interviews

The Cronut Superfan Who Has Eaten Every Flavor for 10 Years Running

โ€œThereโ€™s still a line!โ€

Illustration: Tiago Majuelos
Illustration: Tiago Majuelos
Illustration: Tiago Majuelos

The original viral pastry is one decade old. Dominique Anselโ€™s doughnut-croissant hybrid debuted at the chefโ€™s Soho bakery on May 10, 2013, and a new flavor has been released, never repeated, each month since. Joey Lim, a 39-year-old IT specialist, has been there to try them all. To celebrate the milestone, he talked to Hugh Merwin โ€” who introduced the Cronut to the world with a story the day before its launch โ€”ย about the cityโ€™s Cronut decade and how the treat has changed over the years.ย 

Hugh Merwin: Do you remember your first Cronut?
Joey Lim: It was June 2013. I missed the initial month, which still bugs me. But for the first anniversary, Chef Dominique gave out Cronut holes in the original rose-and-vanilla flavor, so I got to try it then. I canโ€™t believe itโ€™s been ten years.

Me neither.
You wrote the first story, right? You must have had the first Cronut.

I think it was one of the first batches. I had no idea it would take off like that, and now there have been 121 flavors in New York. Youโ€™ve eaten them all: Which were the best?
The flavors that stand out are the combinations I didnโ€™t think would work, like matcha and pineapple. Another was clementine with ricotta. And then all of the flavors from 2013 stand out: lemon-maple, coconut, and chocolate-Champagne. Itโ€™s like a great TV show โ€” the first season is most memorable.

And youโ€™ve traveled to the bakeries in other cities, which all have their own flavors?
Iโ€™ve had Cronuts in Tokyo, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and London. I went for the openings. Itโ€™s like, if itโ€™s an excuse to go to London, why not?

Aside from the flavors, has the Cronut changed at all?
I feel like they have less filling now. In the first year, when you took a bite, the cream popped out from the side.

They were kind of messy. Were you ever tempted to try any competing pastries?
Do you know about the Suprรชme? Itโ€™s good, but I still prefer the Cronut, mostly because of the texture. The crunchiness of the outside and the sugar coating makes a difference.

A Cronut line in July 2013. Photo: Dominque Ansel Bakery

Did you continue to get Cronuts during the pandemic?
Yes. I started working remotely on March 17, 2020, St. Patrickโ€™s Day. When it was time to preorder for the April Cronut, I was thinking, Should I just skip it, or should I go? I live in Murray Hill. It took an hour, but I walked to Spring Street.

It must have felt a little bit strange, like venturing out into the wilderness.
It was. And back then, I wanted to help out as much as I could.

And youโ€™ve met other fans?
Iโ€™m not the only one! It was easy at first, before there was pre-ordering, because we all lined up together. Dominique was always there when the bakery opened, and he introduces himself to everyone. I think thatโ€™s how they started recognizing me and the other Cronut fans as well.

They definitely know who you are at this point.
๏ปฟThey know who I am, but I donโ€™t think I ever got any special stuff out of it. Back then, ten years ago, I was poorer, and I only had this one red jacket. I think they just recognized me from what I wore.

There are couples who met in the line who now bring their kids. Has anything like that happened to you?
There have been proposals. Drew Barrymore was in line once; that was cool. In 2013, I saw a guy running out of the bakery with one of the yellow Cronut boxes โ€” he literally stole it. One of the workers ran after him, but I donโ€™t think she caught up.

Any other horror stories?
Youโ€™re only allowed to order two Cronuts per person, right?

Is that still a rule?
Itโ€™s still a rule. There was a couple who had ordered two apiece. They had their two kids with them as well, so it worked out to one Cronut each. I donโ€™t know what happened, but their Cronuts all fell on the floor. They were going to have to wait in line all over again. From what I remember, they just cleaned them up and ate them anyway. When the alternative is waiting for another two hours, youโ€™re definitely going to trust the five-second rule.

I have to ask: Why Cronuts?
Iโ€™m a regular guy. Cronuts feel luxurious. I just had friends visit; they said, โ€œWhy donโ€™t we get a Cronut?โ€ I hadnโ€™t preordered, so I was like, โ€œI hope the line isnโ€™t long.โ€ And guess what?

I heard thereโ€™s still a line.
Thereโ€™s still a line! Definitely preorder, two weeks in advance. Then you get to skip the wait and feel like a VIP.

March 2015 May 2015
A Cronut Superfan Has Eaten Every Flavor for a Decade