Management at its worst. - Cashier Panera Bread Employee Review

1.0
26 Nov 2011
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

For starting pay, it's decent. You get computer training off the bat and raises when you train in other areas. You get many hours under your belt so you don't have to worry about cuts.

Cons

Often taken out of the bounds of your job description and put elsewhere to correct lack of hands in another area. Poor selection in management; they fail at educating and punish employees for being ignorant. Personal problems are often let out in the work place and favouritism is common. I've read many nasty reviews about working at Panera Bread, but knowing my area I thought that both the customers and employers would be much different. To my dismay, 7 hour shifts turned into 11 hour shifts without notifying me. I would often have to beg to leave even after I was supposed to leave several hours ago. I've been yelled at for demanding to leave for a funeral I had notified them of and for school. Don't expect to get off on time for any reason, because you have to make it in with the managers in order to get that level of respect.

Explore other reviews about Panera Bread

5.0
29 Jun 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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