Very tough job at near slave labor wages - Panini & Food Line Worker Panera Bread Employee Review

1.0
Oct 17, 2012
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Some experienced employees are helpful as are associate managers and shift supervisors.

Cons

Terribly disorganized, managers have hair triggers and are aloof to new employees. Additional duites are piled on while still expecting you to perform your current duites (and the extra) in the alloted time frame. New hires are not treated well, which is surprising since one would think they would care about employee retention. No points for having a brain, mental maturity and a willingness to go the extra mile. There is a weekly hourly labor limit that they don't tell you about when hired, so don't expect full time employment. You can expect to be sent home in the middle of a shift because of this limit. No matter how fast you move, they will expect you to move faster.

Explore other reviews about Panera Bread

5.0
Jun 29, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

very flexible and accomodating to my school schedule

Cons

was very unorgaized at times which made things difficult

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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