Fired over the dumbest reason ever - Anonymous employee Panera Bread Employee Review

2.0
Feb 16, 2017
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

They have Flexible hours and usually a friendly staff. It on depends what store you work for.

Cons

Managers, managers, managers, oh and the managers. The managers are either incompetent, pick their favorite employees and stick to them, or aren't very nice at all. Maybe 1/3 of panera's managers are okay. Also %90 of people working at panera are part time. Also, the starting wage is $8, and you're going to be doing a lot of different tasks. I was a delivery driver and would get stiffed about %15 of the time. They advertise that delivery drivers average $14 to $17 an hour. After taxes, gas, and maintence on my car, and spending a whole year as a driver, i was averaging $10/ hr. There are lunch shifts where you can make $60 in a couple hours, or $20, it's just the luck of the draw as a driver.

Explore other reviews about Panera Bread

5.0
Jun 7, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Easy to get hired as a high school student Flexible hours if you communicate well

Cons

You’re expected to be super “yay Panera!”

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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