Panera Bread CEO Living Off $4.50 a Day for Hunger Awareness

[babylonsister]

He was on Hardball; wonderful to have his voice out there!!!

http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/09/18/panera-bread-ceo-living-off-4-50-a-day-for-hunger-awareness/

Panera Bread CEO Living Off $4.50 a Day for Hunger Awareness

The month-long challenge, previously undertaken by Newark mayor Cory Booker, aims to raise awareness of the 17.6 million U.S. households considered "food insecure"
By Madison Gray @madisonjgraySept. 18, 20133 Comments



What’s it like to live on just $4.50 a day, the rough cost of a Burger King Whopper Jr. meal? Panera Bread CEO Ron Shaich, who makes $3 million a year, is finding out himself and telling the world about it.

Through participation in the SNAP challenge, a program in which he will live for a month on the average daily benefit provided by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (better known to those who are compelled to live on it as food stamps), Shaich says he will experience what it is like to do without.

“Despite everything I have learned about hunger and the various efforts I’ve undertaken to try to make a dent in the problem, I have never actually experienced hunger firsthand,” said Shaich, who was inspired by an article in The New York Times, and is recording his experience through posts on his Linked In page. “I’m not talking about the hunger that comes after skipping a meal. I’m talking about not knowing when or where my next meal will come from on a regular basis.”

The whole effort is part of Hunger Action Month in which people undertake the challenge of living on so little for so long. Incidentally, the House of Representatives is considering legislation that would cut SNAP funding by nearly $40 billion over the next decade.

So far, Shaich, has shopped on a $31.50 weekly allotment, which may seem like he was forced to live on a lean and mean budget and make healthier food choices, but actually means he had to make decisions on what he could and couldn’t shop for. According to his second Linked In entry:

more...

http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/09/18/panera-bread-ceo-living-off-4-50-a-day-for-hunger-awareness/

[notadmblnd]

1. Well that's all good, but what I find myself wondering is

does he pay his employees a living wage?

[babylonsister]

3. Hi! I don't know.

Good question. I'll try to find out.

But this too is Panera~

http://smallbusiness.foxbusiness.com/marketing-sales/2013/01/23/panera-opens-free-food-suggested-donations-only-cafes/


Panera Opens Free-Food, Suggested-Donations-Only Cafes

By Kate Rogers
Published January 23, 2013

[notadmblnd]

7. That's good too.

But do the people that work for him need to utilize the facility or receive food stamps?

IMO, if he does not pay his employees a living wage, then what he is doing is just a PR stunt.

It's one thing to pay a high school kid 8 dollars an hour. It's quite another to pay a single mom with one or two kids 8 dollars an hour.


I found this

http://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Panera-Bread-Salaries-E1493.htm

[babylonsister]

10. Here's a link; looks legit.

http://www.glassdoor.com/Hourly-Pay/Panera-Bread-Hourly-Pay-E1493.htm


And not good, you're right, imo. So everyone makes the same thing regardless of where they live. Even worse.

I'm still a fan of his outreach, but maybe someone needs to ask him publicly why his employees aren't paid a living wage.

[sheshe2]

11. I give kudos to Panera for their "free food" store.

The salaries at glassdoor, and I check them out all the time, are average unfortunately. Starting salaries
are $9. around here. And no they are not a living wage. It's time we change that.

Thanks babylonsister. I appreciate that Panera is aware that there is a problem. I only hope more CEO's are so enlightened and that we see change. People are only asking for a "Living Salary" it's not to much to ask for.

[msongs]

2. money bags slumming for some PR points - raise your workers' pay and they won't NEED SNAP nt

[babylonsister]

4. Wrong again! They're walking the walk...

Panera Opens Free-Food, Suggested-Donations-Only Cafes

By Kate Rogers
Published January 23, 2013
FOXBusiness

Read more: http://smallbusiness.foxbusiness.com/marketing-sales/2013/01/23/panera-opens-free-food-suggested-donations-only-cafes/#ixzz2fNzY5L2F

[Kaleva]

5. My budget for food is $120 a month

And it's been that way for about a year now. I spent just $80 on food in the past 30 days and that's because of produce from the garden supplementing my food supply.

[JaneyVee]

6. Literally just walked in from Panera. Yum!

[Alkene]

8. There is a distinct difference...

between an experiment that you know will end or you can get out of, and living in want with no hope for a better future.

Still, I appreciate his effort to shine a light on hunger.

[etherealtruth]

9. Good for him!

I am hoping he pays a living wage. I have a friend that walked out of her project scientist job and got a job at Panera while she goes back to school (she has decided she want to be an RN ... BS or MS to BSN program). I believe she makes 10-11 dollars an hour. This is not a living wage, but it is significantly higher than minimum wage. I would imagine that wages are different in different markets ....?

[SheilaT]

12. I try to keep my food costs

down to about three dollars per meal. It's hard, and I don't always achieve it. I only eat two meals per day -- but don't feel too sorry for me as I'm over 60 and I honestly only need two meals a day to be okay.

Anyway, two meals a day, seven days a week, two dollars per meal is $28.00 a week. Tough. I make that target about half the time.