The Real Reason Crumbl Cookies Is Closed On Sundays

Since opening its first store in 2017, Crumbl has created a cookie empire. With more than 1000 locations as of spring 2024, nearly 20 million followers across its social media channels, and more than $1 billion in sales, the company shows no signs of slowing down. Known for its enormous cookies and rotating flavors that are only available for a week at a time, the pink boxes they are sold in have become almost as recognizable as the iconic Tiffany blue box.

And yet, even with its roaring success, the business engages in an unconventional practice that you might assume would affect its bottom line — it stays closed on Sundays. While this six-day work week clearly hasn't hurt profits, it begs the question as to why Crumbl Cookies is closed on Sundays when there are so many fans clamoring for its products. Surely the brand could sell even more if its stores stayed open every day, right?

The company addressed this question on its LinkedIn profile, acknowledging that many people have been wondering the same thing, and that "[w]hile we know customers still want to buy cookies on Sundays, we believe there are more important things than just sales." The post went on to explain that the main reason for the policy is that "Sunday is a dedicated day to our Crumbl Crew to be with their friends and families. Running a Crumbl location is around-the-clock HARD work but running a store shouldn't come at the cost of meaningful relationships."

In a separate LinkedIn post, the brand further acknowledged the efforts of its staff and elucidated that by closing the stores for one day out of each week, "we're able to guarantee they have an entire day to rest, recuperate, and spend time with those who matter most." When Crumbl's co-founder and CEO Jason McGowan was questioned on Reddit about the real reason for not opening on Sunday's, he reiterated Crumbl's stance by stating that "]l]ife is more than just cookies and money."

Far from negatively impacting its business, the decision to stay closed on Sundays has contributed to just the opposite. Boosting thousands of franchise partners, the company is one of the fastest growing companies of its kind. There are now Crumbl locations in all 50 states, Canada, with plans to expand further internationally.

There's certainly something to be said, too, about well-rested employees resulting in an overall happier staff. The guaranteed weekend day off is surely an incentive for job seekers who value the promise of a work-life balance. Having satisfied workers results in better customer service, and in turn, brand loyalty and increased sales. And, in a move that partially offsets the weekly closure, Crumbl locations are open late during the rest of the week — most of the stores are open until at least 10 p.m., with many locations staying open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. 

Not selling cookies one day a week also adds some allure and scarcity into the mix, which creates demand. Even though Crumbl doesn't sell cookies when its doors are closed, it does build suspense on that day by announcing the following week's upcoming menu. Cookie lovers eagerly wait in anticipation on Sunday evenings for Crumbl's social media "flavor drop" when the brand reveals the following week's releases. Fans are encouraged to try all the flavors and to review them online, further influencing the brand's popularity with viral hashtags such as #tasteweekly and #crumblreview.

There are usually six different cookies available each week — five new or returning flavors along with one that is always available — the chocolate chip. This was the company's very first cookie to ever win an award, but thanks to customer feedback, the recipe now alternates between milk chocolate and semi-sweet. 

You can always make cookies at home if you can't possibly wait until Monday to satisfy your sweet tooth. Bake a batch of dark roast coffee cookies and maybe stay up all night until Crumbl opens back up in the morning. One great tip to keep in mind when baking your tasty treats is that agave syrup is the best ingredient for chewy chocolate chip cookies. Another impressive hack that doubles as a shortcut is to use cake mix when making bakery-style cookies.