Panera is a great place to work part-time and enjoy what you do. - Associate Panera Bread Employee Review

4.0
11 Jun 2008
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

I think the atmosphere overall is very upbeat and positive. One cannot always be proud to work at a food service place, but the aspect of the healthy-themed food along with not being enslaved to any sort of fryer is a very positive aspect of having a job such as this.

Cons

The compensation is rather small for the amount of work that is needed from me and my fellow associates. I also know that lower-level management does not make near as much as they deserve to make. Also, there are typically many, many employees which leads to no one employee being granted enough work time per week to make a decent living wage.

Explore other reviews about Panera Bread

5.0
25 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great people with good morals and values. Fun work environment. Great food fresh ingredients.

Cons

Be careful not to burn yourself while baking bread. Can gain a lot of weight eating bread 😆

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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