📋 Study Methodology
Baseline satisfaction study conducted at both brands during March 10–29, 2026.
- Bruegger's Bagels: 84 complete interviews
- Einstein Bros. Bagels: 134 complete interviews
- Total Complete Respondents: 218 customers with all interview fields captured
- Interview Method: AI-powered conversational interview via SMS, identical question set for both brands
- Purpose: Establish current cream cheese/shmear satisfaction baseline for future comparison
📊 Purpose: Establishing the Baseline
This study captures current customer satisfaction with the existing cream cheese product at both Einstein Bros. and Bruegger's Bagels. These metrics serve as the benchmark against which any future formulation changes can be measured.
Key questions answered: How satisfied are customers today? What do they value most? How do the two brands compare on the same product?
📈 At a Glance
⚖️ Brand-by-Brand Comparison
🟠 Bruegger's Bagels
🔵 Einstein Bros. Bagels
🟤 Combined Baseline
📊 Brand Comparison Notes
Einstein Bros. edges ahead on ratings and sentiment (94.5% vs 92.5%), with robust sample sizes (n=134 vs n=84). Both brands deliver strong satisfaction above 92%.
⭐ Rating Distribution
📈 Key Insight: Strong Top-Box Performance
75.1% of rated respondents gave a 5-star rating, and 95.4% rated 4 or 5 stars. Only 3 respondents (1.4%) gave a 1–2 star rating. 1 respondent's rating was not captured.
📊 Complete Statistical Summary
| Metric | Bruegger's (n=84) | Einstein Bros. (n=134) | Combined (n=218) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Rating | 4.63 / 5 | 4.72 / 5 | 4.69 / 5 |
| Sentiment Score | 92.5% | 94.5% | 93.7% |
| 5-Star Ratings | 71.1% (59) | 77.6% (104) | 75.1% (163) |
| 4–5 Star Combined | 95.2% (79) | 95.5% (128) | 95.4% (207) |
| 3-Star Ratings | 2.4% (2) | 3.7% (5) | 3.2% (7) |
| 1–2 Star Ratings | 2.4% (2) | 0.8% (1) | 1.4% (3) |
| Repurchase Intent (Yes) | 91.7% | 90.3% | 90.8% |
| Positive Emotion | 73.8% | 79.9% | 77.5% |
| Loyalty Members | 40.5% | 54.5% | 49.1% |
🎨 Flavor Performance
⚪ Plain — Most Popular (n=83, 38.1%)
🍓 Strawberry (n=29, 13.3%)
🍯 Honey Almond (n=25, 11.5%)
🧅 Onion & Chive (n=22, 10.1%)
🥬 Garden Veggie (n=18, 8.3%)
🌶️ Jalapeño / Jalapeño Salsa (n=21, 9.6%)
Highest rated specialty flavor — strong signal of customer enthusiasm for spicy options.
🧄 Herb Garlic (n=3, 1.4%)
📋 Other / Miscellaneous (n=17, 7.8%)
Includes: butter, peanut butter, egg sandwiches (no cream cheese ordered), and other non-standard responses.
💎 What Customers Value Most
When asked "What characteristics do you look for in a great cream cheese/shmear?":
🟠 Bruegger's Customer Values
"I look for flavor the most, but also value spreadability. I assume freshness."
"Like you find in New York. Fresh, spreadable, not tasting of preservatives."
"I like cream cheese with pieces of vegetables or nuts in it. Grocery store brands don't have fresh, crispy pieces."
🔵 Einstein Bros. Customer Values
"Texture is important to me. No one likes a runny shmear, am I right?"
"Spreadable but also fresh. I like layered on thick but don't want the shmear itself to feel thick."
"I am very sad you eliminated your old blueberry flavor shmear — it was why our family started going to Einsteins."
🎯 Universal Customer Desire
Customers want Flavor + Texture + Freshness + Spreadability — all simultaneously. Flavor is the clear #1 priority (62.4%), but the physical experience matters too.
🏪 Why Choose Bakery Over Grocery?
😊 Emotional Reactions
Emotion Breakdown (Combined)
| Emotion | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Satisfied | 127 | 58.3% |
| Neutral | 26 | 11.9% |
| Comforted | 13 | 6.0% |
| Other positive | 13 | 6.0% |
| Happy | 8 | 3.7% |
| Good / Great | 8 | 3.7% |
| Other | 23 | 10.6% |
Positive vs Neutral/Negative
"Satisfied" dominates at 58.3% — the most common emotional reaction. Notably, zero respondents reported feeling "disappointed."
👤 Customer Demographics
Age Distribution
| Age Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| <18 | 6 | 2.8% |
| 18–24 | 53 | 24.3% |
| 25–34 | 54 | 24.8% |
| 35–44 | 29 | 13.3% |
| 45–54 | 41 | 18.8% |
| 55–64 | 24 | 11.0% |
| 65+ | 11 | 5.0% |
Mean age: 38.4 years | Median: 35 years
The largest group is 25–34 (24.8%), with a broad spread across all age brackets.
Visit Frequency (Combined)
| Frequency | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly+ | 62 | 28.4% |
| 2–3x/month | 46 | 21.1% |
| Few times/year | 39 | 17.9% |
| Monthly | 28 | 12.8% |
| Other/Unclassified | 43 | 19.7% |
28.4% visit weekly or more — a significant base of regular, high-frequency customers.
⚠️ Areas for Improvement
Feedback from customers who rated 3 stars or below (n=10):
Verbatim Improvement Suggestions
"Organic or fewer preservatives."
Bruegger's | Rating: 1/5 | Complaint: cream cheese tastes 'artificial'
"Since it's a 'spread' it has a bitter chemical taste. Real cream cheese would be better."
Bruegger's | Rating: 2/5 | Onion Chive
"The cream cheese was very soft and almost runny. I would like a more solid cream cheese please."
Bruegger's | Rating: 3/5 | Honey Walnut
"More flavor. Taste like plain cream cheese."
Bruegger's | Rating: 3/5 | Chive and Onion
"Your bagels need 3-4 times more cream cheese. You can't even taste the flavor."
Einstein Bros. | Rating: 2/5 | Honey Almond / Onion Chive
"I'm really craving a NY bagel shop with a thick layer of cream cheese. Paid for double and it's still barely a schmear."
Einstein Bros. | Rating: 3/5 | Strawberry
"More cream cheese on shmear."
Einstein Bros. | Rating: 3/5 | Plain
"I'm used to the plain so this was a new taste for me but it's okay."
Einstein Bros. | Rating: 3/5 | Onion Chive
🔍 Common Themes in Low Ratings
Portion size is the #1 complaint — appearing in nearly half of all low ratings across both brands. Secondary themes include product format (complaints about "spread" consistency) and flavor intensity (specialty flavors tasting too bland).
🎯 Executive Summary
Baseline Established: March 10–29, 2026
1. Overall satisfaction is high. With a combined sentiment score of 93.7% and an average rating of 4.69/5, the current cream cheese product delivers strong customer satisfaction at both brands. 90.8% of respondents would reorder.
2. Einstein Bros. edges ahead on ratings. Higher 5-star rate (77.6% vs 71.1%), higher sentiment (94.5% vs 92.5%). With robust sample sizes (n=134 vs n=84), these differences are meaningful.
3. Flavor drives customer choice. 62.4% mention flavor as the #1 criterion. Texture (28.0%), freshness (24.3%), and spreadability (20.6%) follow.
4. Strong reorder intent. 90.8% of customers would order cream cheese again on their next visit, indicating high product loyalty.