- A number of current and former employees spoke to Business Insider about aspects of the restaurant that casual diners might not pick up on.
- From the truth about the food to how employees really feel about most Panera Bread customers, here's what they had to say.
ADVERTISEMENT
Everything Panera Bread employees want to tell you but can't
Panera Bread currently boasts around 2,300 locations in the US and Canada.
Panera Bread employee
ADVERTISEMENT
Recommended articles
Panera Bread is a mainstay for bread-lovers looking to grab anything from a quick pastry to a sit-down meal.
Business Insider spoke to a number of current and former Panera Bread employees about what it's like to work at the restaurant chain.
ADVERTISEMENT
They shared a number of insights that may not be immediately apparent to casual diners, including information on how different menu items are prepared.
Here's what the employees had to say:
Employees say that much of the food at Panera Bread "is shipped to the store in a bag." That includes the mac and cheese ...
BusinessInsider USA Images
Yelp
ADVERTISEMENT
... the Alfredo dish, which employees say they will "throw in the microwave" ...
BusinessInsider USA Images
Yelp
... and the chicken used in the salads.
BusinessInsider USA Images
ADVERTISEMENT
Yelp
And, while the restaurants signature bread is indeed baked in the store every day, it arrives in the kitchen pre-mixed. A representative for Panera did not immediately return Business Insiders request for comment.
BusinessInsider USA Images
Charles Krupa / AP Images
Most pastry options also arrive at the restaurant frozen. "All the baker usually has to do is pop them in the oven," an employee told Business Insider.
ADVERTISEMENT
BusinessInsider USA Images
Yelp
Sandwiches get heated up on a panini press, a process which one employee said typically takes two minutes.
BusinessInsider USA Images
Yelp
ADVERTISEMENT
Employees also said that the soups come pre-packaged, too.
BusinessInsider USA Images
Hollis Johnson
The employees Business Insider spoke to also complained about the drive-thru. One employee said that their restaurant demanded that drive-thru customers be served within three minutes, "which completely disregards the time and care that customers and management of Panera expect workers to put into making items."
BusinessInsider USA Images
ADVERTISEMENT
Mike Mozart / Flickr
The employee added that the problems at the drive-thru were "no fault of the customer," but recommended that guests looking for a speedy purchase instead use the stores Rapid Pickup option.
BusinessInsider USA Images
Mike Mozart / Flickr
And two Panera Bread employees told Business Insider that, by and large, the diners they meet are quite pleasant. "While there are some exceptions, Panera Bread customers are some of the nicest Ive seen anywhere," one employee told Business Insider.
ADVERTISEMENT
BusinessInsider USA Images
John Gress / Reuters
Are you a Panera Bread employee with a story to share? Email acain@businessinsider.com.
See Also:
ADVERTISEMENT
SEE ALSO: Panera Bread employees share their 11 favorite menu items and a few secret hacks you have to try for yourself
FOLLOW BUSINESS INSIDER AFRICA
ADVERTISEMENT
Recommended articles
Edward Howarth of DashTickets talks about gambling in Africa
Eco-friendly gambling: The impact of online slots on sustainability
Chad to become the first of Africa's current junta-led states to move to democracy
Russia spreads its military influence to another African country
A look into South Korea’s rice gift to Africa
FBNBank Ghana changes to FirstBank Ghana to align with group identity
Nigeria restricts power export to neighbouring countries to meet domestic demand
NOG Energy Week 2024: West African countries harnessing gas for industrialisation to boost economic development
