We tested Panera Bread against one of its biggest competitors - and the winner is clear

Cafe restaurants like Panera Bread and Au Bon Pain offer safe havens in cold weather for those looking for hearty comfort food, fast.

And while their offerings may not be as good as homemade, these chains serve all the epicurean comforts we crave on frigid days: steaming soups, mac and cheese, hot paninis, and more.

But a question arises: Whose food is the better lunch choice?

Panera Bread, with over 1,800 locations worldwide, and its rapidly expanding competitor Au Bon Pain, which has 268 locations, serve very similar menus.

We put Panera Bread and Au Bon Pain in an extensive head-to-head test to find out who serves the better lunch.