the bagel shop I can't stop thinking about
my office this week #8
I went to the same bagel place two days in a row.
And when I wasn’t there… I was thinking about it. Planning my return. Deciding which delight on the menu I’m trying next.
Structuring my day around the visit. Timing it carefully so I don’t end up in the morning rush, waiting in a line out the door, melting in the Malaysian sauna.
But there are bagel places everywhere. What is so special about this one?
I sit down at the window seat on my first visit to Grumpy Bagels and immediately know: I want to come back here.
Before I’ve tasted anything. Before I’ve even ordered.
Chelsea. You just got here. I remind my "always in the future" brain. Let's be present in this experience before planning the next one.
I look at the menu. I want to order everything. The french toast bagel. The matcha mochi bagel. The garlic cream cheese bagel sandwich.
I walk up to the counter and realize…. there are even more bagels in the display case.
Things that aren’t on the menu. Each one a small miracle of culinary ambition. A pink taro bagel. A ham and cheese croissant type bagel. Jalapeño. Black sesame. Coffee cream cheese.
Ok. Let’s focus. It’s 2pm. I’ll go for savory today. Then come back tomorrow morning for the sweet ones.
I order the “honey bee” bagel sandwich, and the ham and cheese one for takeaway.
Back at my table waiting for my food to come, I find myself wondering “why am I so obsessed with this place?” After all, I haven’t even tasted the food yet.
I come up with two reasons.
#1: unreasonable innovation
This is a term I’m making up, so here’s my definition:
unreasonable innovation: the kind of creativity that goes beyond what's required to stand out in a market.
Most businesses innovate to differentiate. This takes it somewhere else entirely. To the point where the goal is no longer how do we stand out, but creativity for its own sake.
Grumpy bagels refuses to be constrained by what a bagel is “supposed to be”. They aren’t boxed in by the normal “use cases” of bagels.
The hazlenut, triple chocolate bagel. they’ve ventured into donut category.
The taro mochi bagel. two foods I’ve never seen combined before.
The honey bee bagel sandwich - it’s like a bacon egg and cream cheese, but every single ingredient is elevated. The cream cheese is homemade garlic. The bacon, glazed with hot honey.
The french toast bagel. At this point, they’ve turned the bagel into a concept.
They’re no longer competing with other bagel shop.s They are competing with donut shops, desert cafes, brunch restaurants, sandwich places.
I guess this is what they mean by creating a “category of one”.
Its already super impressive. But, they don’t even stop there.
reason #2: extreme hospitality
my definition:
extreme hospitality: attention to detail that permeates every single touch point of the customer experience.
let me illustrate.
I walk up to the entrance. Someone is waiting outside to greet me. There's a fan blowing and a water station set up — in case you have to wait even one second in the heat.
(The weather in Malaysia is basically asking the question: what if an entire country were a sauna??)
The outside greeter hands me off to the inside host, so I never spend a single moment in "where do I go now" confusion. The host walks me to my table, hands me a menu, explains how the whole thing works.
This is your table number.
When you’re ready, go to the counter to order.
Immediately I feel at ease. but I genuinely get anxiety walking into a new restaurant when the protocols are unclear. Do I seat myself? Wait to be served? Go to the counter? Having it spelled out feels like a relief.
As I contemplate the menu. My waiter brings a jar of filtered water. They are absolutely committed to my hydration.
My bag is sitting on the floor. A staff member appears with a stool and gingerly places my bag on its new home.
Their customer service team is an octopus mother. Eight arms, all committed to meeting my every need before I know I have one.
I feel cared for. Attuned to. I’ve formed a secure attachment with this restaurant in the first 5 minutes of our relationship.
So what made me go to the same bagel place 2 days in a row?
What inspired me to write this article about them?
What creates brand obsession in a saturated market?
What makes clients want to come back again and again?
For me, the formula is:
unreasonable innovation + extreme hospitality
Exceptional product. Unparalleled delivery.
And now, in light of this experience, here’s what I’m contemplating:
What would the Grumpy Bagels glow up look like… applied to MY business?
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