barista

server

line cook/prep cook

shift leader

food service worker

Le Pain Quotidien

A typical day at Le Pain Quotidien, consisted of myself, another  barista, and from time to time a manager would open up the store at 6:00am and wait for the delivery truck to deliver us our fresh baked pastries and breads to serve to the customers throughout the day and night.  Myself and my fellow barista would put the breads and pastries on different plates and platters and put the baked goods in display cases and the different breads in the bread holders. We both would double check to make sure the coffee and tea machines were cleaned and ready to go, and we both restock and refill the specialty drink batches in the pitchers to be used throughout the day. The store opens at 7:00am and myself and the other barista would sell different pastries and take the customers orders for their food and make their drinks (coffee, tea and cold beverages) according to their liking.
What I learned at Le Pain Quotidien is, how to multitask and perform several different tasks at one time but in a timely and orderly manner. I learned how to make different types of beverages that range from hot to cold drinks according to the customers needs, wants and likes and how to work in the kitchen and help prepare the different menu items that wwe serve on a daily basis.
 As far as management, every manager has their own personal managing style which ranged from strict to not so strict, but collectively all of the managers were awesome and have taught me alot about myself and the ins and outs of the company. 
My co-workers were great individuals and we became sort of like a family dynamic and we helped one another out tremendously when the store got too busy or when one of us needed our shift covered by one another. Every one of my co-workers was and still is very hardworking, reliable, dependable and a team player.  
The hardest part of the job was, when myself and the other barista's, had to take anywhere from ten to twenty orders at a time, and trying to remember exactly what order belongs to who. Also, getting the orders out in a timely fashion, but the most enjoyable part of the job was, working with individuals who are just as hardworking as I am and the fact that we were all able to come together and get the job done effectively and properly.

A typical day at work for me is picking up the slack from my lazy managers, running from the kitchen, the barista counter, and the floor to assure all customers are satisfied and all team members have the proper support during our busy peak hours. I usually have not ever had much support whether I was a barista, server, or a manager.

I learned from working here how to multitask several things at the same time and maintain as much sanity as possible. Managers never seem to be hired for their ability to get their hands dirty but instead for the incomparable skill to suck up to the higher up corporate managers while speaking French. Its a European company so try being European if you want to be acknowledged. 

I actually really enjoyed my coworkers for the most part when I was a simple team member. We all sweat together, panic together, stress together, share horrible customer experiences, and ultimately understand the struggle of doing what you have to do to pay your rent and keep gas in your car, if you even have a car. The customers are all upper-middle class who tend to all be in a rush and want things how they want it, whether or not the place is busy or if the item is even on the menu. But once you have their confidence they can actually be very nice and caring.

The hardest part of my job was not so much the busy rushes, the understaffing, the difficult customers, but rather it was dealing with the utter lack of concern and respect from the corporate managers. I grew up with the sense of moral obligation to treat others the way you want to be treated and this company values not the meaningful connections you make with customers and staff, or even the hard effort you put into sales, but rather how big you smile when you see them walk in the door and stroke their ego until their heads explode.

It is very simple to say "please", "thank you" "good job" or even "I understand you". But it is so hard to get a human response from the ones who depend on you so much to show up and do your job.

But I very much enjoyed the camaraderie between my team members.

There is really no negotiating with this company. It doesn't matter what store you are at. Reviews are yearly, and unless more responsibility is assumed, you won't see more than 25 extra cents. Menu items are unrealistically complex for the 10 minute ticket time maximum expected. Hours are some days easy to move around, and sometimes not at all. They are running the place like a fine dining institution, and it is not such. They believe that they must TIGHTEN expectations when they aren't all being constantly upheld. There are many meticulous things there that you must do, and if it wasn't minimum wage, maybe that would be more manageable. It's not the quality of the managers as people, but their ability to run a business, and the decisions that are being made higher up the chain. You are just a number. I promise. If you are doing better than the rest of the cooks, you will still get paid as much as them unless you are willing to "stick it out" until "things get better" (You'll hear that a lot around here. I'm here to tell you first that they never will.). Turnover is awful, and they make every possible wrong turn on their path to "restaurant functionality..." whatever that means.

Overall, I think Le Pain Quotidien is a great place to work. As an employee, I feel valued and appreciated by my managers and coworkers, and I believe that the company truly cares about its employees' well-being.

One thing I appreciate about working at Le Pain Quotidien is the emphasis on teamwork. We all work together to ensure that the store runs smoothly and that our customers have a great experience. There's a strong sense of camaraderie among the staff, and everyone is always willing to lend a hand when needed.

I also appreciate the company's commitment to sustainability and using  organic ingredients. It feels good to work for a company that cares about the environment and is doing its part to make a difference.

That being said, there are a few areas where I think Le Pain Quotidien could improve. For example, there can be some communication issues between management and staff, which can lead to confusion or misunderstandings. Additionally, while the company offers a decent benefits package, the pay could be a bit more competitive.

Overall, though, I think Le Pain Quotidien is a great place to work, and I would recommend it to others looking for a friendly, team-oriented work environment.


my experience here has had its constant ups and downs, slow days/busy days, bad days/good days but it's expected of working in the service industry. but in my experiences however, there have been plenty of good things that have come from working here that overshadow the bad ones. the staff is very selfless and family oriented among themselves, helping you when needed and there to get you through the day. the extensive time i had working here i started off as a retailer and later transitioned to being a server, and eventually trained to work the kitchen. the menu is very simple to learn, and changes seasonally, not to mention being able to try the food rotating in and out of the menu. i also ended up establishing a really personal relationship with my food and grew to respect where it came from and how it got to my table. working the service industry definitely opens your eyes to things you never might have thought of before and comes the blessing of having to learn so much on your journey. overall, it's a good company to work for as long as you put in the effort to show that you want to be there and be willing to learn and be open-minded.

It is fast-paced and my job was to be able to multi-task in washing dishes and finding the appropriate time to take care of other tasks such as: taking out the trash, checking the restrooms, and refilling merchandises needed in both the kitchen and for the restroom.
   I have learn how to not just load dishes in the dishwasher, but most importantly sanitary and safety practices in dish washing and cleaning.
   I hate the schedule to be honest. The only shifts that a dishwasher has is to open or close, so I wish to be able to have a mid-shifts somedays, but that does not exist for the dishwasher job.
   It is nearly impossible to do all things at once when it gets super busy. Dishes kept on piling up so much that I would not get the chance to pause for five minutes to check the restrooms. Two reasons, there is a long line for the restroom which means I am unable go in right away to put in any toilet paper or soap, etc. A second reason is because I do my best to not let the dishes pile up so bad that they might fall. Working in a restaurant is s overwhelming.
   Anyone agrees to when I say the most enjoyable part of the job is when it is not so busy.

I was a server,barista,host,runner,cleaner...and a few more things for a very poor payment. When I got hired the manager who interviewed me give a lot of high expectations about the salary and the work place but as soon I started working I realized 50% of the expectations were a lie.the cook team is just a joke and highly unprofessional ( I met a good ones) then when you get  issues doing your job because of the poor management ; you don't have any body else to support you.  For them you always are a " troublemaker " or " a complainer " even when you prove them your rights. They don't really fallow their vision or mission of the company,  is so sad cos le pain qoutidiand was a very excited,  family style fun place to work,  now is just a joke. They never will really take care about your needs as an employee.  They will give you just 2 or 3 days to work as a part time and then if you get another job, they will get mad on you cos you always have to be " available " what a selfish,  uncomfortable and ridiculously turnover " company ". I quitted after 5 months to try it.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Horrible company. Favoritism is rampant starting from the president of the company down to the district managers. 
The training was great at the location I was send to, but the location I worked for was horrible. The minute I started, the manager immediately took advantage that I was there and took multiple vacations, leaving me to handle everything. 

I even had to cook, run the FOH, be a barista, do inventory every Sunday and somehow that was still not enough for this company. When I put in my notice they even took me off the schedule for my last day without telling me. 

Not worth it. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The workload was a lot for what the job paid, and the stress was also not worth it. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Toxic, gaslighting constantly. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
I would sometimes work 6-5 in the afternoon with no break because they were not capable of hiring and keeping cooks, so I had to step in to keep the business running.

Typical day as a server includes Greeting guest, taking orders, running your own food, bussing your own tables and making your own drinks and the end of the day cleaning bathrooms and taking out garbage. A lot of regulars, guest tip very well so there's money to be made on the floor however the job requires much more than any other serving job. If you don't mind getting paid 7.25 for high maintenance job then this is the job for you. Most enjoyable part of the job is the guest, they are mostly regulars so you get to know them pretty well. In terms of benefits all you really get is 50% of really expense food so either way you're still paying way too much for an Avocado toast. If I could give management 0 stars I would. Manager is always screaming to the top of her lungs and degrades workers but the staff learns to not take it personal. However overall if you don't mind being stress, its not too bad an there's money to be made.

I thought I was put in a position to make a difference. When it came down to hard decisions, they were scared to get rid of the underperforming and unmotivated employees that brought moral down. The store could have been a cash cow but they would not allow management to put aces in places. Their managers have no idea how to run a store. They never talked to guests. They never were a solution, they were always part of the problem. I would never recommend anyone to work for this company. They don’t pay well, the company cares more about sales (lack thereof) than the people who work for them. You will miss all holidays with your family to make a few bucks for the store. They are down millions of dollars as a company that they will never bounce back from. Broken promises from every executive you cross paths with. They thrive on the gossip instead of getting rid and building a better culture. Not the kind of people I want to work for nor would I recommend.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Barista 2 salaries reported	$15.75 per hour
Server 4 salaries reported	$15.66 per hour
Line cook/prep cook 1 salary reported	$17.25 per hour
Shift leader 1 salary reported	$19.00 per hour
Food service worker 37 salaries reported	$14.16 per hour

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