Gabe's Bagels — Restaurant in East Hanover

I recently had an unfortunate experience at Gabe's Bagels in East Hanover, NJ, that I feel compelled to share. My fiancé and I arrived at the establishment 10 minutes before their advertised closing time of 1 PM, expecting to purchase a quick item before they wrapped up for the day. To our surprise, as my fiancé approached the door, the staff visibly locked it in front of her, making direct eye contact but refusing entry despite the business still being within its stated operating hours.

While I fully understand the frustration that can come with customers arriving close to closing time — having worked in retail myself years ago — there is a fundamental expectation that businesses honor the hours they publicly advertise. Customers rely on these hours when planning their visits, and to deny service within those hours is not only unprofessional but could be viewed as a failure to fulfill an implicit contract with patrons.

This incident left us feeling disrespected and unvalued as potential customers. Moreover, it raises concerns about the integrity of the business’s practices. Closing early without notice, particularly while customers are present, reflects poorly on an establishment’s commitment to its clientele.

I hope Gabe's Bagels reviews this policy and trains its staff to better handle these situations moving forward. Honor and professionalism during business hours are not just good customer service principles but also important to avoid potential legal implications tied to false advertising or noncompliance with operational standards. Customers should be able to trust that an establishment will remain open during its posted hours.

This experience has unfortunately deterred me from returning, and I would advise others to be cautious when...

Not satisfied, will not return. Stingy, undersized bagels (see photo: less than the diameter of a coffee lid) even more stingy, thin application of cream cheese (see photo) compared to every other bagel shop we have ever visited. I urge customers who are rating this place with 4/5 stars to try other shops so that you see by comparison how little you’re getting for your money. Prices however were full-sized, not for the mini treatment we experienced. French toast bagel seemed hard—like from day before. Heavy sun glare through front window made it very difficult to see display cases. Advice to owner: Get some shades for your morning customers, then sample what the competition is offering. Server was polite. I liked the olive cream cheese, the tiny little bit they were able to spare, despite asking for it to be applied to both sides...

Ordered a bagel with taylor ham and egg which I thought was over priced. Overall it was tasty but would've expected more ham and/or egg for that price.

I'm giving service 2 stars only because the last employee I communicated with handed me my bagel and actually said to have a nice day. The first gentleman who tended to me was not welcoming at all. Note: I was the only customer at the time so it's not like they were busy.

Rating atmosphere 3 stars. The energy in this establishment was low.

Overall, my food order was good but unfortunately the customer service is just not there. Greeting customers is free and makes them feel welcomed and want...