How Jeff's Bagel Run Is Building Growth Around Bagels and Coffee

At Jeff’s Bagel Run, the morning rush has a rhythm. Coffee gets poured, bagels get sliced, and guests get greeted by name. It's a routine grounded in hospitality, and one that's become central to the brand's growth strategy.

By pairing scratch-made bagels with a purposeful coffee program, the single-shift concept puts two daily rituals under one roof, giving franchise owners another way to drive repeat visits, build loyalty, and strengthen the value of each transaction.

Brewing Up a Business Strategy

The strategy comes into focus on National Coffee Day, when every Jeff’s Bagel Run location offers guests a complimentary hot or iced coffee, in-store only. The visit highlights a beverage menu that also includes cold brew and espresso drinks.

For franchisees, the promotion does more than increase traffic for a day. It puts the brand’s broader breakfast proposition on display. Every bagel is made fresh, from scratch, in every shop, every day. Teams mix, boil and bake bagels throughout the morning and afternoon, then serve them with house-whipped cream cheese spreads and a rotating Bagel of the Day.

“Coffee is an incredibly important part of the morning routine for our guests, and that makes it an important part of the business for our franchise owners as well,” said Catriona Harris, vice president of marketing at Jeff’s Bagel Run. “For us, coffee isn’t an add-on; it’s an important part of how we’re building a complete breakfast occasion.”

Owning the Roaster, Controlling the Quality

A stronger coffee program starts with more control over the product. In 2024, the same year franchising launched, Jeff’s Bagel Run acquired its longtime supplier Otus Coffee, and brought roasting in-house.

Owning the roaster protects quality across markets, secures supply, and gives franchisees a margin structure they can rely on as the system scales.

“We’ve put the same level of care into our coffee program that we put into our bagels, from the quality of the product to how it complements the overall experience,” Harris says. “It gives guests another reason to make Jeff’s part of their regular routine, while also creating an opportunity to build frequency and increase the value of each visit.”

Co-founder Jeff Perera says the acquisition was a deliberate quality play — a way to hold the standard across the full guest experience as the brand grew, rather than outsourcing a core part of the menu to a third party.

Seasons the Whole Store Can Sell

The payoff also shows up on the seasonal calendar, where Jeff's Bagel Run develops a fall lineup that connects beverages, bagels and spreads rather than a single featured item.

This fall, the year-round Pumpkin Spice Latte moves to the front of the menu, joined by two seasonal drinks, a Maple Spice Latte and a Pumpkin Spice Cold Foam Cold Brew. On the food side, a Pumpkin Bagel joins the daily menu alongside Pumpkin Spice and Maple Brown Sugar, and Vegan Pumpkin Spice cream cheese spreads, the brand's first vegan limited-time spread.

“Pumpkin season has become one of our guests’ favorite times of the year, and we’re ready for it too.” Harris says.

For franchisees, the limited time menu creates one promotion that works across the store, from coffee orders to bagel-and-spread pairings, supported by the proprietary platform that already drives more than a quarter of orders through the app. Seasonal beverages roll out on the brand’s own timeline, rather than a supplier.

Growth That Backs the Model

Founded in 2019, Jeff’s Bagel Run operates 40 shops across 10 states, with more than 150 in development, and a mission to expand as a neighborhood brand. Each shop runs a single shift, 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“There’s nothing better than a hot bagel with your favorite spread and a great cup of coffee,” Perera says.

Recently named one of the 10 fastest-growing food and beverage companies on the Inc. 5000, Jeff's Bagel Run is awarding territories nationwide. See what's available in your market at jeffsbagelrun.com/franchising.

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Jeff's Bagel Run
If you share our love for authentic, delicious bagels and crave the chance to be part of a dynamic, rapidly expanding concept, Jeff’s Bagel Run is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for! Learn More