Einstein Bros. Bagels Maps Growth, Refreshes Design

Einstein Bros. Bagels will open more than 100 bakeries in new and existing markets this year through 2026, with a fresh design featured in all new store openings next year and select remodels.

Called Elevate the Morning, the design helps to deliver a more inviting, elevated and seamless experience for guests.

“The new modern image bagel case design is a larger 360 glass display case centrally located on the front service line so that it is a direct focal point for the customer as they enter the bakery,” Matt Copenhaver, chief development officer, tells FER. “Earlier store designs prioritized operational efficiency which resulted in a smaller case that wasn’t as visible and didn’t celebrate our variety of bagel flavors that are baked fresh all day. We found guests love to look at the varying flavors as they choose the bagel they want for breakfast each morning, so a larger and easier to see case adds to the joy of a bagel bakery experience.”

The format also includes an order-ahead fixture that creates a distinct area for guests to pick up their digital orders. “Our current design was made when digital orders were a smaller component of the business,” Copenhaver says. “The pickup area was built into the front counter where our in-bakery guests were queueing to place and pick up their orders. By separating and creating clearer guest flows, guests can move around the bakery in a more frictionless way.”

New store openings in Ohio, Utah, Georgia and Nevada later this year will mark the debut of the Elevate the Morning format, which also includes premium finishes and neighborhood character. Cincinnati will serve as an innovation hub, where existing Einstein locations, along with former Bruegger’s Bagels sites, will be remodeled this fall to pilot design elements and operational refinements before the national expansion.

Einstein has more than 700 locations nationwide and is part of Panera Brands, which also includes Panera Bread and Caribou Coffee.

Editor’s note: This story features updates since it was first published.