McDonald's tried to buy PaneraMcDonald's expressed interest in buying Panera in the early 2000s, Shaich writes. More than a decade after meeting with McDonald's, Shaich started seriously considering selling Panera as he prepared to step down from the business. Shaich writes in the book that he never really left, staying active as executive chair of the company, before he rejoined as a co-CEO in 2012. Shaich writes that he knew at the time that he would retire, but he hadn't yet announced it. Shaich writes that Panera received a patent to use video to review the accuracy of sandwich orders.

---

Persons: Ron Shaich, Scott Mlyn, Shaich, Louis, Panera, that's, McDonald's, Bill Moreton, wasn't, Donatos, Howard Schultz, David Ryder, Schultz, Au Bon, Steve Ells, Jerry Cleveland, Obama, hadn't Organizations: CNBC, Clark University, Louis Bread Company, Grill, Boston, Starbucks, Reuters Starbucks, Denver Post, Getty, Obama Locations: Boston, Seattle, Panera, India, aren't