php - JSON post response is undefined/empty laravel 5 -

in head tag, declared this

<meta name="csrf-token" content="{{ csrf_token() }}" /> 

and script

$(document).ready(function(){     $.ajaxsetup({ headers: {'x-csrf-token': $('meta[name="csrf-token"]').attr('content') } });      $.post("/employees", {id : "1"}, function(response){     if(response.success)     {         var branchname = $('#branchname').empty();         $.each(response.employees, function(){             $('<option/>', {                 value:$(this).user_no,                 text:$(this).firstname             }).appendto(branchname);         });     }     }, 'json'); //end of json post request }); //end of document ready 

and html select tag used when displaying json response

<select id="branchname"></select> 

my route use json post request

route::post('employees', [     'as' => 'employees', 'uses' => 'mot@getemployee' ]); 

and controller used in route.

public function getemployee(){     $branch_no = "1";     $employees = mot_users::where("branch_no", $branch_no)->lists('firstname','lastname', 'user_no');     return response()->json(['success' => true, 'employees' => $employees]); } 

problem: yes did response seems data empty/undefined because select box empty yet occupied several option tags like

<select id="branchname">     <option></option>     <option></option>     <option></option>     <option></option>     <option></option>     <option></option>     <option></option>     <option></option>     <option></option> </select> 

and tried like

$.each(response.employees, function(){     alert($(this).user_no); //hoping id on json data response. }); 

instead of

$.each(response.employees, function(){     $('<option/>', {         value:$(this).user_no,         text:$(this).firstname     }).appendto(branchname); }); 

but gives me "undefined".

questions: whats wrong code? missing something? why select tag id branchname empty? how can pass id post data key route controller querying stuff dont have manually set $branch_no variable instead use whats json post request sent routes controller?

ps: im newbie in laravel 5 i'm on part on figuring things out. help, suggestions, recommendations, ideas, clues fix issue appreciated. thank you.