I visited again this place with great expectation and even if the pastries are really awesome quality, the service sucks. I had to clean my own table (there were various empty tables all super dirty, it seems that customers are the ones to clean, I don't mind doing so, but then please do not expect customers to give you tips!). Also, I ordered, and the girl in the register was on the phone talking about a birthday party with some friend. That was very rude, and then the original girl who took the order tried to help. Also, I had to request a spoon several times. Very bad service. Ok, it is a cute place, very nice, but I rather go to French Bakery next time that I am in Bellevue. read more

I tried this place before one time and it was not bad. I came back and not sure what was going on but the service there was terrible. I have some questions regarding the cake and they had the worst attitude toward me. I mean obviously I am not the person know about cake thats why I asked. Dont treat me like I am stupid or smt. I paid money to go buy stuffs. I am not begging for anything. I dont know it was because of covid or they dont like working there. But I hope that they can improve. No customer deserves to be treated that way. Period! Never come back again read more

perfect! This super cute French pastry shop is seriously perfect in every single way! I actually think this is what my dream pastry shop would be like, cozy, bright, nicely decorated, super friendly staff, and way too many desserts + coffee choices that simply makes me want to wrap everything in their pretty takeout boxes and bring them home. If only! Not only do they offer freshly made pastries, chocolates, cakes, there are also pre-made cookies in pretty wrappings, perfect little gifts for a close someone. As a French-themed pastry place, it's known for its variety of croissants. We got two kinds: raspberry cream cheese and apple. Loved the raspberry one, which seems to be a popular choice among many people. In addition, we tried a delicious piece of Le Pistache. It has 3 layers, topped with pistachio flavored mousse cream, with chocolate flavored mousse in the middle, and a layer of pistachio cake at the bottom. I loved how delicately it was made. And what's a pastry outing without lattes? Try a cup! It completes the experience. Aside from pastries, they also serve special dishes. When I went, the special was the Ratatouille, how fitting! They do have a parking lot with an one hour limit, might get really packed as I can't imagine this shop to ever be not busy. Should try street parking if you want to sit and relax inside on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Jean-Claude Ferré: thank you for opening belle pastries. i heart belle. read more

See all

Raspberry Napoleons are my absolute favorite. Almond brioche or croissants are awesome as well. It is well worth your while to get their fine pastries and other baked treats. Coffee and sandwiches excellent too! Getcha some now! read more

Absolutely love this place for desserts. Every time we come here, have to get macaroons to go and have various different items. Some of our favorites are almond croissant, creme brûlée, chocolate mousse cake. We have been working our way through their menu and have never been disappointed. Have tried some of their quiche's like ham, and salmon and liked them as well. read more

See all

Other than the location in downtown of old Bellevue, nothing special. Passable, but we can't think of a reason to go back again in the future. Stopped in for lunch. You order at the counter, and then pick up your food / drinks from another location on the counter. Relatively low prices. SERVICE: 2.5. The young man who took our service was certainly cheerful and attentive. However, when we asked about lunch he didn't mention the lunch specials--so we ordered soup and sandwich. Then we saw the lunch special sign when we moved to the register to pay. Would help to have that sign at the end of the counter where one can see it upon walking in, rather than at the register. AMBIENCE: 2. Only 2 tables are in decent positions, positioned next to the front windows. The rest are crowded close together, and near the counter. Very noisy. FOOD: 2. I had the chicken salad sandwich, and my spouse had an egg salad sandwich. We both had Ratatouille soup.The sandwiches and baguette were ok--nothing more. The Ratatouille was bland. Coffee was a 1.5. Tasted like hot water with a dash of instant. But, it certainly was low-priced. The one bright spot was the small dark chocolate with caramel inside that I had. read more

We were looking for some dessert and stumbled onto this place. It looked more fancy than our usual fair, but why not check it out. They have a fairly large selection of different pastries, so naturally it took us a while to decide. The server behind the counter was very patient and happy to answer our questions. I eventually settled on the lemon meringue. It was pretty good, but nothing phenomenal. I would have preferred for lemony and more flavor in general. It would have been fine for $2, but at over $4, it wasn't worth it. read more

After eating lunch with a friend we decided we needed a little sweetness. I hadn't had a cookie at Belle before and now I know not to again. I had the chocolate chip cookie and was seriously underwhelmed. I loooove all things sweet and dessert so this was odd. I know that many can over heat or even burn delicate pastries when heating them up but how does one under heat something? That's gotta be a special skill. When you bite in and except the ooey gooey and then womp womp, it's hard and just not the cookie you were biting into in your head. Ugh. Of course I still ate it but meh. read more

I loved the old location (see earlier review) but I have to say I was not too impressed with their new, larger location. I came in with my family after a nice dinner and was disappointed by the experience. Not sure if they were understaffed or what, but many of the tables were dirty with used dishes and most of the tables had food remnants and trash underneath. I know people are supposed to clean up after themselves, however in the event they don't, staff should at least clear the tables. What I loved most about their last location was that it was quaint and cozy. This location is much larger and lacks ambiance. When we placed our order the staff seemed disinterested and attempted to put all 3 cakes on one plate. Since there we're 3 of us, we asked for additional plates and cutlery. Overall the service just felt mediocre. I will say that the cakes are still delicious, they have not lost their touch. Great quality, moist and not too sweet, for that reason alone I will still continue to purchase cakes to-go. I'm hoping the overall experience and cleanliness will be better on my next visit. read more

See all

This is not just a pastry shop. It's my office. Unfortunately I have to share it with the rest of West Bellevue, but hey, that's what happens when my lease rate is cappuccino and raspberry napoleon. When feeling a bit less creamy, palmier is wonderful here. The staff work hard. It gets busy at the oddest times but they are always ready. I love them. The tables outside wobble. read more

I came here before I worked. I don't normally eat anything for breakfast so I try my best today to get something in my stomach. The classic bread I like to get for myself is a croissant. I love it because the ones I get is flakey and buttery and that just melts in your mouth. Eh. This one I got at belle pastry was bland. It just taste straight up bread. Nothing special about it... I was disappointed. Oh well. I guess I'll jus let try something else next time. So I won't give too bad for a review this time. read more

Belle Pastry - Ice tea - Cafes Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

See all

Great food and bakery items unfortunately can't say the same about service so make sure you get everything you need while you have their attention because if they forget something or you are missing silverware it will be hard to get it unless you order again. read more

Cette petite boulangerie française est simplement magnifique! Do I love this place? Oui, oui! The executive chef and owner, Jean-Claude, is from Normandy, trained in Paris and Switzerland, and has been baking for over 40 years. The shop in Bellevue has a beautiful pastry case, brimming with an array of croissants, fruit tarts, Napoleons, operas and more. The raspberry cream cheese croissant is my favorite, while my boyfriend enjoys the pain au chocolat. At lunch, Belle makes a delicous, rotating homemade soup as well as lunch croissants and rolls. They make their egg salad and chicken salad from scratch. read more

Great selection of pastries, and coffee. Love coming here for a quick coffee. Great service as well

Lots of selection for pastry and cakes! They have the best neopolitan cakes that I've tried so far! Crunchy on the outside and has this creaminess taste in the inside! I love the old location and the old store vibe because it reminded me as a quaint bakery along old downtown bellevue , has this antique look but it's charming! It's more modern now with newer chairs and tables and no longer has that charm! I also love their almond croissant they're delicious but not as good as bakery nouveau in West seattle! They will do if you're craving and don't want to cross the bridge! Parking is not a problem too, they have enough parking spaces now! So many pastries to choose from I haven't tried them all but I would recommend this bakery to try! read more

Bottom Line - Watch out, they will run out of the ham and cheese croissant within 20 minutes and not have any more for the rest of the day. Also, the coffee here is really REALLY awful. They have 2 fully automatic espresso machines run by employees who aren't trained baristas. I dislike Starbucks coffee, but even that is better than Belle Pastry (including the pastries). I came here after going to the gym with some friends on Saturday, 9 October 2010. I wanted to order a ham and cheese croissant, but they had just run out. So I ordered a regular croissant instead, along with a soy latte. I expected the croissant to be nice and fluffy on the inside, and a nice flakiness on the outside. It was just average. The coffee was ghastly! I don't think it's the coffee beans, it's the employees + those awful espresso machines. I asked if they had simple syrup available and the employees didn't even know what that was. I also wanted to order an egg salad croissant sandwich.... come to find out, they are all pre-assembled and in plastic wrap. One would THINK that a shop specializing in pastries would make your sandwiches FRESH when you order it, but they don't. What a total disappointment. I declined buying the egg salad sandwich. How hard is it to have your egg salad in a refrigerated container and just make the sandwich when ordered. Nobody likes a soggy sandwich. I would give their pastries another try (not the pre-made sandwiches), but I will not be ordering coffee until they at least get a La Marzocco or better espresso machine, and have trained baristas who know how to pull proper shots. read more

Belle Pastry - They need real espresso machines - Cafes Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

I came across this bakery by chance, seeing it out the window as I dined at a nearby restaurant. I'm so glad I did! Everything in the cases looked delicious and I wanted to try them all. My friend and I ended up settling for the almond pear tart, coconut macaroon, and pistachio macaron. They were all amazing. The pistachio macaron filling was pretty average, but the consistency and texture was spot-on. The coconut macaroon was probably my favorite overall, with a very coconut-ty taste and not too sweet, even with half of it covered in chocolate. The almond pear tart was also good, but my favorite part of the tart was the crust. Amazing! The filling was good too but the crust was definitely the star of the show. The place is a hidden gem in Old Bellevue. I will definitely stop by next time I'm in the area, and try some of the other pastries! Nom! read more

Belle Pastry - Cafes Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

Cute little shop located in Old Bellvue. I liked the location a lot since it is near the mall and it is in this quaint town-like area. The exterior and interior of the shop is pretty cute as well. Inside, there are lots and lots of sweet deserts/pastries - more than your heart can desire. Since it was a cold evening, I decided order a hot chocolate and share it with my husband. It looked really decadent and delicious since there were lots of chocolate flakes on the top with a dollop of whipped cream. It was in this cute white mug too. However, the appearance did not match up to the taste of the beverage. It did not taste rich/creamy at all. I've had really good hot chocolates like at Chocolati before it the drink I had at Belle tasted mediocre in comparison. How do you go wrong on hot chocolate? I figure that you could easily get the rich flavors by using creamy milk but it tasted like it was watered down milk. I was definitely not impressed. read more

Exploring new bakeries is one of my favorite things, and I love that old Bellevue has preserved this independent little shop amidst all the Starbucks'. It fits along with the entire Main Street vibe, and everything is so worthy of my sweet tooth! I've tried a variety of their cakes, and each slice always has the right balance of lightness and decadence. Tiramisu is one of my favorite kinds of cake, and they make it so well with layers of coffee infused cream and cake. The pear almond tartlet is also amazing! Tart crusts are so important, and this one is the right thickness and butteriness. The sliced pears on top maintain their natural sweetness, which pairs perfectly with the sliced almonds. Their coffee is also pretty good, and for me a pastry is always incomplete without an Americano. Some of the items are a little pricey, but the desserts are always good to share. My mom and I will usually come here whenever I come home, and the atmosphere is perfect for sitting down and catching up! read more

Belle Pastry - Almond pear tartlet - Cafes Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

Overall: A decently stocked French-style bakery I was so enthusiastic when I found out about Belle Pastry - a French bakery on the Eastside woohoo. We arrived for lunch on a Saturday and there is a limited amount of parking spaces (1 hour). Inside there was a very short queue and a lovely display of French style pastries, chocolates and a few filled baguettes. The first thing I looked at were their chocolate eclairs - I was somewhat disappointed as the choux pastry was sliced down the middle and it had prettily piped yellow creme patissiere/custard and NOT chocolate flavored creme patissiere/custard. Each pastry/cake was around $3-4.00 dollars, each baguette was around $7.00 - we opted for the ham and cheese baguette, apricot tart, almond croissant and two double espressos - totaling $17.50. The ham and cheese baguette was presented on a delicious white French style baguette; it was well flavored and chewy in texture. The overall taste of the baguette was good, however the onion somewhat overpowered it all. Apricot tart - this was an average tasting tart, a quite indistinguishable pastry, but tasty nonetheless. The apricots were nice, soft and tangy set upon an overly thick creme patissiere which covered a flaky pastry base. Almond croissant - the STRANGEST almond croissant I have EVER seen. I have visited France quite a few times, had many croissants, but like I said, this must be the strangest looking one I have ever seen! The croissant itself was flaky, airy and buttery, with a strange crusty topping and flaked almonds. It did NOT have any almond filling as I had expected (bit disappointed), but in general the flavor was quite nice albeit overly sweet. Coffee, the espresso to us was perfect. It wasn't burnt - the crema layer was evidently present with a good full bodied flavor of coffee, which was not bitter. The decor of this place is ok-ish and there are about 14-15 small tables. They have this nice cooled water canister with sliced oranges and lemons floating in, this water tasted quite nice. The service is quick, efficient and non-obtrusive. However, the restrooms were somewhat unclean. On the whole, if we were in the neighborhood we MIGHT visit this place again. I would love to give them 3.5 stars, but I'm being mean and settle for 3 - why? Because the eclairs aren't what they should be like and the pastries although delicious were different from the ones I have tasted in France. Also what's with the tiramisu? Tiramisu isn't French, they originate from Italy! read more

See all

I love this place! They have great coffee and even better pastries! I love their selection of cakes, tarts, and breakfast items-my all time favorites has to be their salmon quiche (the crust is so flaky!) and the ham and cheese croissants (the perfect balance of sweet yet savory). They have both indoor and outdoor (covered and uncovered) seating now which is great to soak in the good weather that's been poking through lately. read more

Absolutely delicious pastries! I have such a hard time picking one thing to buy because everything looks so wonderful. It's best to come in the morning when the selection is larger and the pastries are fresher, although it is more crowded. read more

Belle Pastry - Cafes Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! This is a dangerous place if one is watching one's weight! The pastries here are to die for! I'm a self-proclaimed pastry snob, having grown up in the heart of Montreal, going to the Frenchest of French patisseries all my life. I am almost always disappointed in American pastry shops. Not this one! My kid and I shared the Strawberry Cake today. It was light and sweet, but not cloyingly so, with a surprising base of thin, dark chocolate. It was wonderful! All the pastries in the case looked amazing, and there was a large variety of types to choose from. I had a cafe latte which was so good, I wished I had ordered a larger size. We brought home 4 croissants and 3 meringue cookies. They wrapped up our take-home order in a white box tied with a pretty pink ribbon. The cookies were lovely: crunchy, then melt-away, as meringues should be. They weren't overly sweet, too. Just right. My kids and I were disappointed in the croissants, though. They were alright, but definately not light and fluffy as French croissants should be. Two were a little too dark on the bottom (I won't say they were burnt, but they were overly baked by a bit). The two tips on each one were too crusty and hard, and the croissant interior wasn't as airy and light and buttery as Montreal or Parisienne croissants are - not by a long shot. We will definately come back here for the pastries and cookies! read more

If you are like someone who has a tendency to go get coffee at Starbucks for somewhat consistent level and taste, I'd recommend coming here. I've come here three times so far and it was always a good cup of drip coffee. I'd give 5 if they had amazing teas, but that was sort of a regular store bought tea and nothing amazing about it although it's good! I have no tried all of their pasties yet, but all the ones I've tried were all delicious! I recommend here for a quick breakfast:) read more

See all

It's a cute place to study and to grab a small treat with friends. Although they've taken this great base and gone the wrong direction with it. For instance you have to ask for the WiFi password, I get that they don't want people just sitting and not buying but even after I bought things, I still had to ask for the WiFi. The service is really cold, ironic because they serve a lot of hot drinks and sweet treats. They aren't super busy all at once so the service should be much quicker, kinder, and just better. Everything there is very overpriced but that's expected of small cafes like this one. I got the hot chocolate which was so flavorless, the only good part was the whipped cream on top. I also got a small cake which wasn't worth it as well, very disappointing. The tables aren't super clean either because there's a self busting system there but the customer shouldn't be responsible for cleaning the whole table of every spill or crumb. This place is not worth going out of your way for, nothing special about it at all. Service-1 Cleanliness-2 Design-4 Taste-2 Price-1 Overall-2 read more

Belle Pastry - Hot coco (bland) - Cafes Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

See all

Another week, another bakery. Where to go? I wanted to try Fumie's Gold which is across from Downtown Park in Bellevue. Alas, I came across a closed sign at 1:30 pm. Having lucked out in actually finding a space in the Old Bellevue area, I took Amy B.'s advice to heart and walked a street down to try Belle Pastry. Stepped inside of a packed dining room. There is definitely a cafe flair to the place. So many things to try here! Croissants, cookies, brioche, cakes, tarts, even chocolates which I rarely see in a bake shop. After perusing, I settled on the apricot croissant ($2.50), a cream cheese raisin danish ($2.50) and a slice of the lemon cake ($4.25) The croissant and danish were very good. They were very flaky and the filling was great. There was a little more cream cheese than I would like on the danish, but all in all it was good. I must admit I still like the croissant at Boulangerie Nantaise, but this was one of the best that I have had from an Eastside bakery. As for the cake, I learned a lesson. And that is cake is best eaten the day of. The lemon cake was good, but I am wondering if it would have tasted even better if I just consumed it right when I got it. I guess it is a habit of mine to deal with the bad stuff first and savor the rewards later. When it comes to indulging in cake, the opposite is true. Eat the cake first, deal with whatever later. Overall, I like Belle Pastry. The atmosphere is very nice here and the selection is almost as good as any of the top bakeries in Seattle. read more

BAD Customer Service. I went in to get a cup of tea to go before heading over to the ice rink. The girl working there asked to see my vaxx card before she could make me a TEA TO-GO. I was in a hurry and had no desire to sit inside the establishment and had made no indication to her that I intended to dine in. After spending some time searching for a photo of my card since my bag with my original card got stolen a few days ago, I just decided to cancel the order. To be clear, if you guys want to follow such fascist rules, you should at least post them to the front door so I know not to give you my business. read more

Bad and arrogant I think it's understandable store closed due to weather, but this store didn't do any effort to notify customers for picking up their orders. No phone call, and no updates on their website as if store were open as usual. I went there to pickup cake for the event thinking they are open, but it was closed. Nobody picks up the phone and can't leave messages due to their voice mailbox was full. Next day calling in 7:00 a.m. and saying "sorry it was closed yesterday and pickup is available on a different day, and have a nice day" one positive thing came out, I had to find cake in a hurry and found Lady M at the Bellevue Square, and that place was great. read more

*Putting my beret on* Ooh la la, Belle Pastry! My friend and I stopped here for some caffeine & sweets, and I was immediately excited to try some of their beautiful and tasty looking desserts! We ordered a pear almond tart, an apple tart, a cup of tea, and a mocha. Both pastries were delicious, and not too sweet. The pear almond tart had a smooth & buttery crust that I could eat all day long if given the option. And, my tea came with a cute little personal size pot. I was very impressed, and there were so many people coming in & out during the whole 2 hours we were there. I would definitely return and look forward to visiting the downtown Seattle location, which is closer to home. This is a great place to stop in and grab a pastry or get something sweet for your beau! read more

Belle Pastry - Pear almond tart and mocha - Cafes Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

See all

First time at this bakery. Went on a mission looking for macarons for our son's girlfriend for her birthday. The service was amazing, everyone was very friendly and greeted us when we arrived. Suggestions were given, and we chose one of each flavor of macarons. They even boxed it up and put a cute ribbon on it for us. Very nice! read more

Belle Pastry - She loved the macarons! - Cafes Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

We was today at Belle Pastry . It's great place! Very beautiful interior and decor! The cakes are very tasty and the atmosphere is relaxing and calming. I will definitely recommend this place to my friends. Inna Oks read more

Belle Pastry has done an amazing job working thru Covid. AMAZING fresh pastries. My husband is French and loves their cuisine....

Bought maccaroon , makaroon , o well yeah , the delicacy of small cake squeeze thing on middle with multi flavor yeah that one French ya okay Actually hit the spot for less than $2 , pretty decent. Am i gonna come back for try other stuff yes absolutely People nice .... read more

I am always happy to see a french pastry shop. There is that typical french pastry shop atmosphere when you walk inside Belle. There is a nice assortment of classic french desserts and pastries. The croissants are fresh and tasty; however, you can tell there are areas where corners are being cut. Trays are not put back properly, macarons are crumbled up and things are not completely clean. Perhaps many Americans don't care about these details, but some of us do. Perhaps the pandemic has something to do with it. I have yet to find a five star pastry shop here in WA. If this was my pastry shop then I would have a talk with my staff about standards. read more

It is not always so easy to get 5 stars. It is unfortunate that small business owners are rated by us faceless everyday people. That being said, when I find GREAT, I want to share it. My family and I came up to Belle Pastry in Belleview last year and loved the place. Today is no exception. A star for service for sure. They greeted me immediately and took great care of me right away. A star for cleanliness. Go in - you will see how clean it is. As far as a star for proximity, they are close to where I stay. I do wish I could be here more. I expect to pay way more - happily, than what I did today... So, a star for value for sure. And of course the food. I want to give more stars, but I only have one left, and they get it for certain. Thank you, Belle Pastry for my experience, my 45 minute holiday, my peaceful entertainment. read more

Went back this passed Wednesday, for late morning treat. Not many people in front of me, two people. Line went fast. Got some treats for my self and extras for my co-workers. Order: Three almond croissants - as always delicious creamy goodness. Two Black Forests - I still like Hoffman's Black forest better. Two Raspberry napoleons - i like these but bought them for my co-workers, they said they loved it. One salmon quiche - nothing special, last time I got ham and cheese quiche that one tested much better. Whole thing costed 37 plus change and 2tip. Staff was very helpful and patient while two people made a selection in front of me and when asked them to box my cakes in separate boxes. Would recommend, almond croissants, raspberry napoleons, ham and cheese quiche, strawberry cake. read more

Belle Pastry - Salmon quiche - Cafes Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

See all

I have a love-hate relationship with Belle Pastry. I have been going to their shop for over five years and thoroughly enjoyed their food. They have excellent pastries and good coffee. I usually opt for an almond croissant. I really loved them when they were in the space across the street, because it gave a very authentic and humble vibe. After they moved, which I will say was much needed, their shop began to go a bit downhill for me. It's in a newer building, so the space doesn't necessarily match with the French vibe they are portraying. It feels too bland and modern now. The food is still quite good, and the service is now so-so. I came in on a Friday morning, and it was weirdly packed. The staff seemed stressed out and overworked. I was asked to wait a moment to order, because they were busy, which I didn't mind. I got an earl grey tea and salmon quiche. I received my tea after a bit of a wait, but they forgot about my quiche. The gal who appeared to be the manager profusely apologized and offered me a second pastry for the inconvenience, which was nice. All in all, I do still enjoy Belle Pastry on occasion, but I would probably go elsewhere if the choice between there and elsewhere. read more

Great bakery, worst service I usually like this cafe, awesome bakers and wonderful coffee. Unfortunately had the worst experience ever today. They made me wait for 10 minutes and handed a luke warm coffee...-am thinking it's because I ordered just one coffee and did not leave any tip?? read more

environment is great and sweets are really fresh. I don't find my favorite Neapolitan as often as I would like, it is like they don't know it is popular and than more should be made :) Really recommend the place read more

Bought a raspberry custard napoleon dessert. What a disappointment!!! We had it to go. Put in refer immediately I inquired if it was fresh, baked that day, yes, the gal said. When we ate it, 2 hrs later, the pastry was soft, gooey, NOT FRESH THAT DAY! So disappointed, decided I would stop by the meat day to inform them, get a replacement. At $6.50, it's a special treat. 3 different counter people who didn't understand me, went to kitchen, taked to a lady who I explained again. She said she was the manager, n I suggested she get the 2 remaining pastry (there were 3 when I was there day before) She cut into it, n I can tell those were not crisp either. No apologies, nada. I've had this same pastry in a huge sheet cake size, after 3 days, it was still crisp crunchy. My in law pd $349.00 for it, so I totally disagree with its freshness!!! Another time, my in law again ordered a half sheet of same item. Sh requested birthday wishes be written. She called to confirm name n 80th birthday was written. When she arrived, no salutations on cake. She had to stand n wait 1 hr before it got done! She did call to talk to a male manager, who didn't seem to care either. No matter how delicious the cakes/pastry @ very high prices, I would NOT RECOMMEND THIS BUSINESS WITH BELLE PASTRY AGAIN. THE LACK OF CUSTOMER CARING, after spending hundreds of dollars is like a slap in the face!!! Ummmm, maybe NORDSTROM philosophy on business interaction & role model might keep more customers. read more