National restaurant chains usually rely on familiarity to build their businesses. When you visit a Starbucks you know what you’re getting, whether you find yourself in Austin or Chicago. But Panera Bread, the successful chain founded in 1987, manages to create a local vibe across its 1,800 chains while taking advantage of its national brand assets. My recently published blog post for SIM Partners discusses how Panera Bread creates a local identity. Check it out and let me know which national brands create a local identity in your experience.