Einstein Bros. Bagels is running a limited-time iced coffee promotion priced at $1.99 for any size and any flavor at participating locations nationwide, the Denver-based chain confirmed June 10. A $1 cold foam add-on is available on any beverage during the offer period, lowering the total cost of a customized iced drink well below typical QSR coffee pricing.
For operators watching beverage industry analysis, the move signals how fast-casual and bakery-café concepts are leaning harder into beverage attachment to drive traffic and check frequency. Einstein Bros., which bills itself as America's largest retail bagel chain, is effectively using a coffee deal to pull customers in during dayparts beyond the breakfast sandwich rush — a strategy that has proven durable for chains with built-in morning loyalty bases.
The four-flavor iced coffee lineup gives guests meaningful customization at a single low price point, removing the decision fatigue that can slow throughput during peak hours. The optional $1 cold foam upsell preserves a modest revenue layer while keeping the entry price attractive — a structure that echoes promotional architectures seen across restaurant beverage promotions in recent quarters.
The timing ahead of summer positions Einstein Bros. to compete directly with convenience-store and fast-food coffee programs that have aggressively cut prices on cold beverages over the past two years. Whether the deal converts new coffee-first customers into bagel buyers — or simply rewards existing guests — will determine its longer-term menu strategy value. Coverage of industry pricing trends is regularly tracked by Food & Beverage Magazine, a sister publication in the F&B Network.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
