Manhattan Bagel Company

What Manhattan Bagel Company does

Manhattan Bagel Company is a privately held, franchised fast-casual restaurant chain founded in 1987, headquartered at 1720 S Bellaire St., Skybox, Denver, CO. The company specializes in authentic New York-style bagels produced via a traditional boil-and-bake method in-store daily, complemented by made-to-order breakfast and lunch sandwiches using fresh-cracked eggs, a variety of cream cheese spreads, 100% Arabica artisan-roasted coffee, sweets and bakery items, and catering services. It operates 85+ locally owned and franchised storefronts across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida, serving individual consumers seeking fresh breakfast and lunch options as well as catering clients ordering through the ezcater platform. Manhattan Bagel is wholly owned by Panera Brands, one of the world's largest fast-casual restaurant conglomerates that also encompasses Panera Bread, Caribou Coffee, and Einstein Bros. Bagels.

Revenue is generated through a multi-stream model: per-transaction retail food sales at franchised locations, franchise fees and ongoing royalties from franchisees, catering commissions via ezcater, sale of e-Gift Cards, and bundled promotional pricing such as the Baker's Dozen Value Pack & Coffee-to-Go at $34.99. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through brick-and-mortar stores augmented by digital channels — the ManhattanNow mobile app (iOS/Android) and ChowNow-powered web ordering for delivery and pickup, plus an eClub email loyalty program delivered via Constant Contact. The company's 2025 product initiatives include the Manhattan Pastrami sandwich and Big City Attitude campaign, signaling a menu and brand-positioning refresh. Manhattan Bagel does not disclose revenue, has no venture or private equity funding history, and operates with 251–500 employees.

Name

Manhattan Bagel Company

Legal name

Manhattan Bagel

Website

https://manhattanbagel.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Manhattan Bagel Company, founded in 1987, is a privately held franchised fast-casual chain operating 85+ NY-style bagel stores across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast US, owned by Panera Brands and serving individual consumers and catering clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fast Casual Bagel Restaurant

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Bread and Bakery Product Manufacturing (31181), Baked Goods Retailers (445291)

SIC

Bakery Products (2050), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Cafe-Bakeries (Bakery + Coffee/Foodservice) (THAFAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sandwiches & Wraps Fast Casual (THAFABAG)

Keywords

• Bagel restaurant chain
• Fast casual dining
• Breakfast sandwiches
• Catering services
• Franchise restaurants

Headquarters

HQ city

Westfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Food Sales: Direct sales of freshly made bagels, breakfast sandwiches, lunch sandwiches, coffee, and beverages through company-owned and franchised retail locations.
2. Catering Services: Catering orders for events and gatherings including bagel platters, sandwiches, salads, sweets, and coffee. Powered by ezcater platform.
3. Franchise Fees and Royalties: Franchise opportunities available; franchisees pay initial fees and ongoing royalties in exchange for brand rights, systems, equipment, and business model support.
4. Gift Cards: Sale of e-Gift Cards for in-store purchases, valid at participating Manhattan Bagel locations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Manhattan Bagel operates a franchised fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in authentic New York-style bagels that are boiled and baked fresh daily in-store. The menu centers on made-to-order breakfast and lunch sandwiches using fresh-cracked eggs and hot-off-the-grill preparation, complemented by 100% Arabica artisan-roasted coffee, bakery items, and catering services for group events.

Product overview

Manhattan Bagel operates as a franchised fast-casual restaurant chain offering a unified portfolio centered on authentic New York-style bagels. The core product line includes fresh boiled-and-baked bagels sold individually, complemented by bagel spreads and cream cheeses. The menu expands into made-to-order breakfast sandwiches and deli-style lunch sandwiches featuring fresh-cracked eggs and various proteins. Supporting products include coffee and beverages (espresso drinks, cold brew, smoothies), sweets and bakery items (muffins, pastries, cookies), and catering services for events. Additional offerings include gift cards and the eClub email loyalty program. A ManhattanNow mobile app (powered by ChowNow) enables online ordering for delivery or pickup. All products and services are available through locally owned and operated franchise locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fresh Bagels
• Bagel Spreads
• Breakfast Sandwiches
• Lunch/Deli Sandwiches
• Coffee & Beverages
• Sweets & Bakery
• Catering Services
• Gift Cards

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Panera BrandscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManhattan Bagel is part of Panera Brands, one of the world's largest fast casual restaurant companies, comprised of Panera Bread, Caribou Coffee, and Einstein Bros. Bagels. The brand benefits from organizational resources, systems, and shared operational expertise.
• ezcatercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCatering services powered by ezcater platform, allowing customers to order catering for pickup or delivery from Manhattan Bagel locations.
• ChowNowcoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline ordering platform partner providing delivery and pickup ordering capabilities. Also powers the ManhattanNow mobile app available on iOS and Android.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cosi: Cosi is a fast-casual cafe chain serving sandwiches, salads, soups, flatbreads, and coffee. It shares the bakery-cafe daypart profile and made-to-order positioning that defines Manhattan Bagel's customer experience.
• Pret A Manger: Pret A Manger operates urban bakery-cafe locations selling freshly made sandwiches, salads, breakfast items, and coffee. Its emphasis on made-to-order preparation and fresh daily production closely parallels Manhattan Bagel's value proposition.
• Au Bon Pain: Au Bon Pain is a bakery-cafe chain serving sandwiches, soups, salads, pastries, and coffee in a fast-casual setting. Its bakery-and-foodservice format closely mirrors Manhattan Bagel's cafe-bakery model and customer use case.
• Bruegger's Bagels: Bruegger's Bagels operates a regional bagel chain focused on authentic NY-style boiled-and-baked bagels, breakfast sandwiches, and coffee. It serves a similar customer use case (daily breakfast, grab-and-go) with comparable product format and pricing tier.
• Noah's New York Bagels: Noah's New York Bagels is a West Coast bagel chain selling NY-style boiled-and-baked bagels, breakfast sandwiches, deli sandwiches, and coffee. Directly comparable on product format, daypart mix, and bakery-cafe positioning.
• Einstein Bros. Bagels: Einstein Bros. Bagels is a direct comparable operating NY-style bagel bakeries with made-to-order sandwiches and coffee. Most critically, it is the sister brand to Manhattan Bagel within the Panera Brands portfolio, making it the closest strategic and operational peer.

Broad incumbents

• Starbucks: Starbucks is the dominant national coffee and breakfast chain, with an expanding food menu including breakfast sandwiches and bakery items. It competes with Manhattan Bagel for morning traffic, coffee occasions, and digital loyalty engagement at massive scale.
• Panera Bread: Panera Bread is the flagship sister brand within the Panera Brands portfolio, operating a national fast-casual bakery-cafe concept. While broader in menu scope (soups, salads, panini), it competes for the same breakfast and lunch occasions and shares corporate resources.
• Tim Hortons: Tim Hortons is a North American QSR chain specializing in coffee, breakfast sandwiches (including bagels), and baked goods. Its product mix, daypart focus, and franchise-driven expansion model closely parallel Manhattan Bagel's operating approach.
• Dunkin': Dunkin' is a national QSR chain with dominant share in the morning daypart, serving bagel breakfast sandwiches, coffee, and beverages. It competes with Manhattan Bagel for the same grab-and-go breakfast occasion at a lower price point and with much greater marketing scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/manhattanbagel
• Facebookfacebook.com/ManhattanBagel
• Instagraminstagram.com/manhattanbagelofficial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Manhattan Bagel Company