"Insulting place who treat decent people like the unclean food they sell" - Anonymous employee Panera Bread Employee Review

1.0
4 Dec 2017
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

They won't FIRE ANYONE!! Yup. You can possess NO sense of true WILLINGNESS to do the work they "don't tell you you'll be forced to adhere to doing", and they will STILL keep you on the scheule (which isn't posted until the DAY BEFORE it actually begins) LOL!!

Cons

Oh, why even BOTHER... They ADMIT to everything they're lacking. (just not where it COUNTS) It's a terrible place, and if I'd KNOWN BETTER, I would have never submitted an application. CONSENT: This is a word that makes such a difference with Panera Bread. Were you TOLD you would be EXPECTED to do the job of THREE different empoyees all at ONCE? (Of course not) And for CHUMP-CHANGE?? Nope. Who's been rating them higher? WHAT ARE THEY SMOKING?? What a HORRIBLE experience.

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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