Become a fan, get a free bagel — and schmear!

So goes the new pitch from Einstein Bros Bagels and Noah’s Bagels, both part of the Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, Inc., which began giving away free bagels and spread to Facebook users Monday in exchange for becoming a fan of their pages.

Upon visiting the pages a Facebook user lands on the Free Bagel tab of either store, once you become a fan and allow access to the Free Bagel app, a printable coupon for a free bagel and spread appears, redeemable at any participating Einstein Bros or Noah’s Bagels store.

The promotion also prompts you to share the deal on your wall so your friends can join in (and bring more attention to the company).

Thus far the promotion seems to be working, at least for Einstein Bros, which noted on a status update today, “More than 15,000 news fans in 3 days! We can’t believe it! Welcome to our new fans and thanks to those of you who have always been here.” The page currently has almost 24,000 fans.

Free bagels is one part of the companies’ new Facebook features, created in conjunction with Context Optional. Another is a new Google Maps-powered store locator, found on the Locator tab on each store’s page. There is also a New Food tab, featuring the stores’ newest offerings.

The Facebook pages have also proved to be a place where fans of the chains can go to give feedback, and sometimes receive responses, such as a discussion created on the Einstein Bros page about coupons that weren’t printing.