8-K

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549



                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): October 25, 2002





                              PANERA BREAD COMPANY


             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

          DELAWARE                    000-19253                04-2723701
(State or Other Jurisdiction    (Commission File Number)     (IRS Employer
     of Incorporation)                                     Identification No.)

            6710 CLAYTON ROAD                                 63117
           RICHMOND HEIGHTS, MO                             (Zip Code)
 (Address of principal executive offices)

                                  314-633-7100
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)


                                 NOT APPLICABLE
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)








Item 9.           Regulation FD Disclosure.

In accordance with General Instruction B.2. of Form 8-K, the following
information shall not be deemed to be "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, nor shall it be deemed incorporated
by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Panera
Bread Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise this
information. Attached as Exhibit 99.1, and incorporated herein by reference, is
a copy of the registrant's press release dated October 25, 2002, announcing its
participation in an industry conference with internet access available to the
public.

         Attached and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as
Exhibit 99.1 is a copy of the press release.


                                    SIGNATURE

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                        PANERA BREAD COMPANY



                        By:            /s/ William W. Moreton
                              ----------------------------------------
                              Name:    William W. Moreton
                              Title:   Executive Vice President and Chief
                                       Financial Officer


Date:  October 25, 2002




EXHIBIT INDEX

       Exhibit No.                      Exhibit
       -----------                      -------
          99.1             Panera Press Release, dated October 25, 2002.

EX-99.1

                                                               EXHIBIT 99.1

PRESS RELEASE
Contact: William W. Moreton
         Chief Financial Officer
Phone:   314-633-7123


                      PANERA BREAD COMPANY TO PRESENT AT
                     MORGAN KEEGAN 2002 EQUITY CONFERENCE

St. Louis, MO October 25, 2002 - Panera Bread Company (Nasdaq: PNRA) will
be presenting at the Morgan Keegan 2002 Equity Conference to be held in
Memphis on Tuesday, October 29, 2002 at 11:20 AM CST. An audio webcast of
the presentation will be available over the Internet at
http://www.twst.com/econf/mm/mk3/pnra.html. A replay will be available for
90 days.