Restaurant Team Member

Panera LLC; Punta Gorda (FL); On-site; USD 17,000 - 22,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Free on-shift meals

Flexible scheduling

Paid vacation, sick time & holidays

Insurance & 401(k) with match

Job summary

Panera Bread in Punta Gorda, FL is hiring a Restaurant Team Member to deliver warm hospitality and high-quality food. You’ll connect with guests, help craft fresh salads, soups, and sandwiches, and support operations across service areas.

Candidates should enjoy fast-paced teamwork, be flexible for evenings, weekends, and holidays, and meet basic food safety requirements. Benefits include meals, employee discounts, and opportunities for growth with Panera Bread.

Qualifications

• Minimum age 16+ and ability to lift up to 25 lbs.
• Ability to stand for extended periods and communicate clearly.
• Food safety training or willingness to obtain training (Food Handler’s Card).
• Food service experience is preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

• Greet every guest with warmth and enthusiasm.
• Assemble fresh salads, soups, and sandwiches with care and efficiency.
• Assist guests at entry, cashier, and dining areas.
• Maintain a clean, safe, and inviting environment per food safety standards.
• Adapt to daily priorities and support team with cleaning and stocking tasks.

Skills

Guest service

Customer focus

Multitasking

Team player

Food safety knowledge

Job description

Restaurant Team Member At Panera Bread, we believe every guest deserves our best. As a Restaurant Team Member, you’ll be the heart of hospitality- bringing warmth, care, and joy to every interaction. Restaurant Team Members have the special opportunity to connect with our amazing guests, directly impact the bakery-cafe’s growing business, and most importantly serve local communities across the country. Support in bringing Panera warmth to life and help ensure every guest receives our best. By sharing a warm welcome, delivering food with gratitude, always looking for ways to help, building personal connections, and finding moments to surprise and delight, you help create meaningful experiences that keep guests coming back.

Responsibilities

Your daily responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Restaurant Team Members will execute the duties for their specific areas within the bakery-cafe (e.g., Production, Prep, Service, Cashier, Expo, Drive-Thru, Barista, Guest Experience Champion, QC, etc.).
• Greet every guest with genuine warmth and enthusiasm.
• Assemble fresh salads, soups, and sandwiches with care, accuracy, and efficiency – no assembly lines, just real ingredients and great food.
• Stay on the move – assist guests at entry, cashier, and dining areas.
• Maintain a clean, safe, and inviting environment by following food safety standards and cleaning protocols.
• Be informed about daily priorities and adapt to changes with a positive attitude – every guest gets our best.
• Support team success by completing cleaning and stocking duties and helping set up the next shift.

What’s In It for You

• Competitive pay & eligible for team tips
• Free on-shift meals & unlimited fountain beverages
• Flexible, reliable scheduling
• Paid vacation, sick time, and holidays (for full-time team members)
• Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, pet insurance & 401(k) with match available
• Career advancement & leadership development opportunities
• Tuition discounts
• Perks & rewards for team members
• Team member assistance program

This Opportunity Is for You

If you meet the minimum age requirement (16+) and can lift up to 25 lbs. and stand for extended periods. Must be able to clearly communicate and quickly understand guests, managers, and team members’ directions in a loud environment. You have strong interpersonal skills and love making people smile. You’re passionate about creating moments of comfort, connection, and joy for every guest. You thrive in a fast-paced environment and can multitask with ease. You’re reliable, punctual, and flexible to work evenings, weekends, and holidays. Complete basic food safety understanding and practice training. (Food Handler’s Card, as required by law) You enjoy working with food. (Food service experience is preferred but not required.)

Equal Opportunity Employer

Equal Opportunity Employer: Disabled/Veterans

The actual pay offered will be determined by multiple factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s relevant experience, job-related knowledge, skills, and geographical location. Individual compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate.

606444 Punta Gorda, FL - Jones Loop Road

With more than 2,000 Panera LLC and independent franchise bakery-cafes in the Panera Bread® family, and more locations opening all the time, it’s no wonder our company has been an excellent source of career and personal growth opportunities for more than 25 years. In neighborhoods across the U.S. and Canada, customers enjoy flavorful, handcrafted meals centered around freshly baked artisan bread. To us, that means serving food like we serve our own families – free of any of the items on our ‘No No’ List. Along the way, we also like to give back to our community. We enjoy working together, shoulder to shoulder with our customers, to confront a serious problem plaguing communities across this country – Hunger. Through our Panera Cares community cafes, we offer a dignified dining experience in an uplifting environment. In addition, we support our communities through day-end donations at our bakery-cafe locations and partner with local non-profit organizations. It’s this warmth that you’ll find when you join Panera Bread. From our competitive compensation and benefits packages to our unique cultural values, we’re confident you’ll find us a rewarding and fun place to work.