Stop & Shop is marking National Bagel Day with a weeklong promotion that gives customers a free bakery bagel at all of its store locations.
From Jan. 9-15, shoppers can receive one free pick-your-own bagel, with no purchase required, at any Stop & Shop store. To redeem the offer, customers must check in at the Savings Station kiosk during the promotional period, at which point a digital coupon will automatically load to their GO Rewards account.
Customers may select from a variety of bakery bagel flavors, including Plain, Everything, Asiago, Sesame, Cinnamon Raisin, Egg, Poppy Seed, Blueberry, Onion and Whole Grain. The offer is limited to one bagel per household while supplies last, and shoppers without a GO Rewards account can enroll at the kiosk.
“We know customers are looking for meaningful value every time they shop,” said Roger Wheeler, president of Stop & Shop. “Whether it’s a free bakery bagel for National Bagel Day or everyday deals, our Savings Station helps shoppers easily tap into great values across the store.”
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In conjunction with the promotion, Stop & Shop conducted a new consumer survey to gauge shoppers’ bagel preferences – and found no shortage of strong opinions.
According to the survey, everything bagels emerged as the clear favorite, with 27 percent of respondents selecting it as their top choice, followed by cinnamon raisin at 16 percent. The toasted-versus-untoasted debate also leaned heavily in one direction, with 91 percent saying they prefer their bagel toasted or lightly toasted, compared with just 9 percent who enjoy it untoasted.
When it comes to spreads, cream cheese remains dominant, chosen by 66 percent of respondents, followed by butter at 30 percent. Only 4 percent said they prefer their bagel without a spread. The most popular way to eat a bagel is sliced and eaten open-faced (51 percent), narrowly surpassing those who eat it sliced as a sandwich (41 percent).
Bagels also remain a regular part of many shoppers’ routines, with 40 percent of respondents reporting they eat two to three bagels per week.
The survey also revealed several divisive bagel opinions. Nearly 29 percent of respondents said “scooping bagels should be illegal,” while 25 percent believe sweet bagels are superior to savory options. Another 24 percent said bagels made outside of New York are just as good.
Stop & Shop said the free bagel promotion underscores its focus on delivering everyday value and engaging customers through its digital loyalty tools.