Overworked and Underpaid - Shift Supervisor Panera Bread Employee Review

2.0
Feb 20, 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Good food, clean and organized work environment. There are lots of hours available at busy stores, or any store if you have good availability. Daytime employees are always in demand. It's a very good job to have while going to school. Most stores will work with your availability if you are a good worker.

Cons

Pay does not match amount of work at all unless you are a salary manager (my experience is with Covelli Enterprises operated stores). As a shift manager I'm responsible for: Running areas of the store during my shift and at times the whole store in the absence of any salary managers; Tracking Labor/Saving Payroll hours; Tracking leftover product and waste; Counting inventory; Ordering produce; Assembling catering orders in the absence of our catering coordinator; Ensuring employees are properly trained; Disciplining employees who break rules; In addition to these duties, I also help salary managers complete a couple of duties that are delegated specifically to them. For all of that extra responsibility, I am compensated only $9.25/hr, barely a dollar above minimum wage and sometimes only .50-.75 cents more than regular employees whose sole responsibility is to wash dishes or press buttons on a cash register. It is pretty infuriating to be honest when I think about it. It is a very corporate environment- be prepared for lots of rules and regulations, many of which will seem petty and ridiculous.

Explore other reviews about Panera Bread

5.0
Jan 29, 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
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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