Pay-what-you-want Panera could open soon

Panera Cares goes before the Boston Licensing Board tomorrow for permission to open at 3 Center Plaza, across from City Hall.

The new Panera, which could be open within a couple weeks if granted a food-serving license, will have a menu similar to other Panera outlets, but instead of fixed prices, diners at the non-profit restaurant will get to pay what they think their meal is worth - or pay nothing at all, if they have no money (people who don't pay can volunteer time, instead).

Licensing-board hearings start at 10 a.m. in the board's eighth-floor hearing room at City Hall.