So how does this work, exactly? If an irate customer from each store around the country takes the time to complain, that customer’s store — and that one alone — gets fixed?

I’ve had the exact same experience several times at my local Bruegger’s, most recently this morning. It’s 10:00 am Sunday morning, and I went to Bruegger’s expecting to buy some plain, poppy, sesame, and everything bagels. They had zero sesame, zero poppy, and — most mind-boggling of all — zero plain bagels! When was the last time you went to McDonald’s, only to be turned away because they were out of hamburgers?