Sarah Downs

Where do you work?

Panera Bread

What is your job title?

Cashier/Barista

What do you do within this position?

As a barista, I make drinks like smoothies, iced coffees, and frappes. As a cashier, I take orders and get them out to customers as quickly as possible.

What is the hardest/worst part of your job?

Balancing work and school, namely with homework. I also only get short breaks. 

What is the easiest/best part of your job?

Making drinks, my coworkers

Do you prefer a busy shift or a dead shift?

Dead shifts, as I often close and it’s helpful to have time to do the dishes and sweep the floors.

How many hours do you work (on average) per week?

15-20

How much do you make per hour?

$9.75 plus tips, which are usually around 50 cents to a dollar.

Do you have a uniform?

Either a Panera bread t-shirt or a black t-shirt paired with black jeans or slacks. We also have to have our hair pulled back, a hat, and non-slip shoes. 

Do you have any interesting stories?

Yes, a few

• To make our bubbler drinks (green teas, lemonades, etc.), we have to fill large buckets with the necessary ingredients and carry them from the bakery all the way to the drink area (near the bathrooms). Whenever we pour the drinks, you have to push the bucket up above your head (which can be pretty heavy sometimes). Once, as I was doing this, a little old lady came up to me and said, “See, I think a man should be doing this.” I replied with an “oh, thank you, it is a little bit easier when the guys do it, but it’s more efficient for us to do it when we have free time. I also do track and work out a lot; so I’m pretty okay lifting this and filling it up.” She responds with “are you a runner?” I told her, “no, I throw, like with shot put and discus,” she says “oh…”, gave me a stink eye, and walked away. 

• One customer wasn’t being the nicest to me, he had just wanted a bagel and a cup of coffee. So, I was just trying to get it all ready for him when he started snapping his fingers at me, saying “Can you hurry up?” I asked, “you said this was for here, correct?” he responded, “yeah, but I’m kind of on a time limit.”
• On my second day of working (it was supposed to be my training day, but my trainer left me), I was making drinks. Our screens tell us what kind of drink to make, as well as how to make it. My screen gave me a “caramel frozen drink” to make, and I did. It was a to-go, so I made the order and gave it to the customer, saying “here you go, here’s your caramel drink, sir,”. He responds with “Caramel? I wanted a mocha. Do you guys not know how to get that correct?” So I apologized and began making him another one. I told him, “Sorry, this is my second day here, I’m still new,” and he said “yeah, I don’t care, hurry up.” My mom (who was standing right there) gave him a death glare as he walked off.

Do you like your job?

Yes, but I wouldn’t recommend it to others.

Is there anything else you would like to say?

Try our new warm grain bowls!