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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a Manhattan Bagel Franchise

Manhattan Bagel is a fast-casual bagel café franchise founded in 1987 in New Jersey. The brand specializes in authentic New York-style bagels boiled and baked fresh in-store every day, with a breakfast and lunch menu covering more than 15 bagel varieties, made-to-order sandwiches with fresh-cracked eggs, deli-style offerings, baked goods, artisan roasted arabica coffee, and catering. Most locations close by 5 PM, giving the model a daytime-only operating rhythm.

Manhattan Bagel is part of Panera Brands, the parent company that also includes Panera Bread, Einstein Bros. Bagels, and Caribou Coffee. Locations are concentrated in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern US, including New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Virginia, with additional stores in Florida and the Carolinas.

The brand describes its stores as locally owned and operated with a neighborhood feel, backed by Panera Brands’ organizational systems and marketing resources. Franchisees receive access to proprietary baking processes, a detailed operations manual, and operational procedures developed over nearly four decades in the bagel café category.

Latest Resales

  • There are currently no Manhattan Bagel resales available
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Why buy a Manhattan Bagel Franchise?

The case for buying a Manhattan Bagel franchise starts with a concept that has built genuine brand recognition in its core Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern markets since 1987. The boil-and-bake preparation standard and fresh-cracked egg commitment are credible product differentiators in a fast-casual breakfast category where freshness drives repeat visits. Established locations typically draw a daily regular customer base, which a resale buyer can evaluate through transaction history and customer records.

The daytime-only model, with most locations closing by 5 PM, contains staffing to a single daytime shift and avoids the complexity of evening food service operations. Panera Brands’ infrastructure gives franchisees access to marketing systems, operational procedures, and sourcing support that independent café operators would need to build independently.

Manhattan Bagel Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      1987

    • Franchising Since

      1991

    • New Startup Cost

      $582,000 – $1,093,700

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $25,000

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      $12,500

      or 50% of then-current Initial Franchise Fee (greater)

    • Royalty Fee

      5%

      of Gross Sales

    • Marketing Fee

      2.50%

      of Gross Sales

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      68

    • New Units Opened *

      1

    • Units Transferred *

      5

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      $744,578

    * Based on 2024 data reported in the 2025 FDD

Manhattan Bagel – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Manhattan Bagel provides initial franchisee training covering 24 hours of classroom instruction and 170 hours of on-the-job training across food preparation, baking, store operations, and marketing. The programme includes a detailed operations manual. A team of Franchise Consultants provides ongoing operational guidance, and an in-house marketing department delivers ongoing promotional support. Buyers of an existing Manhattan Bagel unit should confirm with the franchisor what training and onboarding is available to incoming ownership at transfer.

  2. Ideal Owner

    Manhattan Bagel suits operators comfortable managing a staffed brick-and-mortar foodservice business with high-volume daytime operations. The role is primarily operations- and team-management-led: overseeing food preparation staff, maintaining freshness and consistency standards, and building a loyal regular customer base. Prior foodservice or retail management experience is beneficial, though the training programme covers baking techniques and store operations for owners new to the category. Owners who enjoy a community-facing, morning-focused business with consistent daily routines fit the model well.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    Manhattan Bagel has maintained market presence in the bagel café category since 1987, building steady customer recognition in its core Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern markets. The brand's association with Panera Brands, which includes Panera Bread and Einstein Bros. Bagels, provides organizational credibility to the Manhattan Bagel system. For resale buyers, brand recognition is most useful when evaluated at the unit level: local reviews, community visibility, and the depth of the regular customer base are the clearest indicators of how a specific location is positioned in its market.

  4. Industry / Market

    The US bakery café market benefits from consistent consumer demand for fresh, convenient breakfast and lunch. Breakfast-focused dining has grown steadily in US foodservice as more consumers eat out in the morning, with commuter and office-adjacent locations generating predictable daily volume. Bagels have broad demographic appeal and suit catering formats well. For resale buyers, local office density, commuter access, and existing catering accounts are key factors in evaluating unit revenue.

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