Workers Reveal What It's Really Like To Work At Crumbl Cookies
Over the past few years, Crumbl Cookies has grown a loyal fan following with its unique menu of rotating cookie flavors and signature pink boxes that have taken social media by storm. The cookie shop has millions of followers on TikTok, with weekly announcement videos that often gain millions of views. To date, there are over 200 Crumbl locations across the country, each staffed by a team of employees who are tasked with mixing and decorating each batch of cookies by hand.
But what is it like being one of those workers? Like in many other fast food or service industry jobs, working at Crumbl can be a mixed bag. From perks like free cookies to challenges like high employee turnover and low hourly rates, there are some significant pros and cons when it comes to working at the Utah-based chain. If you have ever wondered what it's like to work in a shop that constantly smells like fresh-baked cookies, here's what employees have to say about their experiences working for Crumbl Cookies.
Many say it's for students looking for early work experience
Everybody's first job has to be somewhere. If you live near a Crumbl location, you are quite likely to find students and other young workers behind the counter. As many employees point out online, Crumbl is actually a pretty ideal place to work if you are looking for your first job, or if you are a student looking to make some extra money during your time off from school.
One employee noted on Glassdoor that working at Crumbl was a great first job experience, adding that many of their coworkers were fellow high school students who were given flexible scheduling options. Another employee on Indeed mentioned that it was a good entry-level job experience, but others left said that the environment could get stressful. Another Indeed reviewer said that Crumbl is a decent place for students looking to make extra money, and another review on Indeed highlighted the fact that it is a good job if you have no prior work experience.
New recipes can involve a lot of prep work
One of the unique features of Crumbl Cookies is its rotating menu. Each week, beginning on Monday, the menu changes dramatically, with nearly the whole list changing every seven days. Crumbl's signature chocolate chip cookie is the only treat that remains available regardless of the menu changes. Otherwise, you can expect to find four or five different flavors each time you visit. The employees at Crumbl are not given advance notice regarding what the next week's cookie lineup will be, and oftentimes the menus will include new flavors or unique ingredients that might take some trial and error to perfect.
Depending on the busyness of a location, Crumbl employees rarely have much time to prepare new weekly recipes. Over on Reddit, one employee mentioned that if a location is lucky, they will be able to prep on Saturday (Crumbl locations are usually closed on Sundays, as per Sennik). Some locations have reportedly called employees in on Sundays to prepare for the new week. Another Redditor said that they also sometimes worked overnight shifts prior to the new menu launch.
It can also take a few days to perfect the new cookies. One Redditor advised customers to shop later in the week since, by then, their team usually had gotten that week's recipes just right.
Mornings can start very early and evenings can end late
Cookies are baked fresh every day at Crumbl, which means that the morning shift often starts before the sun rises. A recent job posting on ZipRecruiter notes that Crumbl's early morning shifts start at 5:00 a.m. One worker revealed on Reddit that their morning shift began when the staff started preparing the dough for the day's first batch of cookies. Their location did not open until 8:00 a.m., giving employees three whole hours of prep work. Another Redditor said that the 5:00 a.m. morning crew usually picks up where the evening shift left off.
Speaking of evening shifts, those can go rather late, sometimes to the point of extending worker hours long past closing time. One employee mentioned on Reddit that shifts that involved prepping cookies for the new week could go overnight, including shifts from midnight until 4:00 a.m.
Employees get a free cookie at the end of each shift
Working at Crumbl is not without its perks. If you happen to be a big fan of the unique cookies sold there, then you will be pleased to learn that each Crumbl worker is able to enjoy one free cookie per shift, regardless of their job title or when they come in for their shift. On Indeed, one employee shared that they thought the free cookie was one of the better perks of the job, right up there with the company's flexible scheduling and customer tips. Another Indeed user mentioned that the free sweets were part of the fun work environment they experienced while at Crumbl.
While each employee is guaranteed one free cookie, working the closing shift could yield even more free treats. On Reddit, one employee shared a photo of an entire box of free cookies they snagged at the end of their shift. Not too shabby when you consider that a six-pack of Crumbl cookies typically costs more than $15 (via Fast Food Menu Prices).
Employees have to throw many cookies away
Crumbl prides itself on serving freshly baked cookies to its customers, so you probably will not find any of its stores holding on to day-old cookies for sale the following business day. As one employee shared on Reddit, there can be a lot of leftover cookies at the end of each day, meaning that the staff usually reap the benefits. However, there may be some instances where there are far more cookies than the employees can realistically bring home with them. Many of those treats could wind up in the trash.
To avoid this, some employees take it upon themselves to find new homes for the cookies, in line with other charitable chain restaurants. Those treats are still perfectly fine to eat; they're just not to the fresh-out-of-the-oven standards Crumbl sets for its location. On Reddit, some employees shared that their locations donate leftover cookies. On Indeed, one employee shared that they were able to give leftover cookies not only to friends and family but to members of their community.
Employees are responsible for restocking
Crumbl has garnered a loyal fan following over the years, meaning that the weekly rotating menu can be a big deal for someone if the right flavor comes along. But depending on how busy the stores are from week to week, employees might run into the issue of ingredients running seriously low. When this happens, it may be up to the employees themselves to make sure that the ingredients are restocked as soon as possible.
On Indeed, one employee shared their experience of having to restock certain ingredients. At their location, workers were responsible for heading to the store during their shift to buy those ingredients, then turning in receipts so they could be reimbursed. Another employee shared a similar experience on Reddit, saying that their shop often ran out of ingredients and that the staff was responsible for restocking. Both employees noted that their stores were low on supplies, to begin with, so this issue was common.
Cookie recipes are strictly confidential
The secret to Crumbl's success is shrouded in mystery. Well, perhaps not exactly, given how active the company is on social media, but the exact formula that goes into making a signature Crumbl cookie is a closely held secret. In fact, few employees know the exact recipe of a Crumbl cookie, despite the fact that they're the ones making those cookies.
On Reddit, one employee explained the recipes are strictly confidential and could not be shared outside of their location. Another Redditor revealed that Crumbl employees use packets of pre-mixed ingredients when making the cookies. so that workers are never fully sure of the exact combination of ingredients in each batch of cookies. One employee even revealed that Crumbl was willing to break out the legal forms to protect those cookies, as some other restaurants do. They claimed via Reddit that they were told to sign a nondisclosure agreement to keep the cookie recipe under wraps.
Employees have to learn certain catchphrases
Successful companies usually have a catchy slogan that appears in ads. While Crumbl may not have a distinctive catchphrase that you find in the company's advertising, employees are expected to use certain phrases every time they interact with a customer. So, the next time you visit a Crumbl, pay attention to what the employees say.
From the moment you walk into the store, expect to be greeted by an enthusiastic chorus of "Welcome to Crumbl," meant to be uttered in unison, as one customer pointed out on Reddit, sharing their experience of being greeted in an almost cult-like manner. An employee on the thread confirmed that they are required to respond en masse. One employee on Indeed said that the catchphrase was one of the things they enjoyed about working there, as it helped to encourage a welcoming atmosphere.
Once your order is ready, employees are also expected to include a certain catchphrase when speaking to customers. One Redditor mentioned that they must mention seeing the customer next week, implying that the discerning cookie consumer will return once the new weekly menu is announced.
Flavors can dictate how busy a shift gets
Most customers who have visited Crumbl multiple times will have their favorite cookies in mind when the weekly menus are unveiled. But months can go by without specific flavors of cookies appearing on the menu. Crumbl co-founders Jason McGowan and Sawyer Hemsley told Mashed that, with nearly 200 different flavors in the company's menu lineup, a given cookie will typically appear on the menu only once per year. This means that, when a popular flavor returns, a Crumbl location can become quite busy as eager fans look to get their hands on their favorite cookie.
When the opposite happens and there are no popular flavors on the menu, business can be quite slow at some Crumbl locations. One employee shared on Reddit that at their specific store, a week without any chocolate cookies on the menu can spell a string of very quiet days.
Tips may be considered part of the hourly rate
Though Crumbl may provide an ideal job for a student looking to make extra money (via Indeed), it is certainly not the highest-paying job out there. At least tips are included as part of an employee's compensation. However, employees are also quick to note that Crumbl's company policy was murky regarding how tips were calculated into hourly earnings.
One former employee revealed via Glassdoor that the advertised hourly rate was actually a lower per-hour rate plus tips, which came out to be less than they thought they would earn. On Indeed, another noted that pay would vary depending on how many tips were granted during a shift, so good customer service skills were necessary in order to earn more. The level of business a store was experiencing could also have a big impact on earnings. If a store had a particularly busy week thanks to the presence of a popular flavor on the menu, tips could be relatively high.
Employees say training could be better
A solid training program can help new employees feel empowered to do their best. But at Crumbl, training appears to be a mixed bag. Many shared that they often felt as if they did not receive enough training as new hires.
One employee on Indeed noted that the training for bakers is not as robust as they hoped. They felt that they began working a rather hectic job without appropriate preparation, which they claimed often fell onto the shoulders of coworkers in the middle of their own shifts, rather than management. Another Indeed user felt as though they were expected to be perfect despite the fact that those expectations were not backed up by adequate training.
One Reddit thread uncovered a wide variety of training experiences at Crumbl. Some employees shared that they received a standard three days of training, while others complained that they were lucky to get just three hours of orientation before being thrown into the mix.
Employees have preferred work stations
When you walk into a Crumbl location, you'll find employees working at various stations, mixing dough, frosting cookies, and actually selling the products at the cash register. Depending on the staffing of a location, employees may find themselves rotating amongst those positions throughout one shift, or they may work one position the entire time. After workers have had time to get to know the various stations, they may naturally grow to develop preferred assignments.
When employees were asked on Reddit to share their favorite workstation at Crumbl, many replied that mixing was their preferred assignment. Some argued that it was an easy way to pass time and it made for an enjoyable shift if paired with the right coworkers. Another commenter mentioned that they took a great deal of pride in the mixing station, as they were able to see cookies made thanks to their contribution. Others preferred frosting, as one employee on Indeed noted that decorating the cookies was a lot of fun, especially when kids were there to watch.
Camaraderie makes up for some issues
Like in many jobs, the people that you work with at Crumbl can make or break your experience. Despite any of the hardships or challenges that may arise during a shift at the popular cookie spot, multiple employees agreed that the camaraderie found among team members made up for many negative experiences.
Some employees pointed out that managers cultivated a positive work environment (via Glassdoor), while others looked to their coworkers to be the positive force in an otherwise stressful workday. One Indeed user had a less than stellar experience at Crumbl but noted that some of their coworkers were a highlight of their job. Another mentioned via Indeed that coworkers were the most important factor when determining if the job was worth it or not, mentioning that the turnover rate at their location was high. Another Indeed user said that their coworkers made their job worth it, despite the company environment being less than ideal.