HOUSTON - The operator of more than a dozen Panera Bread locations across the Houston area is in legal and financial hot water, facing a federal lawsuit from Panera Bread, and filing for bankruptcy protection.

What we know:

EYM Café of Texas LLC, a franchisee of Panera, operated 15 stores in the Houston area. Chad Rainey was an assistant general manager at one of them. He says he moved locations for a promotion in the company and shortly after, on his birthday, he was told the store was closing and he no longer had a job.

"There's 15 stores with 40 to 60 employees per store - we're all out," he said.

Rainey says his last paycheck is supposed to hit Friday, but EYM Cafe hasn't responded to any inquiries from employees on how to collect that payment.

"I'll be on the street. I have no

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