SWAMPSCOTT — Regular customers of the Dunkin’ on Paradise Road might remember a certain friendly face of Manager Janet Pandalfo, who will leave the company after 38 years of loyal service on Saturday.
Pandalfo said she’s looking to switch gears a little bit. Her next venture will be different, a new chapter. She will be managing the cafeteria for the Glover School in Marblehead.
“I was in high school when I started working for Dunkin’, at this location, actually,” she recalled. “I had just turned 14 when I started, and now I’m 51.”
Pandalfo explained how she had gained experience working at other locations throughout the surrounding cities and towns.
“I left here for a little while but always stayed with Dunkin’,” she said. “At one point, I went to work in Lynn for a little while, and I was there for several years. … I also worked in a location in Peabody. Most of my work was at this store — it’s been my home.”
She said after finally returning back to the location on Paradise Road, she’s been there for the last 15 years.
Pandalfo continued, explaining what company loyalty means to her.
“It means dedication. For me, it just feels like family. A lot of times, Dunkin’ came first. I’ve really enjoyed working here,” she said. “My customers who come in here, I think, always appreciate seeing me. They’re like, ‘Janet’s here!’ and their orders I know by heart. I try to start off their day in the right direction.”
She added that throughout her time at the company, “Dunkin’ has come a long way.
“Everything was just kind of verbal back in the day. … Now, everything is computerized with all of these labels, and you have to hand-write everything. I got to see all that change happen.”
She said she’s eager to start her next chapter, and ready to bring the skills she’s honed throughout her time at the company to her next professional endeavor.
“It’s a bittersweet thing,” she said. “It’s really sad, but I’m really excited to go on my next adventure.”
