When the Bridge Opened to a Brighter Year
The Upside Down wasnāt dark anymore.
Not completely.
As the clock ticked toward midnight in Hawkins, something unexpected happened. The red mist thinned. The air felt lighter. The space between worlds didnāt feel like a threat ā it felt like a bridge.
A bridge between what wasā¦ and what could be.
And standing right at the center of it all was Fast Bagel.
š When the Upside Down Became a Bridge
The New Year didnāt arrive with alarms or sirens.
It arrived quietly.
Mike was stringing up leftover lights near the cabin.
Lucas was setting up a makeshift countdown clock.
Max rolled in her wheelchair, insisting that ānew year energy needs momentum.ā
And Dustin? He was already talking about resolutions involving snacks.
Joyce, as always, focused on the one thing that mattered most:
feeding everyone before they overthought everything.
Thatās when Fast Bagel showed up ā warm, familiar, steady ā right at the edge where Hawkins met the Upside Down.
Not as an escape.
But as a bridge forward.
š„Æ A New Year Spread for New Beginnings
The table looked different this time. Less urgent. More intentional.
There were fresh bagel assortments ā everything, plain, sesame ā because some traditions are worth carrying forward.
Next to them sat bold new cream cheese flavors, hinting at fresh starts and new tastes.
Steve grabbed a Chorizo Sunrise, claiming the New Year required āreal commitment.ā
Robin built a build-your-own bagel pizza, because rules were optional now.
Eleven paused, chose carefully, and went with an Everything Bagel with Veggie Cream Cheese ā balanced, grounded, hopeful.
Mini bagels and coffee lined the edge of the table, fueling quiet conversations about plans, possibilities, and what the next chapter might bring.
(Every one of these choices lives on the Fast Bagel menu: https://fastbagel.com/menu/)
āØ Why the New Year Feels Better with Fast Bagel
Because new beginnings donāt need fireworks.
They need comfort, food that brings people together without trying too hard.
They need moments where everyone slows down and actually tastes whatās in front of them.
Thatās what Fast Bagel became at that bridge ā a reminder that moving forward doesnāt mean leaving everything behind. It means carrying the good parts with you.
Across Hawkins, across New Jersey, across busy mornings and fresh calendars, Fast Bagel continues to show up for those in-between moments.
(Youāll find more stories like this unfolding on our Fast Bagel News page: https://fastbagel.com/news/)
š A Toast to New Memories
As midnight hit, no portals opened.
No walls cracked.
People clinked coffee cups instead of champagne glasses.
Someone laughed too loudly.
Someone made a wish they didnāt say out loud.
And standing right there ā between the past and what comes next ā Fast Bagel held the moment together.
Thatās the magic of the New Year with Fast Bagel in the Upside Down.
Not dramatic. Not loud.
Just warm, hopeful, and shared.
š„Æ What Will You Carry Into the New Year?
A classic bagel youāve always loved?
A bold new combo youāve never tried?
A quiet breakfast before a busy year begins?
However you cross into whatās next, Fast Bagel is ready to meet you there ā bridge and all.
āØš„Æš
