The food was great but management completely lacked communication. - Anonymous employee Panera Bread Employee Review

2.0
19 Sept 2011
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The quality of food and drinks is excellent. The hours are flexible and plentiful. Coworkers and guests were usually very friendly. If you were capable of working full time and hard working, you would most likely be promoted.

Cons

Managers would change your hours during the middle of the shift without warning. They would completely ignore your availability and write you up for not being able to make shifts despite giving prior notice 2 weeks in advance. Associates were only given one 30 minute break during an 8 hr shift. New associates had a higher starting pay than people working at the same cafe for years.

Explore other reviews about Panera Bread

5.0
29 June 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
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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