Carb and cream cheese lovers can look forward to deals celebrating National Bagel Day on Jan. 15.
Bagels were invented in 17th century Poland by Jewish bakers, who were prevented from baking bread as part of anti-Semitic laws. To circumvent these restrictions, they boiled the dough before baking it. In the 19th century, Polish Jews immigrated to North America, bringing bagels with them. In recent years, bagel makers have gone viral with creative takes, including rainbow bagels and stuffed bagels.
Einstein Bros. Bagels recently released its State of the Bagel Report for 2026, summarizing findings from a nationwide online survey of 1,000 adults. Here are some key findings:
- More than half (52%) of those surveyed said they eat bagels any time of day
- 55% of respondents said that bagels are better than doughnuts
- When asked what they’d give up for unlimited bagel and schmear access, more than one-third (36%) would abandon social media scrolling for an entire week and 29% would sacrifice their daily commute playlist
- More than half of those surveyed (56%) admit to licking schmear directly off the knife
Biggby Coffee
Get a bagel and cream cheese for just $1 with the purchase of a 20- or 24-ounce specialty beverage at participating Biggby Coffee locations on Thursday.
Boichik Bagels
For those living in California, Boichik is offering a BOGO bagel deal on Thursday in celebration of the food holiday.
Bruegger’s Bagels
New and existing Bruegger’s rewards members can redeem a free bagel and cream cheese with any purchase on Thursday, according to a company representative.
Call Your Mother Deli
Call Your Mother Deli is giving away lottery tickets (no purchase necessary) on Thursday, giving guests the chance to win prizes such as free coffee, swag or gift cards, or even a whole year of free bagels.
Einstein Bros. Bagels
The bagel chain is offering a free bagel and shmear with any purchase on Thursday.
H&H Bagels
H&H rewards members get a free Spread Sandwich on Thursday, redeemable through the app or in-store.
New Yorker Bagels
Use code “BagelDay” for $7 off your order from now through Thursday in celebration of National Bagel Day.
Noah’s NY Bagels
Rewards members can receive a free bagel and schmear with a purchase on Thursday, according to the company’s website.
Panera Bread
Panera is bringing back its Asiago Bagel Stacks and debuting its new Breakfast Bagel Stacks in celebration of National Bagel Day, a company spokesperson confirmed. Use code BOGOSTACK on Thursday to redeem an Asiago Bagel Stack BOGO deal.
Panera is also hopping on the high-protein trend with its Chicken Roma Asiago Bagel Stack and Spicy Steak Asiago Bagel Stack, which have 32 and 39 grams of protein, respectively.
PopUp Bagels
The viral bagel brand famous for its rip-and-dip bagel concept is launching a new limited-edition flavor on Thursday: Honey Chipotle Cream Cheese.
THB Bagelry & Deli
This Maryland bagel chain is offering a free bagel with cream cheese to loyalty members when they make a $2 purchase on Thursday, a company spokesperson said. Additionally, THB is launching an exclusive bagel for National Bagel Day: the Cinnamon Raisin French Toast Bagel.
