Einstein Bros. Bagels — Restaurant in Virginia

We went on 6/9/24 in the morning. There were probably about 6 or 7 customers standing around waiting for food. No problem, I figured it must be a rush time. We waited in line behind someone for a few minutes and then I assume the order taker had us wait to give the bagel makers breathing room. No problem. Eventually after probably 5-10 mins of us just standing there watching the bagel preppers argue, they finally exasperatedly took our order. We then waited for probably another 15-20 mins for our bagels to be prepared. Meanwhile we watched the staff argue among themselves about what orders needed what, what was already done, and some of the time just 3 people staring at the screen not doing anything while they argue about who knows what. They also had a few orders called out that no one picked up, i assume they walked out. The older lady in the gray sweater appeared to be the owner or manager. My husband and i initially commented to ourselves that we appreciated that she was involved and hands on, but after watching for longer we realized it was not a good situation. She seemed to have less operational knowledge than her employees and had to be told where things were, but then when they continued to tell her how to do things shed be combative and defensive. The younger lady seemed to be more knowledgeable but everyone was arguing with her about what to do which I think was adding to the struggle. The older gentlemen seemed like he was trying to help but there was so much arguing that there wasn't clear guidance for him all the time. The cashier and the order taker seemed like they were dying inside watching the arguing and all of us customers felt it too. I assume it isnt part of their role to make bagels so they have to just watch and smile at the customers. I'm not sure why they didn't just have one person handle one customers ticket so they could be working on 3 tickets at a time, but maybe only the young lady had the knowledge? I'm not sure. But my husband managed high volume restaurants for years and this was clearly a flaw in management. I dont think this place should be shut down, but I think they could use some very in depth training from corporate and maybe offer management to the young lady (if she wasn't already. If she is management then she needs more training and less back talk from the others). There was a lot of "i know! I know!" and "i already did!" And other excuses instead of just putting your head down and getting things done. High volume restaurants you dont talk back. You just say "heard!" And do what they asked. Theres no time to waste arguing over what is what. Someone call the shots, everyone makes it happen. All in all, I will be avoiding this location in the future and hope they consider some more training and a more respectful atmosphere. Especially in front...

This was my first time visiting an Einstein Bros. Bagel location, and unfortunately, my experience fell short of expectations. The store itself appeared tired and in need of upkeep. The hard surfaces, including the signage and windows, would greatly benefit from a thorough deep cleaning. The overall presentation of the shop didn't feel inviting or well-maintained.

The staff mirrored the ambiance of the store, appearing tired and disengaged. The employee who assisted me seemed burdened with even the basic task of gathering the 6 bagels I ordered, which made me hesitant to ask for anything additional, such as slicing the bagels. I’m not sure if slicing is something I needed to request specifically, but the lack of enthusiasm in the service left me feeling like a bother for simply placing an order.

As for the bagels, they were as expected in terms of flavor, though they were smaller than anticipated. It’s not the end of the world, but it did feel a bit underwhelming compared to the brand's reputation. A 20oz bottled Coca Cola was $3.49 which seemed steep.

They have a little jar with mini bagels that are intended for dogs, this is a fun little concept

Overall, this visit didn’t live up to the standards I associate with Einstein Bros. A little more attention to the store's cleanliness, a refresh in the energy of the staff, and a clearer or more proactive approach to customer service could significantly enhance...

WHAT A NIGHTMARE! I host monthly events for work and I thought it would be a great idea to get some bagels for one of them. I went online and tried to place an order but couldn't because I had to pay cash. I called the store, and went through the automated response to the catering department. I told them I had to pay cash so the lady on the phone asked me to call the local store (same number I had just called.) I called the same number again and pressed 3 to talk to the store. They lady in the store was rude and not helpful at all. She said that she was not able to place the order and that I had to call catering. So I called, once again. The guy that answered the phone said that I had to call the store. I explained to him the whole situation and how many times I've called and he called the store while I waited. They came to an agreement that we would show up the next morning to just get everything and pay for it. I showed up first thing in the morning to get everything and the girl in the store was extremely rude and told me that she was not doing it, I called catering while in the store and they told her she had to do it and she kept refusing to do so. So here I am, morning of the event with no plan. I ended up going to Chick fill-a and they saved the day! But save yourself terrible costumer service and all the stress and just go...