OK job for a high school kid. - Associate Panera Bread Employee Review

2.0
17 Jul 2011
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

-Employees get 50% off break meals. -The hours were given/reduced upon request and they were very understanding during the school year. -A request-off book was available for employees to write down their availability. -Store closes promptly at 9 p.m. -At the end of the night, leftovers either went to donation or employees took it (even though senior management doesn't allow this, my managers let us anyway). -Many of my managers were nice, fun people. -Most of my coworkers were cool and I made new friends. -There are usually 4 different positions to work: Dish, Dining, Bakery (register), Line ( food preparer) -You don't stink of grease when you come home.

Cons

-You don't stink of grease, but you still stink. -Store opens at 6:30 a.m. -- not for late-sleepers like myself. -Out of those 4 positions, I was originally trained and often worked the hardest position of Dining. I worked the longest and hardest, carrying heavy buckets and garbage, general cleaning up after the public, plus tedious vacuuming and dusting. Everyone else got out around 9:20 when I left as late as 9:45. After repeated requests to be trained on other areas, I threatened to quit and was then moved around. -Working the morning shifts are a nightmare. It is super busy and people are demanding. Dining and dish positions are combined for a full hate-your-life effect. -I never received more than minimum wage. -I trained many people without receiving a trainer's wage. -Auditors are incredibly harsh on stores; you prepare for it by scrubbing the bathrooms ceiling to floor with bleach. -Managers are way too overworked. They have to do the books, monitor employees, deal with customers, plus other stuff...and they usually still do associate stuff like dust ceiling fans. They never told me their salaries but apparently it's not worth it.

Explore other reviews about Panera Bread

5.0
29 Jan 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Worked with college students so it was fun.

Cons

They fire people at the drop of a hat.

3.0
18 Apr 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

GM at this location is very on top of things, because it's the busiest Panera in Queens. Consistent hours. Shifts go by very quickly, especially in the morning.

Cons

Location is extremely busy so it gets very stressful, especially in the morning when someone is out / there is no second cashier scheduled so the single cashier in the morning has to clean the coffee counter, refill coffees, make drinks, stick bagels in the oven & serve those bagels, check and bag up RPU/delivery orders, get bakery items for barista screen, and ring up customers. It can get really intense when many people come in, which is most of the time. You will be running back and forth like crazy. Customers can be impatient, rude, demeaning, and nasty when the line gets too long. Not recommended for people who are sensitive, with high anxiety. As for Panera the company, this chain keeps making bizarre and difficult changes to the menu, all of which make employees' lives harder and harder. With every change comes strange, dismaying, and borderline impossible expectations for frontline staff that cascade down through management who cannot do much to alter the hard policies. You can tell the company is struggling greatly to keep itself relevant with the younger crowd (a solid 80% of customers are old people). The CEO and everyone making company decisions at Panera is extremely out-of-touch. EXTREMELY. With every nonsensical menu & operations adjustment, you can tell these people haven't actually worked at a food service job in like 40 years.

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