I think they’ve hit it on the mark? They finally got it right and are catering to the class that returns the most buck to their pocket. It isn’t designed for Gen X or Gen Y but perhaps a slightly older generation that cares more about feeling welcomed, warm, and moves at a more steadier pace. I would say it’s a hybrid of Panera Bread, DD-Lite, and Starbucks. I sense, they’ve attempted to re-focus their brand to what their customer segment wants and not what Einstein thinks they want. In a nutshell, my guess is, Einstein’s true guests are aging baby boomers who are willing to pay a little more for quality food in a comfortable environment and a youth-“like” culture that needs a place to hang out, with class, of course. With that said, this isn’t a place for me or my friends but I-get-the-message, they aren’t necessarily talking to me. I am not a fan.
Bouncing back and forth between bagels and coffee, I think they found that consumers had lost touch with them after the breakfast day part. And while I think the company has known this for years (perhaps forever), they’ve not got it “right” until now? Evaluating their new menu boards, Einstein’s is boldly going strong after the other day parts (in particular lunch). I'm not a fan of images on menu boards because they take up valuable real-estate. And perhaps long term they’ll go without photos and this is all just a part of their long term strategy. But it is clear they are really promoting the “contents between the bun” aka sandwiches, panini’s, wraps, soups, salads, etc., and applying the photos to remind its guests “they” (the guest and Einstein’s – together) are entering a new dimension. I sense the feeling is that they want to create a new space in the quick casual segment? But is there really a new space or is it all just propaganda? So far I’ve seen no concept to do it like Panera. They’ve got the dough to prove it.
By placing the bagels on the front line, they continue to highlight their bagels as their core offering but have “upscaled it;” placing them in a neatly designed glass case. As well, their menu is subtly but strongly suggesting their healthy alternatives and coupled with the new sandwiches Einstein's is making the statement they’ve have finally migrated from Bakery to Café. This last portion, I believe, is the most significant point Einstein’s is attempting to portray as it bodes well with their baby boomer profile.
With the new interior design, implementation of 2 grab-n-go refrigerators, and now a drive thru, they are positioned to balance the “rush” and “plush”. This is also evident by the removal of most, if not all, of the “stainless steel” to white brick, more colors (blues and violets vs. yellowish-orange and all black). The feeling is less “attitude” and more “aptitude”. I can say no more…wait. They’ve even stopped playing the Italian-esque Panera like music and have migrated to soft contemporary, i.e. Jason Mraz, which is unoffending, current, with an added twist of 1980’s rock ‘n roll/power ballad.
They’ve moved their operational lines to the back and have addressed many of inefficiencies of the past. Their inefficiencies were mainly due to the constant and rapid menu extensions, which one could have assumed as being a company strategy ‘cause they’ve done it forever…or for as long as I’ve known them to exist. Nothing wrong with extending so as long as there is demand. With that said, Einstein Brother’s Bagels may have finally gotten her groove back. I remember my experiences of the past where food would (literally) fly through the air, employees would criss cross, everything appeared disjointed, and as my former boss would say, “a complete cluster ______.” (I’ll refrain from the specifics).
Lastly, I feel Einstein wants their customers to Recognize, Remember, and simply put: TASTE, the innovation. I think they’ve been waiting to exhale for a long time and just maybe they’ve got it right this time. But what matters most is that the gears are turning at Einstein’s and I’m certain they’ve put a pretty penny into R&D and have studied extensively to get to this pivotal stage. In the end, the proof will be in the pudding or translated to our language: dollars in the till. And while I’m not a fan, I’m curious to see what happens next…or the time after that…or the time after that.
