Franchisor Stories
How Bagel Boss is modernizing a nearly 50-year-old New York bagel brand, strengthening its operating playbook and accelerating its next phase of disciplined franchise growth.
Brand: Bagel Boss
Number of Units: 20 locations open
Initial Investment Range: $510,099 - $1,100,049
1851 Growth Club Profile
Franchise Deep Dive
Bagel Boss has officially earned a place on 1851 Franchise’s 2026 Fastest Growing Emerging Franchises list — a recognition that highlights brands shaping the future of franchising through innovation, momentum and strong demand. As interest from franchisees continues to climb, Bagel Boss is entering a pivotal phase of expansion.
“Even though we’re almost 50 years old, we're still an emerging brand with great history,” said CEO Andrew Hazen. “I started working there at 15, and now my partner is down in Florida while I’m in New York. The last three and a half, four years have been a roller coaster.”
Founded in 1975 on Long Island, Bagel Boss built its reputation on authentic New York bagels made from fifth-generation recipes. The brand’s early locations weren’t traditional franchises but legacy stores opened and later sold to managers and partners — many of which are still operating decades later.
Hazen started working in a Bagel Boss shop while in high school. After pursuing law school and later building and selling a digital marketing agency, Hazen officially bought into the business in 2020, during the height of the pandemic, with a vision to systematize operations and scale the brand nationally.
“Our first store opened in 1975 and is still in business today,” Hazen said. “The second store opened in 1982 and is still operating. The third store, which I got involved with in 1988, is also still in business. Many businesses don’t last 10 years, but making it 20, 30-plus years says something.”
Bagel Boss differentiates itself by pairing a heritage product with modern customer-acquisition expertise. Under Hazen’s leadership, the brand has leaned heavily into digital marketing, proprietary domain ownership and direct-to-consumer data to drive demand — often before a new location even opens.
The company also invested in a Long Island bagel factory, allowing for greater control over production, consistency and scalability while reducing reliance on specialized labor at the store level. Combined with ongoing product innovation — from holiday tie-dye bagels to oversized party bagels — the brand avoids becoming a “typical bagel shop.”
Since Hazen’s 2020 investment, Bagel Boss has grown from 12 locations to about 30, with 20 stores open and around 10 currently in development. The brand has expanded beyond its New York roots into Florida, California and North Carolina, while continuing to build density in legacy markets.
Recent openings — including multiple locations in Florida and a new California store — have reinforced that authentic New York bagels resonate well outside the Northeast, particularly in markets with transplanted residents and strong breakfast demand.
“The stores that have opened over the past year have proven that our New York bagels work both here and out of state,” Hazen said. “We’re opening our fourth store in Miami Beach this week and are excited for continued growth.”
Bagels are already a familiar choice for breakfast and lunch, which makes bagel sandwiches easy for customers to understand and order. Rather than trying to create a new habit, Bagel Boss builds on what people already enjoy, adding stronger operations and more polished marketing than many traditional bagel shops offer.
At the same time, the brand’s systematization efforts have created a clearer, more scalable playbook for franchisees entering the system today.
“My expectation was to get us organized,” Hazen said. “Systematize our playbook and operating procedures, and get everyone aligned with a new look, feel and brand.”
Bagel Boss is growing at a steady pace, with plans to reach 50 locations in the near term and eventually expand to 200 units nationwide. The leadership team is focused on putting the right systems and people in place to support that growth while staying true to the brand’s family-owned roots.
Rather than positioning the company for a quick exit, Hazen views Bagel Boss as a multigenerational business — both at the corporate level and among franchise owners.
“I’ve thought about this as a great family business,” Hazen said. “One of our franchise groups on the West Coast is a father and son, and in Florida, a father and his three sons are doing 10 units.”
That multigenerational mindset continues to shape how Bagel Boss approaches growth, prioritizing long-term stability and shared ownership opportunities over rapid, short-term expansion.
Stay tuned throughout the rest of the month for 1851 Franchise’s Fastest Growing Emerging Franchises series, highlighting the innovative brands shaping the future of franchising.
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