Searching for the best, fastest bagel breakfast sandwich nearby
Bagels have always been my go-to breakfast food. I’m always down to try new places, but recently I was thinking about different bagel places and realized I don’t have a favorite bagel spot. I just seem to always find the place nearest to where I am and buy one.
That prompted my search to figure out which bagel place is actually my favorite. I decided to test breakfast bagels from Bruegger’s, Tandem, and Dunkin’. I ordered my normal sausage, egg, and cheese on an everything bagel from all three places.
First came the Bruegger’s bagel. I would like to mention how the staff took three tries to get the order right, but that’s beside the point. The wait time canceled out the ordering issue because after I finally ordered, my bagel was ready within a few minutes.
The bagel itself was scrumptious. The egg was cooked just right, and there was a perfect amount of cheese on the bagel. I noticed that other places use too much cheese, but Bruegger’s puts just the right amount for me. I would rate Bruegger’s a 9/10 just because of the hiccup with ordering.
Next, I got the Dunkin’ bagel. I like Dunkin’ because the hours are more expansive. Unlike Tandem and Bruegger’s, which are only open during breakfast hours, Dunkin’ is open all day. I ended up going through the drive-through and was out of there in about five minutes.
The first thing I noticed was that the bagel bread itself was the perfect texture. It wasn’t too stiff and not too soft. In my opinion, the bagel bread makes or breaks the bagel, so Dunkin’ does a really good job at making the perfect bagel bread.
The inside of the bagel didn’t have enough egg or cheese in it. I felt like it was mostly just sausage, which isn’t my favorite. It wasn’t the worst bagel I’ve ever tried, and it is still great when you’re on the move, so I rate that bagel a 7/10.
Finally, I got the Tandem bagel. Tandem in Hadley was the farthest from my home, and when I got there, they were pretty busy. Their motto is “Everything we serve is made right here — fresh, from scratch, and straight from the heart,” so lines are to be expected. The time it took to produce my breakfast sandwich, after waiting in line and ordering, was ten minutes. They did apologize for the wait, which I appreciated because I was already running late.
But it turned out to be worth the wait. This breakfast sandwich was my personal favorite because everything was just right. All the ingredients and the bagel consistency were perfect. I think the bagel was delicious, and the service was nice as well.
I ended up getting a second one that same day, and I will say it wasn’t as crowded as the early morning. That second bagel was also perfect, and there is nothing I would change about it. I rate Tandem a 10/10!
The Bruegger’s Bagel costs $7.69, the Dunkin Bagel costs $4.29, and Tandem cost just over $7. Bruegger’s and Tandem produce their bagels fresh on site, which likely accounts for their higher prices.
To say the least, all three bagels were good, but Tandem was definitely the fan favorite in my opinion. The only downside is that it is in Hadley and I live in Amherst, so it’s a bit of a stretch when I’m hungry and want a snack immediately!
