Queens Bagel faced several critical challenges. They were grappling with poor growth rates and excessive spending on marketing and advertising, sometimes up to 60% of gross revenue.

The business was not profitable, experiencing monthly losses. Inventory management was disorganized, leading to either overbuying or underbuying of products, contributing to a high order error rate of 15%. The visual presentation of their food was lacking, with stock images or poorly taken photos by the owner.

The menu was overly extensive and lacked optimization, and the restaurant had no distinct brand identity. Furthermore, new ownership and relocation led to the loss of most of their already limited customer base.