A Warm Bagel Welcome: Lessons on Hospitality from the Experts

There’s something magical about a fresh, perfectly baked bagel—not just in the flavors and textures, but in the feeling it creates. At this year’s Bagel Fest, three food industry veterans—Andrea Strong, Chris Pugliese, and Brooks Tanner—sat down for an open, heartfelt conversation about what really makes a great bagel shop. Spoiler: It’s as much about hospitality and community as it is about dough and cream cheese.

Creating Space for Community, Not Just Quick Eats

Bagel shops are often seen as whirlwind stops—a blur of lines, orders barked over counters, and customers eager to grab-and-go. But for Chris Pugliese, founder of Tompkins Square Bagels, the vision was always bigger:

“My places were never built to be quick serve... I always take a large space, I always have a lot of tables and chairs, and a big open kitchen. We want people to stay, to watch the process, to learn that bagels don’t just grow on trees. It’s labor-intensive, and it’s about togetherness.”
— Chris Pugliese

Similarly, Brooks Tanner, formerly of Spread Bagelry in Philadelphia, emphasized tuning in to each visitor’s needs:

“Some people want a chill experience, some are just passing through. The key is coaching the team to read the customer—are they in a hurry? Do they want to hang out? Hospitality starts when you make people feel seen.”

The Intersection of Design and Hospitality

A welcoming environment doesn’t happen by accident. Both Chris and Brooks went deep on the importance of physical space—layout, lighting, even the psychology of colors.

“Hospitality is all-encompassing. From the day you sign the lease, everything you do matters. I studied the psychology of colors: how they make people feel, whether the space gets enough light... I’m against the trend of crammed spaces and lines for Instagram—it’s about an inviting ambiance.”
— Chris Pugliese

Brooks added practical advice: keep the flow simple, minimize clutter, and separate the order and pickup stations for a smooth customer journey.

Building Teams That Deliver Genuine Warmth

Sustaining hospitality from day one means building the right team. Both speakers admitted to making mistakes early on—mainly hiring for technical skills rather than attitude.

“You can teach anyone to make a bagel. What you can’t teach is how to be nice, how to be warm, how to be a people person. So I quit hiring for experience and started hiring for attitude. Before I knew it, I had a place full of genuinely good people.”
— Chris Pugliese

Brooks explained that staff retention isn’t just about hiring but about treating your team as you would your customers—checking in on them, helping with personal challenges, and empowering them to own their role.

Hospitality Isn’t Just for Customers—It’s for the Team

A recurring theme was that the internal culture matters just as much as customer-facing hospitality.

“Team members are your internal customers. Ask about their week; show genuine interest. When you check in and hold yourself accountable as a leader, your team will go to the end of the earth for you.”
— Brooks Tanner

Chris shared stories of supporting his team—helping with visas, first month’s rent, or a kind word at the right moment. That kind of support fosters loyalty and happiness, which in turn radiates outward to customers.

Learning from Mistakes, Growing Stronger

Mistakes are inevitable in the hospitality game. The key, said both hosts, is to react quickly, own up, and learn.

One memorable story was Brooks recounting the overnight bagel dough disaster that cost thousands but led to smarter procedures and better equipment. For Chris, it was learning not to get entangled in online review arguments, and instead, respond with empathy—and maybe a free bagel or coffee to the long-waiting customer.

The Secret to Real Hospitality (Hint: It Isn’t Social Media)

You can’t buy loyalty or community with influencer posts, both men agreed.

“We didn’t have social media for 11 years. Our line out the door was built by being awesome every single day. Treat everyone like family. That will spread farther than any influencer.”
— Chris Pugliese

And they encourage their staff to pay attention to small moments—a bag for someone’s library books on a rainy day, a friendly smile when someone looks lost. Those are the memories that turn customers into regulars.

Training: Lead by Doing, Not Just by the Book

Both Chris and Brooks agreed: while written procedures help, true staff development happens side-by-side, in the thick of a busy morning rush, modeling the behaviors you want to see.

“The training happens every day, every minute you’re there. Leading by example and really being in the mix is how you build a team that cares.”
— Andrea Strong

Final Words: Bagels Are Joy, So Lead with Heart

The panel closed with some lighter moments—favorite (and least favorite) bagel orders—but the true message was heartfelt:

“If you love being around people and making people happy, you’ll be great at this. Hospitality around bagels—it’s a given.”
— Chris Pugliese

To all budding bagel shop owners (or, really, anyone in hospitality): Build your business, your team, and your brand on daily acts of kindness, patience, and genuine connection. That’s the “special sauce” that keeps people coming back.

Want to hear more? Visit the BagelFest panelists’ shops (Tompkins Square Bagels and follow Andrea Strong on Eater NY) to see these lessons in action. And if you’re opening your own spot, remember: Hospitality starts with a warm hello—and maybe a fragal (fried bagel bite) for the queue.