Einstein Bros. Bagels – Univ. of MN

I have been here a few times when I have been on campus for work-​related visits. This is an average place to go for if I am hungry.
Most of the time, I feel like the «old guy» in the area because the customers are mostly young college students. That aspect does not bother me. Considering this business is on campus, I expect it to have long lines all of the time. This is the case every time I am here. I am fine with waiting.
To the business’s benefit, the employees are almost always friendly, quick to serve their customers, and quick to make the food. When it gets busy, they employees seem to carry themselves well. They seem to work under pressure well. I do not get much time to speak with them due to long lines. It is most order, watch them make my food, and grab my food. Despite this, they seem to be in good spirits.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the food quality. Considering the money that I spend on a bagel, the food does not taste the greatest. The quality is not horrible, but it is not outstanding either. I understand that not all of it is the employees’ fault. It is probably something in the bagels. Nonetheless, whatever the issue is, it needs to be fixed soon.
I notice that regarding the cleanliness and order of the work area, it is a hit and miss. I have never seen anything severe, but I have seen some serious messes that affect their job performance. I understand that they are always busy and that it is hard to find time to do serious cleaning. Perhaps, hiring an extra person for cleaning duties would help with this issue.
When I am in the area and need some good food, I will only go here if my friends or co-​workers insist on having bagels. The quality of the food is not anything that I can brag about, nor is it anything on which I would look down.

This place used to be cool. With $ 0.54 coffee refills (bring your own coffee mug), Einstein sent the message that caring for the environment was worth something. That they respected their customers enough not to mark up their coffee 200 percent. I was a loyal customer for years, happy to overlook the quality issues with their products. Today however, I arrived at the store, mug in hand, with my usual $ 0.54, and was turned away empty-​handed. The price of their coffee has suddenly more than doubled. Unless Einstein decides to return to their #1 selling point, the sole thing that set them apart from the multitude of other nearby coffee shops, I will not be returning.
Now it’s just another college bagel place with crappy, overpriced coffee.

Really, less than one star. I’ve been here many times, but today was the last straw. This review does not reflect on the service, albeit on the slow side. That doesn’t bother me nearly as much as the quality (and quantitiy) of the food. I just ordered an Asiago Cheese Bagel and Schmear. Cannot believe I have to report on this. I asked for it toasted, which it was, but when I got back to my desk I couldn’t see any cream cheese. In utter disbelief, I slowly pulled it apart and found an extremely thin layer of melted shmear, barely enough to even make the two bagel pieces stick together. All I tasted was bagel. I paid $ 3.01 for one toasted bagel ($ 2.79 before tax) and I could easily have purchased half a dozen at Walmart for less. Epic Fail, Einstein.
Students or Staff — it makes no difference. We go to a place on campus for breakfast or lunch and we are willing to pay for a properly made food item, something we probably couldn’t have made ourselves or didn’t bring from home. It seems to me they are insulting the intelligence of perfectly intelligent people. We expect more, so we are willing to pay more. They should at least give people their money’s worth.
If you’re going to want a proper bagel, go to Bruegger’s on the corner of Washington and Oak. They load you up on the cream cheese and are not shy about it. I’m just so disappointed in you, Einstein. I demand better.

Let’s call it a red flag when at 12:45 p.m. on a busy weekday and thousands of hungry U of Mers crowd Coffman for lunches and drinks and Einstein Bros. has no line. Bagels and other items already looked old and dried in a sea of crumbs in the cases. I just had coffee and found it on the stale side. The roast was nothing special. I’m glad I didn’t spend any more than I did at this place. Perhaps they are better earlier in the day but so few Unilocalers bothered to write is another red flag.

It’s great to have a place on campus to get bagels. Most employees are students and the service can be slower at the start of semesters when new workers are being trained. Over all not bad service. Grab a cup of soup or salad with the bagel and you have a nice quick meal.