Would You Pay $5 For a Single Cookie and Then Tip the Person Who Handed It To You $4?



That’s exactly what’s happening at Crumbl, the famous dessert chain that opened in Logan, Utah, in 2017. If you aren’t familiar with Crumbl, the chain offers a rotating menu of unique cookies like Tres Leches Cake, Caramel Apple, Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie, and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip. At $5 each, the cookies are a splurge, but they do have fancy toppings. Plus, the portions are generous — the cookies are somewhere between the size of a compass and a Frisbee — and they’re presented in elegant pink boxes. The real sticker shock, though, is the “suggested tip” schedule on the touchscreen: $2, $3 and $4. Yowser! That means if you select the lowest tip, you’re still shelling out a 40% tip. Of course, a $2 tip is not mandatory. There is a “custom tip” choice, but that requires more thought and more keystrokes, which can be awkward if there’s a long line of customers. Then there’s the option of leaving no tip at all — not a good idea if you plan on becoming a regular, or if you don’t want to embarrass yourself in front of the customer standing directly behind you, breathing down your neck. In case you’re wondering, the tips are split among the bakers. Imagine how many cookies you could buy at the grocery store with $7.