Chicago woman tries to order bagel and cream cheese at PopUp Bagels. Then the worker says she can’t because of a bizarre policy

When you’re traveling and feeling hungry, all you want is to grab something quick to eat. One of the many options to achieve this is ordering a bagel. After all, they’re easy and readily available, so it should do the trick, right? But one Chicago woman claimed this doesn’t apply to PopUp Bagels in the airport.

“I was today years old when I realized you can’t just go into PopUp Bagels and get a bagel with cream cheese,” TikTok creator Dana Special (@danaspecial) says. Then, she shares how she uncovered this discovery at an airport.

No Popping Up At PopUp Bagels?

“I walked up to the counter, and I’m like, ‘Hi. I’d like to try a sesame bagel with spicy scallion [cream cheese],’” she recalls. According to the male employee, a singular bagel wasn’t possible. “‘Well, it’s a minimum of three bagels,’” she recounts him saying, adding. “‘Yeah, we get really busy. Keep things moving along, keeping them fresh.’” 

Needless to say, her plan for a fast and convenient meal was out the window.

“‘I had a flight to catch in a few hours,'” she says she told the employee. “‘I just wanted something quick for breakfast.'”

After the worker tried to convince her to buy the three bagels, she wasn’t having it.

“‘I don’t know who you think I am but I’m not trying to spend $20 on three bagels and a tub of cream cheese to give the majoirty of it away,’” she remembers responding.

All in all, Special believed this policy was flat-out strange. “A weird concept. There’s so many bagel places in Chicago and New York that you can go in and get a quick bagel,” she expresses. “And I assumed this was that. I’ve never seen that rule before.” 

Before wrapping up, she offers advice for those planning a trip to PopUp Bagels.

“So, if you want a PopUp Bagel, you need to bring friends or bring them home to your family or something because they got weird [expletive] rules,” she concludes. 

Viewers Are Baffled

Special’s video accrued 2.1 million views, garnering as much confusion as her who poked holes in this policy.

“Then why do people need to buy 3 if it gets so busy?” one viewer commented.

“If they’re easy to give away, then give them away,” another stated.

“Bagels are one of the few goods where it makes sense to sell only ONE,” a third remarked.

As a result, others were successfully dissuaded from PopUp Bagels.

“Lol this de-influenced me. Thank you,” one commenter said.

“You have influenced me to never go,” a second echoed.

Did She Buy Anything From PopUp Bagels?

Since viewers were curious, Special shared what she did afterward.

“I did just walk out,” she answered in a follow-up video. “I said something like, ‘Um, yeah, I don’t think that’s my vibe today but I’ll have to come with friends and try them.’”

Subsequently, she searched for other establishments to satisfy her hunger. “We went to a random coffee shop, got a nice little warm, toasty bacon egg and cheese on an everything bagel sandwich,” she said. “It was $9 and it was delicious.”

Despite this, the content creator wouldn’t actively seek out PopUp Bagels, though she won’t completely write it off.

“I’m thinking no but never say never. If friends ask me to go, sure. Why not?” the content creator stated. “I will give you my honest review if that day ever comes.”

Is This a Legitimate Policy?

While the company sells their bagels by the bag, their website doesn’t state the number. Further investigation uncovered through an Eat This review and the DoorDash menu revealed that the smallest bag ordered is a three-pack, along with a small container of cream cheese. Unlike their counterparts, PopUp Bagels operates on their Grip, Rip, and Dip concept where their bagels are made straight out of the oven and paired with cream cheese, so customers can serve themselves.

@danaspecial Whatever girl, I got a BEC bagel a block over and it was GREAT #popupbagels ♬ original sound – Dana Special

The Mary Sue reached out to Special via email and TikTok comment as well as PopUp Bagels via contact form.

Have a tip we should know? [email protected]