Fast paced, tiring job. - Night Baker Panera Bread Employee Review

1.0
8 Jul 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Good pay and free lemonade.

Cons

-Very hot environment -Breaks are NOT allowed -Long shifts -Long training with each item being taught once, very briefly This is a very strange company. I was expecting this to be a normal job that I could rely on but it turned out the opposite. Management makes MANY promises that they will not keep after the interview. Do not expect to be able to breathe working here. In the back it is hot and sticky. You will never leave on time (and after eight hours of standing with no break...). The fellow workers at this location are snotty twelve year olds with a horrible attitude. I have never had so many people walk into me without saying excuse me in my life. The quality of the work is pretty sad. They give you one example of how to do something and from then on you are expected to KNOW it. I literally mean they will thaw out one pastry, fold it, fill it and tell you good luck (along with piles of other extraneous information). .

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.

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All