I've lived for many years outside of Nyc and it never occurred to me to find a hack. Maybe my Bagel Die-Hard cred will get questioned. I've always just focused on the best baked goods in the local area (but without cream cheese, which I've never liked)....
Because I do love bagels and they deep in my psyche from childhood, but I don't think they rise to the heights of some other breads/baked goods, which is why I refuse to wait on those Viral Lines.