01 Mar Meet Robert Koenig

“We have a lot of regulars and I am on a first-name basis with many of them,” – Robert Koenig

It took Robert Koenig only one second to identify what he loves the best about working at the Independence Panera Bread.

“It’s the opportunity to train others,” Koenig said. “

Koenig, who has been working at Panera since 2013, was promoted in January to an assistant shift leader position. Prior to that, he worked as an associate trainer. “I love helping employees understand why it’s so meaningful to work here.”

The Independence Panera restaurant is a designated training site. He said new workers from many communities where Panera Bread restaurants are located come to his restaurant for training.

He said training does teach some specific steps regarding such issues as portion control. But he said there’s also a significant amount of the training that deals with the company’s cultural values. “We want employees to like working here. If everyone likes working here, the better everyone’s mood will be and work is really enjoyable.”

Koenig, who graduated from high school in Spring 2014, plans to enroll in the Fall in a welding program.

But he says it may be hard to leave Panera, even after he is a certified welder.

“The employees here all get pretty close-knit,” he said.

He was touched when his co-workers brought a cake to celebrate his birthday. And it’s not just his co-workers who have become his friends. It’s also the customers.

“We have a lot of regulars and I am on a first-name basis with many of them,” he said.

In his time with the Covelli Panera Bread restaurant, Koenig said he has learned many important lessons, including how to cooperate and how to become friends with just about anyone.

When he’s not working at the restaurant, Koenig said he enjoys restoring vintage motorcycles.

He has a 1971 Honda. “She’s all torn down now but I’ll get her back and running and then I drive her here in the summer.”