What To Know About Einstein Bros.' Breakfast Menu
If breakfast is your favorite meal of the day, then you probably know where to find the best cup of coffee, the best bagel, and the best egg sandwich in the vicinity. Whether you frequent your locally-owned bakery or the nearby Starbucks barista has your order memorized, there is a breakfast joint for everyone these days. Enter Einstein Bros. Bagels, which aims to hit that sweet spot between a major fast-casual breakfast chain and a self-described "neighborhood bagel shop."
Einstein Bros. has a somewhat puzzling history including controversial business ties, but most know it for its wide variety of bagels that can be customized in a number of ways. Whether you want a simple bagel with cream cheese or a fully loaded breakfast sandwich, you'll find it here. Plenty is hiding under the surface when it comes to Einstein Bros.' breakfast menu, so let's dive in and discover more about the chain and what it has to offer early morning customers.
Fans have their favorite experimental combos
Visit any Einstein Bros. location and you will be presented with a display case containing an array of bagels to choose from when ordering breakfast. Add to that the number of shmears (Einstein Bros.' take on the Yiddish word schmear which typically refers to a cream cheese spread) as well as the multitude of sandwich ingredients, and you end up with a seemingly endless amount of breakfast possibilities. Sure, you could just order a bagel with cream cheese and call it a day, but the sheer volume of choices should inspire you toward creative experimentation.
With so much to choose from, some fans have taken it upon themselves to tinker with the menu to create their own specialty orders. One Redditor shared a simple Einstein Bros. breakfast hack they use to add variety to their mornings: an open-faced bagel with a different shmear on each half of the bagel. That way, there's no hesitation when deciding between your two favorite shmears.
Meanwhile, Orlando Weekly reported that the bagel mecca was offering "toppers" as a way for customers to level up their breakfast. With add-ons on top of a flavored bagel with shmear like fruit, granola, and nuts, a simple breakfast is quickly enhanced. Another Redditor shared that they get Einstein bagels from their local Costco, which allows them to "have a field day" with extras they wouldn't normally find at Einstein Bros., like Gruyère cheese.
Don't live near an Einstein Bros. location? Head to Costco or Walmart
Einstein Bros. is not the largest fast-casual breakfast chain around, but you can find a decent number of locations depending on the area. Nonetheless, if you do not live near it, there are still a couple of ways you can enjoy the restaurant's breakfast items at home.
There are few things more exciting than realizing your favorite restaurant products are sold at grocery stores, and that is exactly the case with Einstein Bros. Bagels. Costco's Kirkland brand teamed up with Einstein Bros. to offer a pack of six bagels you can shop for in-store or online (via Instacart). The bagels can also be found at various Walmart locations, both in-store and online. The bagel expert even started selling its very own Everything Bagel seasoning according to a press release, which was launched at Sam's Club locations nationwide in 2021, with plans of expanding in 2022.
Be wary of its sugary beverages
In addition to bagels and breakfast sandwiches, Einstein Bros. sells a number of coffees and other beverages. Bagels and coffee seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly, so it should come as no surprise that the caffeinated brew is just as plentiful at Einstein Bros. But if you want something a little fancier than plain old coffee, there are a number of frozen breakfast drinks to try as well.
A quick glance at the menu should reveal the cold brew shakes, which include caramel, vanilla, and chocolate flavors. Einstein's cold brew coffee is blended with various syrups, topped with whipped cream, and drizzled with even more syrup. As you might imagine, these sweet treats pack a punch in terms of calories, ranging from 520 to 620 calories per drink.
One Redditor who currently works at Einstein Bros. points out that the frozen drinks are not the healthiest choice, especially since the syrup is just highly concentrated sugar. If you need something cold, they suggest simply ordering a regular coffee drink over ice.
There are ways to enjoy a more health-conscious breakfast
As delicious as a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich on a bagel can be, the calories add up rather quickly. Indulging in a tasty, savory breakfast is a totally legitimate way to start your day, but you can also enjoy a trip to Einstein's while being conscious of what you are consuming and the associated calories. Much like the suggestion to cut down on sugars and calories consumed in frozen drinks, there are also ways to make your food choices a little more health-conscious.
After all, breakfast is often cited as being the most important meal of the day, and simple adjustments can ensure it's both healthy and delicious. For example, swap refined grains for whole grains, add extra vegetables, and focus on using less processed items (via University of Washington). In that vein, Einstein Bros. offers whole wheat bagels, and its garden avocado egg sandwich includes spinach and tomato, on top of the other goodies.
An additional tip to keep in mind at the chain, according to a Reddit thread, is to be on the lookout for menu options like turkey sausage which are healthier. Also, ordering your shmear on the side gives you better control over how much of it winds up on your bagel.
There's something on the menu for your pet, too
Humans are not the only ones who can enjoy a delicious breakfast treat at Einstein Bros. Much like us, our dogs need to start their day on the right foot (or in this case, the right paw), and Einstein Bros. recognized this fact in 2022. In celebration of National Dog Day, Associated Press (AP) News reported that Einstein Bros. offered a free bag of bagel treats specifically designed with our four-legged friends in mind.
The offer, which ran for one week in August 2022, gave pups a free bag of Einstein Bros.' bagel treats when their owners ordered any egg sandwich or chorizo breakfast burrito. According to AP News, customers can still purchase the bag of bagel treats throughout the year for $1.39 at any Einstein Bros. location. So, keep that in mind the next time you hop in the car to head to your local bagel shop for breakfast — your furry child can reap the benefits of your breakfast run too. Einstein Bros. has offered free doggie treats in the past (via KKTV), so it is always possible this deal could pop up again in the future.
Einstein Bros. came up with a gluten-free Eggel option
By design, bagels are not inherently the best food option if you have a gluten intolerance given their high gluten content (via WebMD). A breakfast chain like Einstein Bros. Bagels might not be at the top of your list if you are looking for gluten-free items, since the doughy bites encompass the vast majority of what the establishment offers.
The restaurant realized this dilemma, and in 2020 it came up with a new and entirely gluten-free menu option called the Eggel. As the name implies, the novel item is made with sous vide prepared eggs that are molded into the shape of a bagel. Baking Business reported that Einstein Bros. came up with the product to "meet the needs of (our) gluten-free friends," and not as a way to keep up with carb-conscious menu items at competing chains. Einstein Bros. quickly realized that the taste of gluten-free bagels simply cannot compare with regular bagels, so its recipe developers came up with something entirely different that packs in a ton of flavor.
The bakers at Einstein Bros. Bagels start their day early
No matter how early you arrive at your go-to breakfast spot to pick up a cup of coffee and a bagel with cream cheese, there is always a hard-working team of bakers and cashiers who have been there for hours before the first customer. The morning shift starts extra early at Einstein Bros. Bagels, with a team of bakers arriving "ahead of the sunrise" (even as early as 2 a.m.) to begin baking the signature bagels.
Einstein Bros. especially wants its customers to know that its bagels are among the freshest anyone will find at a fast-casual restaurant chain. Baking them is not a simple one-and-done process that only happens before opening — it is an all-day affair. The baking does not stop at opening; if anything, it's just beginning. Einstein Bros. emphasizes that its bagels are baked all day long (every four hours to be precise), ensuring that whenever a customer arrives for breakfast, their order will be as fresh as possible.
It has a rewards program for loyal customers
More and more restaurant chains are getting in on loyalty rewards programs, and Einstein Bros. is no exception. For the most loyal and enthusiastic customers, the Shmear Society provides an opportunity to score deals on bagels and sandwiches — because who doesn't love free breakfast? The program is free to join and for every $1 spent in-store, customers are guaranteed two points. As they accumulate points, they can choose from a number of rewards which are all listed on the handy mobile app.
For example, points can be redeemed for bagels, sandwiches, baked goods, and beverages. The rewards are not just associated with the number of points. Simply by signing up, members receive a free bagel and shmear with purchase. Then, once a year members can come in for a free egg sandwich with a purchase on their birthday. Rewards typically have a certain window of time during which the member can redeem them, so keep a close watch on your in-app offers to avoid missing out on savings.
It once sold a caffeinated bagel
There is nothing quite like a tall cup of coffee to wake you up and get your day going. A jolt of caffeine is sought after by countless individuals every morning, but breakfast should keep you both energized and full. If a simple cup of coffee is not enough to revitalize you, you may be inclined to add a shot of espresso too. But Einstein Bros. took caffeine to a whole new level in 2017.
The Espresso Buzz was not a beverage at all — it was a bagel. That's right, Einstein Bros. sold a caffeinated bagel containing 32 milligrams of caffeine, according to Today. That's roughly the same amount of caffeine you would find in one-third of a standard cup of coffee. The bagel was just one in a new lineup of Boosted Bagels, which also included a cherry chia and savory parm bagel, according to a press release.
In an email sent to Fox News, Einstein Bros.' senior vice president and head of marketing Kerry Coyne noted the company had watched "the coffee category expand and adapt as Millennials converted to coffee drinkers." Coyne explained that the company's culinary team was eager to create a "hand-crafted sensory experience with the beloved category hero of espresso in our best-in-class, fresh-baked bagel." And so the Espresso Buzz bagel was born.
You can get more than just bagels at Einstein Bros.
Walk into any Einstein Bros. location and you'll find a variety of bagels encased in a display awaiting customers. Even if you order a breakfast sandwich, the chain does not offer an array of sandwich bread, and instead, serves them on your bagel of choice.
If you're looking for something a little different from the standard, you'll find that there are, in fact, menu items that use a total of zero bagels. Einstein Bros. sells the Big & Bold breakfast burrito, as well as a chorizo breakfast burrito that was introduced in 2022, according to a press release (via PR Newswire). And no, the burrito does not come in a bagel but is instead wrapped in a flour tortilla as you would expect.
However, another specialty menu item offered at Einstein Bros. may have left more than one person scratching their head. In 2020, People Magazine reported that after a successful test run the year before, Einstein Bros. was launching the Bagelrito, basically a mash-up of a burrito and its signature bagel. The Bagelrito consists of two cage-free eggs, thick-cut bacon, turkey sausage, cheese, hash browns, salsa, and green chilis wrapped in a flour tortilla. The fun doesn't stop there; the tortilla is further wrapped in Asiago bagel dough and baked into the ultimate bagel and burrito hybrid. It might have to remain a figment of your imagination for now, as the Bagelrito is not currently on Einstein Bros.' online menu.
Breakfast isn't served for dinner at many Einstein Bros. Bagels locations
As a fast-casual chain that focuses mainly on bagels and breakfast sandwiches, Einstein Bros. is a go-to morning stop for many. But there are plenty of us who would gladly enjoy a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich for dinner. Depending on your local franchise, however, you may have to plan on only visiting in the first half of the day.
That is because a number of locations close in the afternoon, with some spots shutting their doors as early as 2 p.m. daily. Some customers have even pointed out the premature closing times when sharing their thoughts in reviews with others (via Tripadvisor). For staff, the early closing time can be a perk since evenings are off, as one Einstein employee pointed out on Indeed.
Opening hours have been a point of contention for many customers over the years. Even as far back as 2011, students at the University of Louisiana Monroe mentioned that by the time they were out of class, the Einstein Bros. on campus was closed. While some locations do stay open for late lunch, do not be surprised if you are unable to order a breakfast sandwich — or anything at all — at dinner time.
Don't sleep on the sweet bagels
Depending on your taste buds, you might prefer your breakfast to be either sweet or savory. While some of Einstein Bros.' more popular bagels fall on the savory side of the spectrum (particularly its Asiago bagel which contains three types of cheese), everyone should consider giving the sweet bagels a try. An Insider writer shared that her personal favorites were the cinnamon-sugar and apple-cinnamon bagels. Einstein Bros. may not sell any donuts, but its sweet bagels may just as well be a fine substitute.
Multiple commenters on a Reddit thread agree that the establishment's sweet bagels are not to be missed. With flavors like French toast, chocolate chip, and blueberry, you'll have plenty to choose from on your next bagel run. Meanwhile, one Redditor doubled down on fruitiness, describing a blueberry bagel with strawberry shmear as being "absolutely scrumptious." Another Redditor said their go-to order was the cinnamon raisin or chocolate chip bagel with honey almond shmear.