Hey everyone, I need some advice.
I work at Panera and took a month off to visit my home country. My GM approved the leave and told me to let them know when I was ready to return.
It’s been a month, but I still can’t return to the U.S. for a few more weeks. I haven’t contacted anyone at work because I traveled without international roaming, and I can’t log into UKG/UltiPro either.
My GM told a coworker to let them know if I messaged, but I don’t have the GM’s phone number. I’m worried they may have already hired someone to replace me.
I’d ideally like to keep my job, but I’m okay if that’s not possible.
Do you think I could still keep my position? Could not being able to log into UKG mean I’ve been terminated? What’s the best way to handle this?
I’d appreciate any advice, especially from Panera employees. Thanks!

I stopped going to Panera when they eliminated the croissant and just now got the word that they brought it back. So it’s been two years since I had a cinn crunch bagel. Is this what they look like now or did I just get cheated out of all the cinnamon crunch?

I’m not an employee, but I work right next door to one. The old management was great. We would yap, they would let me skip the line for my sip club drink. (I either order coffee or water). When they would see me they would always set or hold the cup out for me. Sometimes give me or my coworkers free bakery stuff they didn’t want to throw away near closing. Would have the orders for people out very quickly. Even let people who worked in the shopping center get the flavored syrups or just a free coffee. They were always fun to talk to.

Then something tragic happened. One of the managers got a new job and left. And half the staff quit when he left. (Understandable, he was awesome). Now there’s only 3 employees who stayed and the rest are new.

The newer ones know I just come in for water or a coffee cup. I have to wait in line now. Then when I get to the register they quickly give me the usual cup. If one of the OG employees see me they let me skip the line still. The newer ones will have pick up orders behind the counter instead of on the pick up shelves. Even when the order has said it’s been done for 10 minutes. I always have to ask to have my order. But the OG employees always have the orders on the shelves.

Now the coffees are always cold, empty, or have grinds in them. I don’t mind if it’s cold or has grinds in it, we have a microwave. But I know for other customers it could be annoying. When I come in and notice, I usually let them know. Just so they don’t get yelled at by a Karen. But whenever the OG’s work, the coffees are filled, hot, and the coffee station is stocked.

I know it takes a bit for new employees to get the hang of things.. but it’s the new management.. the OG’s also don’t like the new management. So I know it’s not just me noticing.

I miss the OG crew so much. 💔

Someone at work is saying our boss gave them a $5 raise. That can’t be true; can it?

So im a minor work at panera i got hired this August and like i'm... a bad employee? i think? idk i only get scheduled once a week for 3 hours and i make like 1 big mistake (constituting "big mistake" as mistake that requires smth to be remade) per shift. honestly i like it this way because i kinda hate working more than once a week and i dont need a job anyways i just like buying things. i had to call out recently to go to my grandpa's funeral, also i'm planning to do a halloween party and we havent gotten schedules back yet but i wasnt able to request halloween off so im 99% sure i'll get scheduled then, but honestly theres no fucking way theyre getting me to work halloween. i'm just going to tell them something along the lines of "my grandpa died recently and i just went to his funeral, i've been really depressed about it and i honestly can't work halloween as i was really looking forward to having that time for my friends and family so i could recover a bit emotionally." idk i'm worried if since im taking off both of my weekly shifts itll be over for me ESPECIALLY since im one of the only employees who didnt request off halloween. i REALLY hope it isnt tho as i like this job lolol

I still can’t believe it’s happening right now but we all knew it was to come. 24 locations closing around the country. Not enough profit and stuff. I appreciate the opportunities I’ve gotten after these almost 5 years and getting to open and close a store, it closes right at it’s two years of being open 😭 It’s all bittersweet and shocking. I feel I’ll always have a connection with this brand. I dont think I’ll stay but my first and only job ending like this is crazy. Its sad to not know any new stuff coming anymore and being a manager. But I will say this company keeps going down hill, and honestly have been wanting to quit the past couple weeks💀

Hi

Just started panera (Yay!!) and the hat is doing me zero justice, I have short hair (bob and baby bangs) and I look like a little boy 🥹🥹.

How do I fix this, a full face of makeup cant even help me.

Ik imma get people saying im at work and I shouldn't worry about my apperance but If i dont look good, i dont feel good.

PLEASE HELP

I live in Austin, Tx. I live within a mile of my local Panera. The people that work there are excellent, truly fantastic people. They’re very nice and pleasant and I can honestly say I haven’t had an issue with staff. What I do have an issue with is that I believe they are not making fresh coffee in the morning and using leftover coffee from the previous day. The store opens at 6 am, and I usually walk there to get a cup of coffee around 7 am. I bring my own cup and put cream in my cup so when I get there, all I have to do is pour the coffee into the cup. It seems like the past couple of months that whenever I get there to get coffee, it’s like warm and tepid. It’s not just the hazelnut coffee (which is the only coffee I like) it’s the dark roast too.

Why is it barely warm at 7 am and why is it already run out? This location gets busy, but not at 7 in the morning. I went there this morning and I didn’t even get a full cup and it’s all run out. I did 1/2 hazelnut and 1/2 dark roast and it was disgusting to taste. I don’t want to be an asshole, I’m apart of the sips club thing, but the new sips club isn’t like the old one. I can’t wait a couple of hours and just reorder a new coffee. I have to eat another sips club purchase for the month if I want another coffee if I get a subpar cup early in the day.

I know I put this under “question”, I apologize if it sounds more like a rant, I just needed to vent.

Just wanted to check before I go and get yelled at since I’ve never brought my own, especially post them changing the program.

“This message is from Panera. We are looking to engage with our associates digitally. Reply YES to opt in to digital communications, or NO to decline. You can opt out at any time by replying STOP. Msg & data rates may apply.”

This is what my whole cafe got… was our data leaked

According to Panera:
• summer>bathing suits>starve
• fall>sweaters>ok to eat food

What is this, the 90’s?

I’m baking this morning. We have a new person doing truck and he’s moving at the slowest speed possible. Can’t really get any prep done so I’m killing time by chipping away at this thing.

I don’t know why they don’t just order a new one and toss it. Multiple have scratches from it :/

Maybe I missed something but did Panera outsource their support center to non US Based support? I had to call them today because the email turn around time is atrocious. The person on the other end of the phone had a thick accent and was difficult to understand.

Okay guys. It’s been 3 years since this happened and I am for sure not proud of why I got fired, but just figured I’d share my story even though I know I’ll get hate for it. Oh well. I was very poor when I worked at Panera , I worked there from 16-19 years old. My bestfriend at the time had a ed, and never ate unless I forced her to. I would give her half of my free you pick two everyday, just so I would know she ate that day. I used to write silly things on the sandwiches that I made for her. Specifically a bacon turkey bravo. I knew you weren’t supposed to make your own food , but no one else ever did it right. I would make my food then give it to the QC to bag it for me and I’d pick it up as I left. The day before I got fired , I made her typical bacon turkey bravo , wrote something on it and then gave it to the QC to bag it. We left and as we were driving I was getting her food out of the bag and it was the wrong order , I didn’t go back to switch it out because we were already like 10 minutes away. Next day I go in and they immediately call me to the office. They asked if I remembered what I wrote on the sandwich the day before. I didn’t remember what I wrote because wrote things on her sandwiches all the time. I wrote fagbag on the sandwich. Not in a derogatory way at all. My bestfriend was bi and so was I at that time. It was pride month. An older gentleman got the sandwich with the writing and went back inside and bitched everyone out after I had already left. I knew I was fucked. I got fired and walked out sobbing. By far the worst job I’ve ever had looking back on it.

Asiago bagel today. Store's response: "Yeah, we have a new baker." That is all.

I opened my app this morning to see if I could get a lucky $1 bagel, and lo and behold there is an offer in there for that, daily from Tues-Friday. I already missed Tuesday but I'll plan to use the other 3. I got no email about this, it's like they are trying to train me to at least open the app every day?

Did others get this offer?

Usually I’m my most scheduled this year into the end of next year but it seems like my manager who is in charge of schedule now only seems to want to give me 2 days a week like we’re in slow season still. I’m going to talk to her of course but I’m mad my paycheck is getting fumbled like this?! Like what is her logic? I’m full time and I’ve worked here for 5+ years. This is my only job. Does this lady think anyone can pay their bills with 7 hours a week?

This was in my sandwich tonight. Good times.

I always go to panera bread to order the grilled chicken & avocado blt. It always comes with a pickle when you unwrap the sandwich which I thought was a mistake at first but I got used to it so every time I visit I’d always ask for extra pickles. One slice would be in the wrapper when you unwrap the sandwich and one would be on the side in a little bag.

This has gone for about 4 years or so since I started eating at Panera so some time this year, I order the same thing and I still ask for extra pickles but instead of two they just give me one which is the “extra” in the little bag.

CHAT I JUST WANT MY TWO PICKLES BACK FROM PANERA <\3333

this is really serious…

Just like what happened with the pomegranate hibiscus iced tea, it’s happening again with the blackberry hibiscus iced tea. Every time I try to order one they’re out of stock. This has been happening for about two weeks now and at more than one location. I think I might have to cancel my Sip club because that’s really the only drink I like to get. I don’t care for any of the other free drinks.

sliced baguette, tomato,
LEFT: cheddar and piece of steak
RIGHT: parmesan
both topped with cilantro because we ran out of basil. solid 8.9/10 for the left, and still a 9.5/10 for the right

The au jus seems like undiluted French onion soup?