Einstein Bros Bagels

Generally quick service. I have experienced slow service a few times but only when they were packed. Their customer service more than makes up for any potential delay in service. I still think it’s worth mentioning because if you’re in a hurry you might skip a breakfast or lunch here if it looks crowded.
The food is great! I love a warm toasted bagel with the perfect amount of cream cheese (schmear). It goes perfect with a gourmet coffee, chai latte, or fresh squeezed orange juice (or simply orange). Although I might pack on the pounds eating here daily it is definitely a temptation.
The drive through is convenient. The atmosphere inside is warm and inviting. A great place for a quick meeting or some alone time.

Generally this location’s service is good enough to get by without me complaining. Last time I went, however, it was possible the worst service I have ever received at an Einsteins.
First they charged me for a drink I didnt order at the speaker box, but I got a refund, so no big deal. I didnt let it bother me despite them being unapologetic and after I had already repeated myself 4 times at the speakerbox.
Then they took long enough to have 6 other cars waiting after me even though I was originally the only car at the drivethrough. I just let it go and waited patiently for my order. They had to trade deinks with us because they initially gave us the wrong one.
After I left the window, my passenger informed me that his shmear was not what he ordered, but went ahead and ate it because at this point we were running late for a doctor’s appointment.
On the way to the doctor’s we both discovered that they made our drinks incorrectly and I discovered that my bagel was not what I ordered. We went ahead and ate it all because we were late and hungry.
After the doctor’s office I returned to let them know what had happened and that their service needed significant work (I had no intention of recieveing a refund, I just wanted to see inprovement since I would go to this location often on the way to school).
After speaking to one manager about what happened she left without saying anything and a different manager came up talking on her phone. After she had finished her call she told me that she knew that the drinks were correct because she had made them and that she couldnt vouch for whatever the guy on line did because she was making our drinks.
After I told her that the entire order I recieved was wrong including the drinks she said «well, first of all, the girl on drive-​thru was new-​«. I interupted her with «and that’s my fault as the customer how? And other than the extra drink she took my order correctly.» She spoke with the guy on line and told him to show her what he used to make our bagels and returned repeating that she cant vouch for what he did because she wasnt there at the time.
Then she said that if I want a refund that she needed the bagels returned. I said that I dont want a refund and that I was just letting her know that this is unacceptable service. Then she replied «well what do you want me to do?» I said, I dont know, you’re the manager. Then she repeated that for a refund she needed the bagels back and asked where the bagels were. I told her we ate them because since it took so long, we were already late and repeated that I didnt want a refund. Then she said «ok, thank you.» And stared at me like we were done here. Never apologized, never accepted responsibility for her employees only made excuses.
After that I left and went to the 82^nd st location and asked to speak with a manager. I ended up talking with the area manager. After I explained what happened she sympathized and apologized for my poor experience. I thanked her for her apology and she assured me that she would talk to the other manager about what happened and offered me vouchers for free bagels and coffee for my troubles. I took them and thanked her, letting her know that I wasn’t looking or expecting that, but that I appreciated it and that she had done a much better job at handling the situation.
The only problem Im left with is that I dont ever want to show my face at this location again, and so now to use the vouchers I have to make a trip to one of the other ones, which are usually out of my way.

Staff is great — very friendly and helpful. However, I was quite disappointed with my Nova Lox. Our order came out fairly quickly; however, the amount of salmon was measly. Our bagels were not toasted so it was hard to enjoy the first couple of bites because the bagel was cold with barely there salmon. At other locations I’m used to them automatically toasting the bagels and the ENTIRE top being covered with salmon from one side to the other. I had to ask them to toast my bagel which then took away from enjoying the fresh, uncooked salmon or the lack thereof.
I understand the concept of food cost having owned a restaurant but if the item touts lox in its title, make it worthwhile for the customer.

I’ve been coming to Einsteins off and on for a long time and have always been reasonably happy. No more. Today, I ordered Nova Lox. The lox covered no more than half the bagel and there was just the tiniest piece of onion on it. On top of that they were out of several bagel styles, including cinnamon raisin, which I wanted. This was all before 9 a.m. management is pinching pennies to the point where I’m unhappy.

If you love bagels the door of every variety that you could imagine per sandwiches to pizza just your average bagel and different varieties of cream cheese and this is a place for you very good food

Stop in here for an awesome breakfast bagel sandwich and gourmet coffee. I love the egg, spinach, mushroom with swiss cheese on an Asiago bagel. So yum! The coffees are all good too! The cashiers are always friendly as well.

Great service but can be a bit slow. Had their Nova Lox and that took 10 mins for a to go order during non peak hours. Tasted pretty good though. Unfortunately, the coffee was luke warm already at 10:30.

I heard that my coworkers loved Einstein’s so I thought I would bring in some bagels one morning to make them smile. I ordered 1 doz bagels with 2 shmears — honey almond and plain. I thought the price was very reasonable — just over $ 14 for a dozen bagels and 2 cartons of shmears. The honey almond shmear was by far the favorite — it really is delicious. All of the bagels tasted very fresh. I agree with other reviewers that they drive-​thru can take much longer than it should. I waited about 10 minutes with 1 car in front of me. 5 of those minutes was waiting for my order, which involved them quickly grabbing the pre-​made bagels off the rack, putting them in the box, then putting the shmears into the inserts on the top of the box. It shouldn’t be a lengthy process but it’s Lubbock, and I’ve accepted that things run a lot slower here than they do in DFW. All in all, very good experience.

Slowest drive through ever been to. It took 11 minutes to get one bagel and there was only four cars ahead of me… Bagel was cold.

This is by far the largest and most organized Einstein Bagels we have been to. The food is delicious and the service we received from both the management and the staffs were outstanding. Mr. and Mrs. Patel, you have made a fan out of us!

The bagels are great of course and the coffee is fresh but the service is slow at this location. Slowest I’ve ever been to. And there is ALWAYS something wrong with my order. Wrong items, hair in my food, etc. I see a lot of turn over too it seems. Definitely not the place to go if you are in a hurry in the morning!

I went and picked up two Bagel Thin Clubs that were so BAD we had to throw them away! First off it took over 8 minutes to get them, with only one car in front of me. Second both of the Bagels were SO STALE that it was like bitting into a tree branch! Ticket number DT50103. I have had very fresh Bagel Thin Clubs twice from this Store #4025 that were great. I guess they are going out of business to not care what they put thru the window to paying customers. I will not ever go back and pay for such a bad sandwich. Stay away as you also could be in for such a horrible experience as I was today.

I’m a regular at this location and have always had a great experience. Others are correct in that the ordering takes some time but the employees are friendly, the bagels are fantastic and coffee is excellent as well.
What I enjoy the most about Einstein’s is the labels they place on the coffee dispensers that display when the different blends were brewed.

Great food, fast and friendly service, amazing coffee, very clean!

When this place first opened, you couldn’t get in the door because it was so crowded. Good, well-​made food is so hard to find in Lubbock that any newly arrived chain with a good reputation has a hard time meeting the demand of all the hungry people. They had dozens of menu options, and bagels were coming hot out of the oven non-​stop. We tried waiting until they’d been open a few weeks — and the crowds were thinner and more evenly spaced. Sure enough, after a couple of months — the crowds were gone except during peek hours — and no more full bins of hot bagels of every variety.
Why did their business fall off? Maybe because they picked such an out-​of-​the-​way location. It’s only convenient to 1 out-​patient-​surgery (for profit) hospital. Otherwise, it’s not on the way to anywhere.
Also because in the beginning they’d flooded the place with training staff — and as soon as the trainers went back to their home stores and left the locals to run the place — nobody knew what was going on.
And because they were overpriced compared to every other breakfast/​brunch/​snack place in town. And did I mention the wait — even on a good day was 3 – 4 times what it should have been. You could barely get in, order, eat and get out within a stretched lunch hour.
So they chopped off half the menu. Then they cut it again. And now, about the only thing they carry is a limited variety of the company’s bagel flavors, a couple of sandwiches, and a few of their watered-​down flavored cream-​cheese spreads. And over-​priced/​over-​cooked coffee.
When I drove through this week to pick up a half dozen bagels, they had only 2 of the 4 flavors I was looking for and they were cold and nothing special. It’s a shame really.
Back to the grocery store bagels…

It’s no secret that Lubbock needs more bagel places, fortunately Einstein’s is making a good effort at filling the city’s needs. They have a good size crowd in the morning but the lines move quickly and seating is usually not a problem. They offer the standard bagel selection with a few Einstein treats mixed in as well. The staff is helpful and will make good suggestions if you decide to try something new.
I would suggest trying to come early, because the more popular choices sell out quickly. However, they can sometimes make a special version of your favorite depending on what is available. For instance, I love the cinnamon bagel (toasted with honey butter) but those sell out quick. They will occasionally try (depending on the crowd?) to make a cinnamon bagel from something else that is left… like a wheat bagel. It’s always good and I appreciate the effort.

Great food! Especially breakfast.

Service was fast but I ordered the EXTRA topping, but got less then served in other Einsteins as «normal» quantity of schmear.

Very nice people work here!
However do NOT go through the drive thru. It’s always way to crowded and they leave the people sitting out there forever.
They have all the usual Einstein Bros favorites.
The parking is a huge pain because they are in the parking lot of a hotel. I mean massive headache pain.
BUT the store is always clean and people are nice. Not to terribly fast so don’t go expecting to order and run out the door.

Don’t ever get in the drive thru. I have had two experiences (fool me twice? yep.) where I’ve waiting 15 – 20 minutes for a bagel. My friend waiting 25 minutes.
Also, I’ve asked a few basic questions («what’s the difference between a deli sandwich and a signature sandwich?» «What sides come with the sandwich?») and the lady did not know. At all. I’ve dined in 3 times, and my order was wrong twice.
I really, really have to want a bagel to keep coming back. If their lot is empty, go ahead and go in. They just can’t handle more than 3 orders at a time.
EDIT: it’s June 26, 2011. I have been about four more times. Still can’t get an order right. Drive thru has improved.