Here are widely recognized global bakery chains (grouped by type) that are often considered among the best for scale, quality, or international reach. Short notes on what each is known for and where you’ll typically find them are included.

Large café-bakery / bakery-café chains

• Panera Bread (U.S.) — bakery-café with sandwiches, soups and a strong focus on freshly baked breads and pastries; many locations across North America.
• Paul (France) — long-established French bakery patisserie offering breads, viennoiserie and bistro-style meals; found across Europe, Asia, Middle East and beyond.
• Le Pain Quotidien (Belgium/International) — rustic bakery-café specializing in communal tables, breads, tartines and pastries; present in many countries.
• Pret A Manger (UK) — sandwich/café chain with fresh-baked goods and pastries sold alongside ready-to-eat food; strong presence in Europe, US and Asia.

Asian-origin bakery chains with wide international growth

• Paris Baguette (South Korea) — large international chain offering French-style breads and Korean-influenced pastries; many outlets in Asia, the U.S. and Middle East.
• Tous les Jours (South Korea) — bakery-café chain with a broad menu of breads, cakes and desserts; franchises across Asia and North America.
• BreadTalk (Singapore) — known for inventive Asian-style bakery items and snacks; widespread in Southeast Asia and several other regions.

Donut- and quick-bakery specialists

• Dunkin’ (U.S.) — famous for donuts, bagels and beverages; one of the world’s largest quick-service bakery/beverage chains with global footprint.
• Krispy Kreme (U.S.) — iconic for original glazed donuts and limited-time specialty varieties; widely franchised globally.
• Tim Hortons (Canada) — coffee-and-donuts chain with extensive presence across Canada and growing internationally (US, Middle East, etc.).

Regional favorites with international reach

• Greggs (UK) — UK-focused bakery chain known for sausage rolls, savory bakes and affordable pastries; primarily UK but highly influential.
• Beard Papa’s (Japan) — cream-puff specialist that grew internationally, popular for choux pastries filled to order.

How to pick “best”

• If you want fresh artisan breads and sit-down café experience: Paul, Le Pain Quotidien, Panera.
• If you want donuts/quick grab-and-go bakery items: Krispy Kreme, Dunkin’, Tim Hortons.
• If you want Asian-style sweet/novel bakery items: Paris Baguette, Tous les Jours, BreadTalk.
• For value and savory bakery snacks: Greggs (UK market) and many local chains.

If you want, I can:

• Narrow this to a top-10 ranked list by countries served, revenue, or customer reviews.
• Provide nearest locations of any of these chains to your city (I’ll need your city or permission to use your location).