Panera Is Finally Bringing Energy Drinks Back To The Menu After Charged Lemonade Scandal
Just in time for spring, Panera's introducing two new-ish categories of beverages to its menu in four different flavors: Frescas and Energy Refreshers. The Frescas will come in Cherry Lime and Strawberry Basil Lemonade, while the Energy Refreshers will come in Dragonfruit Sunset and Passionfruit Paradise. The Energy Refresher line is caffeinated, with 28 milligrams of caffeine per 20-ounce serving in the Dragonfruit Sunset, while the 30-ounce cup contains 42 milligrams of caffeine. The Passionfruit Paradise will have 28 milligrams of caffeine in the 20-ounce cup, with a little more caffeine (44 milligrams) in the 30-ounce cup.
Notice I called them "new-ish" — that's because Panera used to have a similar line of fruity drinks that were caffeinated called Charged Lemonades, which were discontinued in 2024. Those had a rough history because their caffeine levels were much higher, which resulted in some unfortunate situations for customers. Allegedly, two people died due to overconsumption of the stimulant. The Energy Refreshers are decidedly more tame, with a mere fraction of what was in the Charged Lemonades, so the risk of Panera repeating the mistake is extremely unlikely.
Panera's controversial Charged Lemonades were at the center of multiple lawsuits
As mentioned, the Charged Lemonades were a serious blight in Panera's past, as they were the cause of two wrongful death lawsuits after a few customers drank large quantities of the highly-caffeinated beverages. This allegedly triggered cardiac issues which resulted in multiple people dying. The lawsuits were eventually settled, with Panera maintaining that there was no wrongdoing on its part.
The Charged Lemonades contained nearly the recommended daily intake of caffeine (which is 400 milligrams) in one 30-ounce cup. They were self-serve for a while, meaning you could refill them to the point of consuming dangerous amounts. At first there were no warnings about it. Panera eventually responded by changing the labeling, then it moved some of the dispensers behind the employee counter before discontinuing the line altogether. The new Energy Refreshers are light in caffeine by comparison, but the association of energy drinks with Panera is certainly not a good one. Considering these have about as much of a kick as tea, however, it's likely no one will bat an eye when these come out.