread, smoked turkey, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle and Caesar dressing.

Santos said he selected ingredients that he felt went with everything. He said a sandwich he ate recently had a lot of ingredients with strong flavors that seems to compete with each other.

“I tried to be safe,” Santos said.