Greater Houston’s food scene continues to grow as Hamra Enterprises expands its Panera Bread® footprint, bringing fresh-baked offerings, new jobs and community partnerships to Katy.

The family-owned restaurant franchisee, headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, opened its newest Panera Bread location at 25546 Kingsland Blvd., Katy, TX 77494, with an upcoming grand opening celebration on Wednesday, August 5, 2026. The Katy location follows Hamra’s first Texas café, which opened in Spring on July 16, marking the company’s entry into its 12th state.

The Katy café is the second of seven planned Panera Bread locations across Houston, Spring, Katy and Conroe, representing the largest single-market launch in Hamra Enterprises’ history.

A Panera Bread franchisee since 1998, Hamra Enterprises has grown its Panera portfolio to 88 cafés across eight states through a community-focused approach to restaurant operations. With the Katy opening, Hamra now operates 191 locations under the Panera Bread, Wendy’s and Noodles & Company brands, employing more than 6,000 people across 12 states.

Guests at the new Katy café can enjoy Panera Bread favorites, including freshly baked bread, signature mac and cheese, soups and sandwiches. The location also features free Wi-Fi, an outdoor patio, Rapid Pick-Up®, drive-thru service and delivery through the Panera App and website.

The expansion reflects Hamra Enterprises’ continued investment in Greater Houston through restaurant development, employment opportunities and community involvement. The company’s Houston-area Panera Bread locations will offer the brand’s menu, customer experience and loyalty offerings, including the MyPanera® program.

The grand opening celebration begins at 9:30 a.m. with a ribbon cutting at 10:05 a.m., featuring remarks from Hamra Enterprises CEO Mike Hamra and Katy Mayor William “Dusty” Thiele, along with the Katy High School cheer team.

As part of the celebration, the first 100 dine-in guests with any purchase received a free You Pick Two Certificate, providing one certificate per month for an entire year.

The seven Greater Houston-area Panera Bread cafés expected to open by the end of 2026 include:

• 3548 Rayford Rd., Spring, TX 77386 – opened July 16
• 25546 Kingsland Blvd., Katy, TX 77494 – opened August 5
• 12220 FM West 1960 W, Houston, TX 77065
• 19506 Katy Freeway, Houston, TX 77094
• 22521 Tomball Pkwy., Suite 125, Houston, TX 77070
• 1302 West Davis, Suite F, Conroe, TX 77304
• 13704 Northwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77065

Along with its expansion, Hamra Enterprises continues its partnership with Make-A-Wish® Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana as its local Houston-area nonprofit partner. The collaboration supports the organization’s mission of creating life-changing experiences for children with critical illnesses.

Since 1976, Hamra Enterprises has contributed more than $7.2 million to nonprofit partners nationwide. The company’s Houston expansion adds the region to a growing list of communities where Hamra aims to establish a presence beyond restaurant operations through local engagement and charitable efforts.

For more information about Hamra Enterprises’ community giving programs, visit hamraenterprises.com/giving-back.