I applied online. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Panera Bread (Boston, MA) in Jan 2017
Interview
I filled out an application online, and within a few days, I got a call for an interview the next week. That day, I arrived 15 minutes early for a 9:30am interview, but since the store seemed to be short of staff, the manager ended up being a bit late. The interview itself wasn't bad. The manager read questions from a list, and seemed pretty distracted while I was answering them, which made me feel pretty bad about how I was doing. I ended up getting hired on the spot, but since I had more interviews that week, the manager told me that I could call back if I still wanted the position. I called a week later to accept, then the manager told me that they had thrown away my file because they thought I didn't want the job. I said that I wanted to accept the job offer, but the manager told me that they needed to look for my file, and that they'd call me back after finding it. I never heard back from them. I know that the best thing for me to do is to call back and ask, but I just don't think it's worth it at this point.
Interview questions [5]
Question 1
Tell me about a time when you disagreed with a supervisor.
They just gave me a tour of back of house, told me how it is for employees, and asked about my availability to get me scheduled. Very easy, but maybe easier than normal as I was a high schooler at the time.
You may get a phone call from a hiring manager or recruiter to confirm basic details like availability and interest.
Some stores skip the phone call and go straight to an in-person chat.
This step is usually short and casual.
In-Person Interview
This is the core part of the process for an associate role:
What to expect:
A one-on-one interview with a manager or shift leader at the café.
It’s often informal and brief—many candidates report it lasting about 10–20 minutes or less.
In some cases, a group interview might be used first, especially if hiring multiple people.
Typical interview topics:
Your availability and schedule.
Customer service and teamwork experience.
Why you want to work at Panera.
How you handle busy situations or customer issues.
Which part of the job appeals to you most.
Typical vibe: relaxed, conversational, and focused on personality and fit more than technical skills.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
How you handle busy situations or customer issues.
my interview was a very very simple interview they just asked why you would wanted to work there, availability, cross training, what position you wanted, etc. It was very easy and kind people at panera bread