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3.2
350 ratings
3.2
Salary & Benefits
2.4
Professional growth
3.5
Work-Life balance
3.3
Recognition & Support
3.6
Culture & Values
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Based in Saint Louis, MO, Panera Bread is a chain store of fast casual restaurants with over 2,000 locations, all of which are in the United States and Canada, operating with more than 140,000 associates. On average the company opens 100 new bakery-cafes each year, so there are ample opportunities for you in the fields of restaurants / bakery-cafes, support centers, or manufacturing and distribution. The company is proud of serving food they would serve at home, they are passionate about helping people in need, they embrace diverse backgrounds of employees, and they encourage networking throughout the company. At Panera Bread you can build up a fast career from hourly associate to retail manager if you are persistent enough, as they support your personal growth and career aspirations. With a portfolio of competitive pay, health and wellness, medical, dental, vision and life insurances, a retirement plan, bargains and meal discounts, Panera Bread can offer you manifold benefits. The business was launched with a cookie store in Boston, Massachusetts in 1980. As of today Panera Bread is in the ownership of JAB Holding Company.

Company - Public
$2B to $5B
Large
Multiple locations
Full-Service Restaurants, Bakeries
1981
What departments Panera Bread employees work at?
DepartmentsRatio
other occupation25.9%
General and Operations Managers23.6%
Training & Development14.5%
Food Service9.8%
Management - Other9.6%
Cashiers9.2%
Food Processing7.4%
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See what companies are similar to Panera Bread
Traveler Accommodation Companies
Large size
Full-Service Restaurants
Large size
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Team

Professional experience

How many years of experience do Panera Bread employees have before joining?
Years of experience at Panera Bread: Newcomers: 40%, Experiencers: 16%, Experts: 17%, Veterans: 27%. Panera Bread employees have less than 3 years experience on average before joining.
You comment as
Where did Panera Bread employees work before joining?
Where they've worked before Panera Bread: Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Kroger. Typical Panera Bread employees have worked at Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar.
You comment as
Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar
Chipotle Mexican Grill
Kroger
What industries did Panera Bread employees work in previously?
Industry Background: The most typical industries of Panera Bread: Limited-Service Restaurants, Full-Service Restaurants, Niche Retailers, Food & Beverage Retailers, Traveler Accommodation Companies. Panera Bread employees most likely come from a Limited-Service Restaurants industry background.
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Where did Panera Bread employees work before joining?
Past employers' size at Panera Bread: Small: 30%, Medium: 11%, Large: 59%. Most Panera Bread employees have previously worked at large companies.
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Educational background

What did employees at Panera Bread study?
You comment as
Where did employees at Panera Bread study?
Johnson & Wales University-Providence
Missouri State University-West Plains
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Employee data

How long do people stay in a role at Panera Bread?
Time employed at Panera Bread: <1: 7%, 1-3: 25%, 4-8: 49%, 9-13: 14%, 14-20: 5%, 20+: 0%. Most Panera Bread employees stay with the company for 4-8 years which is the same as the industry average.
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How does Panera Bread rank for age & gender diversity?
Gender ratio at Panera Bread: 50.8% Male and 49.2% Female. Age ratio at Panera Bread: 16-20: 2%, 21-30: 64%, 31-40: 21%, 41-50: 8%, 51-60: 4%, 60+: 1%. Panera Bread rates - 6.2% more female than the industry average. Most Panera Bread employees are 21-30, which is on par with the industry median age range.
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What are the top roles at Panera Bread?
Top roles of Panera Bread: Manager, Trainer, Associate, Cashier, General Manager. The top role at Panera Bread is Manager.
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Manager
Trainer
Associate
Cashier
General Manager

Career advancement

How does Panera Bread rank for career advancement?
Career advancement at Panera Bread: low. Panera Bread ranks low for career advancement which is above the industry average.
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Luis Pena8 months ago
Truck driver nine
You comment as
What companies do Panera Bread employees go on to work at?
Future employers of Panera Bread: Buffalo Wild Wings, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Kohl's, Starbucks, Target. People who work at Panera Bread most typically go on to work for the Buffalo Wild Wings.
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Buffalo Wild Wings
Chipotle Mexican Grill
Kohl's
Starbucks
Target

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Discussion about Panera Bread

Want to know more about Panera Bread?
Share your thoughts and ideas about Panera Bread with others in our community.
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What industry does Panera Bread belong to?
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Sophie Hayes4 years ago
Accommodation and Food Services.
You comment as
What’s the stock symbol of Panera Bread?
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Isabella Holmes4 years ago
PNRA.
You comment as
gender breakdown at Panera Bread?
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Isabella Holmes4 years ago
gender ratio is 49.2% female, 50.8% male.
You comment as
When was Panera Bread founded?
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Liam Brown4 years ago
1981.
You comment as
What’s Panera Bread’s yearly revenue?
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Benjamin Gardner4 years ago
$2b to $5b
You comment as
What companies are similar to Panera Bread?
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Liam Brown4 years ago
Chick-fil-A, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Darden, Dunkin' Brands, McDonald's, Red Robin, Starbucks, The Cheesecake Factory.
You comment as
How long do people usually work for Panera Bread?
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Isabella Holmes4 years ago
4-8 year(s).
You comment as
what kind of companies did Panera Bread employees work for?
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Liam Brown4 years ago
Large companies before Panera Bread.
You comment as
what are the chances of career advancement at Panera Bread?
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Isabella Holmes4 years ago
i think low.
You comment as
Top future employers of Panera Bread employees?
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Benjamin Gardner4 years ago
Buffalo Wild Wings, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Kohl's, Self Employed, Starbucks, Target, Walmart, Whole Foods Market.
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Who are the top previous employers of Panera Bread employees?
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Isabella Holmes4 years ago
Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Kroger, McDonald's, Starbucks, Subway, Target, Walmart.
You comment as
How old are Panera Bread’s employees in general?
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Liam Brown4 years ago
21-30.
You comment as
What were Panera Bread’s employees' top fields of study?
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Liam Brown4 years ago
No higher education.
You comment as
what’s the dress code?
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3 years ago
khaki or black pants with a white or navy shirt
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
i get to wear jeans and a tshirt
You comment as
how are the working hours at Panera Bread?
avatar-of-creator
3 years ago
terrible - they don’t listen to what you want
You comment as
Are career advancement opportunities guaranteed?
avatar-of-creator
3 years ago
no you are not
You comment as
Minimum age of hiring at Panera Bread?
avatar-of-creator
3 years ago
16 at the youngest
You comment as
How long is the hiring process for Panera Bread?
avatar-of-creator
3 years ago
usually takes about 2-3 days & training itself takes a week
You comment as
How long did you work for Panera Bread?
avatar-of-creator
3 years ago
three months of misery
You comment as
what was the reason you left your job at Panera Bread?
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3 years ago
it was an awful experience, poor management and wasn’t respected
You comment as
do they hire felons at Panera Bread?
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3 years ago
no they do not
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3 years ago
Yes
You comment as
The company is loyal to their workers and the workers are loyal to their company. Panera offers a great opportunity for an entry level position.
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A year ago
if u want to learn new everyday about baking, just join them for wonderful experience.
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A year ago
The management will never let u down if u r doing ur work properly without any mistakes.
You comment as
If you're young with not a lot of work experience great job. Pretty understanding if you need a flexible schedule
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A year ago
My experience with them is not so good. there is no proper training and you have to learn on job😒
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
things can be much better if they start to put some effort in training its employees
You comment as
I've enjoyed my 2 years at this facility very much. Management has supported their workers through many obstacles.
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
I think they should organize training sessions too for the betterment of employees.
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
I had some hard time there but the good thing is time pasess.
You comment as
This is a very fun establishment in which many shenanigans and fun activities take place along with work as well.
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A year ago
They recently started these activities for their employees to keep them fresh & acknowledge their work.
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
These kinds of activities keeps the employees motivated.
You comment as
I worked for Panera Bread for two years as my first official job and absolutely loved it!!!!
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A year ago
Having a good first job is very important 😊
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A year ago
Getting a good professional start make things lot easier for you
You comment as
Great systems and routines already in place. Plenty of room for advancement.
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A year ago
Had to go above & beyond ur capabilities in order to get yourself recognized.
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A year ago
Everything was perfectly aligned & organized.
You comment as
I felt supported by my management as well as my coworkers and the food was yummy
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
Having a supportive team is very important
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
I have worked for 3 years and i had the same experience as well
You comment as
Company gives employees a chance to grow and promotes within.
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A year ago
It is my 3rd year here and i got 2 promotions uptill now😊
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A year ago
It depends on the individual as well
You comment as
Job was alright, but inexperienced managers and bad co-workers can make a good day much much worse.
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A year ago
That happens everywhere but management should take action about it.
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A year ago
i didn't see any unprofessional & unexperienced manager hr staff at Panera.
You comment as
I found that your work experience entirely depends on your team and having strong leadership
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A year ago
Just pray that you have a nice coworkers and manager
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A year ago
I think i am lucky in that way
You comment as
Overall, Panera is an excellent place to work. The location I work at doesn’t see as much business as other locations, but I still feel fulfilled after a day of work.
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A year ago
Delighted to be the part of Panera Bread working as a baker.
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A year ago
Everything has their Pros & Cons but things are manageable.
You comment as
At Panera you are at a half restaurant half fast food chain - which makes it different from many stores.
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A year ago
Restaurant, Bakery & fast food under one roof.
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A year ago
Amazed how they r managing all the things.
You comment as
Being an overnight baker for long term has been quite enjoyable. In the next few months we are being converted to afternoons.
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A year ago
Baking time starts at afternoon but it is more comfortable overnight.
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A year ago
No worries r pressure of work , just be consistent & be on time.
You comment as
I enjoyed the platform they provide to their employees to grow and excel in their career.
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A year ago
How frequent they promote their employees?🙋
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A year ago
I think having growth prospects can keep you moving
You comment as
Hey! Currently I am working with a company that has no benefit plan for their employees so I am interested in knowing the benefits of it as I wanna join it:)
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A year ago
can agree, all great stuff!
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A year ago
highly recommended, I had some previous bad experiences but cannot complain here
You comment as
Do they offer free food to employees?
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A year ago
Love the food here😊
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
They offer some delicious food to employes
You comment as
This was my first ever job and I have to say I was so impressed with how much I enjoyed the environment.
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A year ago
Rate the environment out of 10.
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A year ago
I would say 9.5 out of 10
You comment as
I just got a call from HR for the interview so I need a bit of guidance because I am super confused.
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
Easy interview. Management just want people with good customer service.😅
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
Go get it, best of luck!
You comment as
I think they lack in training their employees and training is not their priority
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A year ago
Training is not their priority.
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A year ago
They should spend more resources on training their employees
You comment as
It was okay, but they don't really pay you that much and it's kind of a lot of work
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A year ago
I am getting enough though
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
I think they are not bad in paying employees
You comment as
Getting to know about the Point Of Sales system was quite hard at the beginning, but I got acclaimed by it quicker than I thought I would.
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
Things are always difficult for the new employees which are easy for the old employees.
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
Point of sales are easy to operate and understand.
You comment as
the training was very short and you were expected to know everything.
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
They think that you should know everything before joining them
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A year ago
That is not how they should operate
You comment as
In my opinion they lack in organization and upper management is not so concerned about operations.
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A year ago
I think they need to sit and sort out their upper management issues first
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A year ago
Having management issues sends wrong signals to employees
You comment as
Very easy going, some day are busy and other days are not! I love working there and don't plan on leaving😊
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A year ago
Some days are super busy and you won't get time to drink a sip of water
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A year ago
work is fast paced and it is better for you to get adjusted to it
You comment as
Started as a cashier and was trained up through the all positions within a year. I felt supported by my management as well as my coworkers.
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A year ago
You got there really quick
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A year ago
Do they have equal opportunities for everyone?
You comment as
There is no leadership and management at my location,everything is a mess and no one is ready to take responsibility
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A year ago
at which location you are working ?🙋
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A year ago
Are you still working for them
You comment as
It's definitely a great first job and there's a lot of opportunity to climb the chain if it's something that you're really passionate ab
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
If one is consistent and hardworking, growth opportunities will be available
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
I have just joined them and i am happy with the environment 😊
You comment as
Overall a good entry level job for someone who needs some part time work while either going to school or just need some extra cash on the side.
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
They are not bad at all when it comes to working part time
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
Work is not hard and management supports you as well
You comment as
I worked as cashier and my responsibilities were minimal aside from closing.
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
with more responsibilities comes the greater achievement.
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
ur mind should be active all the time if ur working as a cashier.
You comment as
worked here while graduating high school and it was a nice experience for me
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A year ago
I worked here for 6 months and it worked very well for me
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
My experience of working as part time employee was not so good,😊
You comment as
this is a great company to meet experts in their field. The medical insurance is also good, with my premium going down the last year.
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
Great place to work under specialized professionals.🙂
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
Wonderful place with wonderful management & coworkers.
You comment as
Just okay, pays more than most fast food restaurants. Customers are truly the part that makes the job difficult.
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
There comes some angry customers who never gets satisfied.
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
Pay is much better as compare to the others.
You comment as
They are VERY firm on dress code, no piercings, no dyed hair, and the perks are not great as well
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
Perks needs improvement
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A year ago
What perks do they offer to employes
You comment as
Staffing is always an issue here as it is very common in this industry and you have to live with it😒
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
Being understaffed puts more work pressure on employees😒
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
I worked here few years back and this problem existed back then
You comment as
Not bad if you like working in a kitchen but can be very hectic at times because panera can be seen as a meeting place for lots of different groups of people
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A year ago
Not a bad place if u want to give treat to ur friends in a simple way without much burden on ur pocket.
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
i usually spend my evenings there with a coffee & sandwich.
You comment as
Everyone i have dealt with is willing to go above and beyond to be able to help me with any questions.
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
u can ask them for their opinions too.
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
Just don't bother them by asking the same question repeatedly.
You comment as
Would definitely work at Panera again. Free drinks, discounted food, and sometimes free food to take home at the end of the day
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A year ago
No issues with the quality of food they serve to their customers.
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A year ago
Had to wait till closing but the food is worth waiting.
You comment as
There's lots of encouraging people that will lead you and you will receive lot of support and guidance🙂
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A year ago
I think one has to be lucky to find co workers like that
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A year ago
I worked here for a short period and my co workers made life difficult for me
You comment as
One thing that i have noticed is that there is not much of focus on employee training and development
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
Not a lot of effort on employee training
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
That is affecting their quality and performance as well
You comment as
Fun work environment if you're not in a super busy area. They try to have employees go above and beyond.
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A year ago
Panera is a limitless place for passionate employees.
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
There comes hard times when it gets super busy but u get to know ur abilities in these situations.
You comment as
I worked different positions and developed new skills, I just need fewer hours to be able to study and graduate from High School
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A year ago
Lot of new things to learn if you are new😊
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
I developed a lot of skills while working here
You comment as
You get to meet a lot of nice people and get experience with customer service and that allows you to make contacts
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
Lot of chances to work on your customer service skills
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
Contacts made here helped me in moving ahead to another job😊
You comment as
I was paid well and GM is great. But Work life balance is not ideal.
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
One has to lose something in order to get something.
avatar-of-creator
A year ago
Don't they ask first before scheduling the employees?
You comment as
Okay place to work. Decent pay and half off for food. Management nice and flexible. Cross training was offered so you could help wherever needed.