Einstein Bros Bagels

I am not a New Yorker, and have never been there; but yet I feel their anger about the current state of bagels in this country. Bagels outside of the city that never sleeps, they say, are bland, overpriced, and wholly unsatisfying. I’ll leave those considerations aside for the moment to focus on another issue. Somehow, Einsteins and the corporate bagel empire has managed to redefine what the word «toasted» means. Call me a traditionalist, but I think of a «toasted» bagel as one that is hot and crispy on all sides, with a golden-​brown top that crackles when you bite down.
«Toasted» these days at Einsteins, or Panera, or Bruegger’s (pick your poison), apparently means something different, something closer to «barely warmed.» Look at the toaster treadmills they stick those bagels in: they move so fast that the bagels barely have the chance to get situated before they are spit out at the bottom, slathered up, and thrown into a baggie. And don’t think that asking them to run it through the treadmill another time will help much towards its toastedness; it will merely get your bagel from «lukewarm» to «warm.»
It’s a sad state of affairs. At some point in history, some fussy American must have complained to the company headquarters that their bagel took too long and was «burnt.» Someone in a corporate board room somewhere, fielding the complaint, must have decided, as part of a new «strategic vision,» to satisfy this customer by making the rest of us suffer.
In the end, manage your expectations: if you’re like me, you keep going to Einstein’s not because it is excellent, but because it’s close, it’s convenient, and the service is friendly. For 3 bucks, you can tide yourself over till your lunch break, even if it makes you cranky in the process.

Nice people but not on their A game. Went during lunch time but it was empty. I ordered the applewood bacon and cheddar bagel sandwich, Sunchips, and a brownie. Food was tasteless and boring (except the pre-​packaged Sunchips) even on an everything bagel. Will not go back.