Overworked, Underpaid - Associate Panera Bread Employee Review

3.0
Nov 9, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Co-workers were nice, but that's about it.

Cons

The management went downhill as I got closer to leaving. Despite working there from August 2023 to March 2025, not once did I get an increase in pay (my salary stayed $12/hr) , even though I could do most things in the cafe besides baker and manager specific tasks. I think my management knew I was kind of a push-over, since they would routinely ask me to stay later than my scheduled time (5 a.m. to 2 p.m. most shifts), which I often agreed to because I needed the money. This caused severe burnout and exhaustion.

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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