Working at Panera Bread was great while it lasted. - Cashier/Barista Panera Bread Employee Review

3.0
Mar 4, 2013
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Panera Bread is a respectful company. They offer a great starting hourly rate. They have a passion for food and understand what is quality food. It's about quality not quantity. As an employee you are eligible for a 65% discount on food, only the day you work. They give a decent amount of hours; I received about 20-30 hours a week. My pay started at 8.50, which, is decent compared to the minimum. If you are an asset to the company and are reliable you can move up to Associate Trainer fast. Which can give you great experience. In my opinion, the food is great. I loved the salads and since I received a great discount, I only payed about $3 for my meal. Compared to $10, that is usually what a regular customer spends on a single meal.

Cons

The managers need some improvement. I am aware that it is a fast food restaurant and so the management can be anyone without any degree, but the management can be very unprofessional. Like most work places there is a lot of gossip. Another thing is that usually the co workers are always involved in each others lives. There is a lot of drug activity going on too. Most of the people that I worked with were always coming to work stoned,which, delays our service and how fast we prepare orders. Some managers are unprofessional and gossip about other people and tend to put people on the spot, a lot.

Explore other reviews about Panera Bread

5.0
Jul 9, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Everything is great here! The food, the people, the atmosphere. It’s a wholesome company.

Cons

Have only had good experiences here.

3.0
Apr 18, 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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