Bagel World — Restaurant in Reading

EDIT TO ADD - 10/7/25 I have not been back here since writing the original review because this location has been so disappointing. I just went back for the first time and have left disappointed yet again! I asked for a garden salad sandwich on a TOASTED bagel. When I got back to my work, my bagel was not toasted. Does this location not have a toaster? Every single time I have ordered from here I ask for my bagel to be toasted. And every single time it is not toasted. They also did not cut the bagel all the way through and I had to grab a knife to finish cutting it, good thing I didn’t try to take a bite while in the car and I waited to get back to my desk or the sandwich would have gone all over me and the car. This is so disappointing. I guess I’ll have to keep going to the Peabody location since the Reading location can never get anything right!

I have frequented the Peabody location for many years and have rarely been disappointed! I recently started going to the Reading location more often and I must say every time I go I leave disappointed. I’m not sure if they use different recipes or produce but it never tastes as good and they are extremely skimpy with portions! I usually ask for my bagel to be toasted extra (which the Peabody location always does perfectly) and my bagel is barely even toasted at all. When I ask for cream cheese, there’s barely a thin layer spread across the bagel compared to Peabody’s cream cheese portions. This leaves the whole sandwich tasting dry / just like a piece of untoasted plain bread. The produce they use (eggs, bacon / sausage, turkey, veggies etc) also just don’t taste as good or fresh. This has been consistent across the 8-10 times I’ve gone in the last 2 months. Such a shame because the Peabody location has always been wonderful...

This review is not to do with how good their food is,their bagels are amazing. However, today my family of 8 waited in the Drive-Thru line for over 30 minutes. All we wanted were bagels and cream cheese. when we got up to the drive-thru sign it says you can only do 3 or less sandwiches. We were told that they could not do that we would have to come inside. The irony is that the bagels and cream cheese under not the sandwich section. I went inside and went to the express line because I wasn't going to wait another 30 minutes inside (the line was wrapped around inside). They pulled me out of the express line (after I waited another 10min) and told me that I could not get 8 bagels is in that line. I tried to explain the situation but she just kept interrupting me. Finally I said please let me explain the situation. she finally stop interrupting me and let me lay all the facts out and then she still told me that she couldn't do it in that line. I left call the store and ask for the owners number they gave me the number for the other store. I explained to her the situation again and I said I'm going to give you another chance to serve a customer the right way and she refused again. it pains me to say as much as I liked the bagels we will never be going there again unless this is rectified. I live 10 years in New York and I know what a good bagel is I also know what good service is. never once did we face something like this at a bagel shop in New York. This bagel shop doesn't have any competition and thinks they can just burn their customers and not suffer the consequences. they have no clue what true customer service is like and for this reason I will not be returning until that...

Bagel World III is a harsh mistress. The bagels, coffee and sandwiches are worth the wait, but the wait is loooong. We've had some mild service issues before and some goofs on larger orders, but nothing truly egregious yet, although we have friends who have sworn off the bagels because of bad experiences. Lots of those experiences come from misunderstandings about the rules that govern Bagel World, which are many and myriad. One line is for bagels only, another is for customers who want sandwiches in addition (both serve coffee). Don't mix up the lines, or you'll have a bad time. The drive thru is our go to option, although the line often backs up onto 28 and gets dispersed by the police (the bagels are really that good!). You'll wait a while, but usually no longer than 20 minutes. There is a limit to the number of sandwiches you can order in the drive thru (3) which can cause some screaming matches over the intercom, as will the drive thru's propensity to close suddenly about an hour before hard close! Don't get in line after 1:50ish, ever. The bagels are killer, huge selection and a variety of cream cheeses too. We go for the sandwiches and get BLT, chicken salad or pastrami, usually with the half sour pickles (house made and good!). The coffee isn't particularly adventurous but is well executed, as are the smoothies. The first few times through here can be harrowing, but the food will keep you...