Frequently Asked Questions
What does Le Pain Quotidien mean?
It’s French for “the daily bread”. Alain Coumont named it after the simple, honest bread he couldn’t find in Brussels, so he started baking it himself.
What is Le Pain Quotidien known for?
Organic sourdough baked daily, Belgian pastries like the French cream donut, tartines, breakfast and brunch classics, and our communal table, where strangers sit side by side.
Where was the first Le Pain Quotidien?
Rue Antoine Dansaert in Brussels, in 1990. The first US restaurant opened in New York in 1997.
What’s on the menu? Do you serve breakfast and brunch?
Yes, breakfast is served all day and brunch every day of the week and every weekend. Think eggs and tartines, Belgian waffles, mini pancakes, chia bowls, soups, salads and our bakery counter, with many vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. See our menu.
What type of food does Le Pain Quotidien serve?
At Le Pain Quotidien, we believe that food should be simple, nourishing and delicious. Our breakfast menu includes a range of organic breads, pastries, eggs, yogurt, organic coffee and teas. For lunch and dinner, our handmade organic wheat bread serves as the base for our signature tartines, and the perfect accompaniment to our soups, salads and quiches. Many of our menu items are vegetarian and vegan. Takeaway and catering menus offer fresh Le Pain Quotidien products to enjoy at home, offices or at events.
What is a tartine?
A tartine is an open-faced sandwich. The name comes from the French verb tartiner, which means “to spread.”
Do you have vegan and vegetarian dishes?
These days, we are all aware of the benefits of a plant-based diet. Not only is eating less meat better for us, it’s good for the planet. Le Pain Quotidien offers many vegan items that are labeled 100% botanical on our menus. All of our organic breads are vegan, except for brioche. Some of our most popular vegan dishes are the Avocado Tartine, Supergrains Bowl and Lentil & Avocado Salad.
Which of your products are organic?
We use organic ingredients whenever possible. This includes all of our breads, most of the products in the retail pantry, our beverages and homemade granola. Organic items and ingredients vary seasonally and globally.
Does Le Pain Quotidien offer gluten-free options?
We strive to provide as many gluten-free options as possible and offer all tartines on gluten-free bread upon request. We also have other gluten-free menu options from salads to desserts. However, we do advise that your meal may contain traces of flour as we are not a gluten-free facility.
Are all your restaurants’ franchises?
The majority of our restaurants are franchise-owned. For more information about international franchise opportunities, email us at franchise@lepainquotidien.com or have a look here.
Is Le Pain Quotidien still open in New York?
Yes. Le Pain Quotidien has 25 restaurants in Manhattan, from the Upper East and West Side to Midtown, Bryant Park, Tribeca and the Financial District, plus two cafés inside Central Park. We’re open every day from early morning for breakfast, brunch, lunch and fresh bread to take home. Find your nearest Le Pain Quotidien.
Did Le Pain Quotidien close in the US?
No. In 2020, during the pandemic, some US restaurants closed and the US business moved to a new operating partner. Le Pain Quotidien has been open ever since and today welcomes guests at 48 restaurants in New York, Washington DC, Los Angeles, Connecticut, Philadelphia and Miami.
Who owns Le Pain Quotidien?
Le Pain Quotidien was founded in Brussels in 1990 by Belgian baker Alain Coumont. The brand is owned by BrunchCo, Belgium, and our US restaurants are operated by our franchise partner.
How many Le Pain Quotidien locations are there?
We have 48 restaurants in the United States and more than 230 worldwide across 20 countries.
Statement
Based on the declarations of our meat suppliers, LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN commits to respecting the ‘Pig Minimum Standard‘ and the ‘European Chicken Commitment‘ for the following countries: France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and England.
Le Pain Quotidien has always been committed to the quality of its products, as well as compliance with legislation regarding animal welfare.
For broiler chickens: The 2026 deadline has been removed from the wording of the brand’s ECC commitment.
Our progress:
We cover all ECC requirements in 2025, only the requirement: “Stunning by controlled atmosphere (use of inert gases or multiphase systems), or another effective electronarcosis technique not involving hanging of live chickens” will be covered from 26/12/25.
Le Pain Quotidien is committed to sourcing 100% of our eggs (shell, liquid, and egg products) from cage-free sources throughout our global operations for all owned, managed, and franchised properties by the end of 2025. Le Pain Quotidien will make our policy available in major languages and will publish annual progress reports towards this commitment. As of September 2023, we are proud to say that over 60% of our global supply of eggs and egg products comes from cage-free egg sourcing and we continue to work to accelerate our progress on this issue.
Since January 1, 2026, 100% of Le Pain Quotidien’s chicken meat supply in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom has come from farms and slaughterhouses that meet all the criteria of the European Chicken Commitment.