Takeout from Panera Bread is a convenient food option that my family and I use a lot.  We always use the Panera app when ordering food to go, as we can easily pick it up and return home.

However, we always receive a plastic fork, spoon, and knife in our bags.  Since we have metal forks, spoons, and knives at home, we do not use these plastic utensils and end up throwing them away.  We cannot return the plastics to our local Panera either due to sanitation reasons.

My suggestion is an checkbox within the Panera Bread app to select if you want plastic utensils or not with your takeout.  Although you can currently request no utensils with the special instructions tool, people are unaware of this and may not take the time to do this.  A checkbox is quick, easy, and upfront as opposed to typing out personalized instructions.  This would save so much plastic, and with Panera Bread being such a popular restaurant chain, the impact of this simple addition would be tremendous.  A lot of people who order takeout end up bringing it home and do not need the plastic utensils because they have metal ones at home.  The plastic problem is rampant and is destroying our oceans.  With this uncomplicated addition, we will waste much less plastic and take a step towards a less plastic-dependent society.