A common theme in all Le Pain Quotidien locations is a long, wooden "communal table".

Founder Alain Coumont opened Le Pain Quotidien on 26 October 1990 at 16 rue Dansaert in Brussels.

[3] As a young chef, Coumont was dissatisfied with the quality of bread available in Brussels, so he began making his own, mixing flour, water and salt into the familiar loaves of his childhood.

[10] In December 2019, Cobepa, majority owned by Spoelberch, increased its stake in the company from 32% to 43% and Norac sold its 25% interest.

[12] The same month the parent company signed a deal agreement with the New York-based Aurify Brands which would provide a bridge financing of $522,000 to continue the operations and to ultimate the acquisition of all the U.S. units for $3 million.