Associate applicants have rated the interview process at Panera Bread with 1.8 out of 5 (where 5 is the highest level of difficulty) and assessed their interview experience as 73% positive. To compare, the company-average is 70.3% positive. This is according to Glassdoor user ratings.
Candidates applying for Associate roles take an average of 8 days to get hired, when considering 594 user submitted interviews for this role. To compare, the hiring process at Panera Bread overall takes an average of 9 days.
Common stages of the interview process at Panera Bread as a Associate according to 594 Glassdoor interviews include:
One on one interview: 50%
Personality test: 11%
Background check: 10%
Skills test: 7%
Presentation: 6%
Group panel interview: 4%
Phone interview: 4%
IQ intelligence test: 4%
Drug test: 3%
Other: 2%
Here are the most commonly searched roles for interview reports -
I applied in-person. The process took 1 day. I interviewed at Panera Bread (Shelton, CT) in Jan 2010
Interview
I applied for the job in person before the store's grand opening in 2006. The cafe was extremely clean and the hiring manager was very friendly. The interview process consisted of the manager describing Panera Bread's way of business and also a little about what I would be doing if hired. They reviewed my work experience and application, and gave me the job. Super easy interview.
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