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How Long Would You Wait for a Cupcake on a Lovely Spring Day?

Listen for the man in the van at the end. His statement is pretty dead-on.

[And for the record, we didn't wait. We still have our pride.]

Posted by Adam Roberts on March 11, 2006 7:02 PM |

Comments (30)

I watched the video twice and still couldn't make out what Van Man said!

I am gobsmacked by the size of that line. It would take less time to stop at a store, buy ingredients, decorations, and a cupcake pan, and go home to bake some cupcakes than it would take to get through that line. That is ridiculous.

Unless they were giving the cupcakes away, in which case: I understand.

Posted by Diane | March 11, 2006 10:07 PM

That is so embarassing. Since when do New Yorkers stoop so low... Waiting for cupcakes in such a looong line? I've been to Magnolia several times and the cupcakes aren't that great. The icing is a bit too sweet and a bit too solid. If ever in LA, you must try Sprinkles, much better, despite the fact that NY is the better city. Check out the website:
www.sprinklescupcakes.com They're expanding to other cities so maybe NY will be next!

Posted by Sol | March 11, 2006 10:26 PM

I didn't hear what the man in the van said either

Posted by e | March 11, 2006 10:44 PM

Long time reader: Love this blog! Makes me miss living in NYC even more than usual.

I think the guy in the van said, "They can't be that good!" or something to that effect.

I will vouch for the Hummingbird cake at Magnolia-- it's fabulous!

Posted by Jules | March 11, 2006 11:03 PM

hahaha. the man in the van was very funny. i can't believe the line! even though i miss having a neighborhood cupcake shop now that i'm not in new york, i wouldn't wait in a line that long either. you could make them at home from scratch in the amount of time it would take to get to the front.

Posted by elyne | March 12, 2006 12:26 AM

Jules almost got it. HE said: "Nothing could be that good!"

Posted by The Amateur Gourmet | March 12, 2006 1:20 AM

Good grief. FOR A CUPCAKE? What's in them -- rock cocaine? I'm with the man in the van "Nothing can be that good".

Posted by gidgetbananas | March 12, 2006 2:54 AM

Is that the same bakery in the SNL skit? Maybe SNL cast members were inside signing t-shirts.

Posted by Erielle | March 12, 2006 12:06 PM

Whoa! I need some stock in that place!

And I personally prefer Billy's Bakery on 9th.

Posted by kim | March 12, 2006 1:23 PM

Whatever the guy in the van said, I agree.

New Yorkers love to be abused and stand in line for something trendy when they can walk up the street and get something similar with no wait. It almost like they are saying "look at me, I am so trendy here at the Magnolia Bakery" or Shake Shack or a number of other famous places.

The only thing good about these places is their keen marketing and profit the make from their overpriced goods. Hey ypu can walk over to Billys and get the same cupcake with no line. I sure he store the recipe when he left Magnolia and opened his own place.

I also agree with the person above that Magno;ia cupcakes are terrible. The cake is dry and has the flavor of flour and the icing tastes like whipped sugar. I guess none of these people have a grandmother to make them a real cupcake...

Posted by the yankee | March 12, 2006 7:13 PM

I'll admit, we waited in a line at Magnolia that was almost that long -- I couldn't tell from the video exactly how long it was because it cut to the van but our line was around the block and well past the shop. BUT, in our defense, we were just in NY for the weekend, and I wanted to see what the hype was about. The funny thing is this couple behind us (seemingly also from out of town) called up their friend on their cell and said, the line is really long, is it worth waiting for? They stayed in line so I guess their friend said Yes.

Posted by cheesefairy | March 12, 2006 8:25 PM

If the cupcake ain't got Janet Jackson's nipple on it, it ain't worth the wait. That's what I always say.

Posted by Lauren | March 12, 2006 11:42 PM

At least New Yorkers have the opportunity to get free cupcakes. The only thing I get out here is some free hay. That, I believe, puts me on the same level as a horse.

Posted by matt | March 13, 2006 12:33 AM

hey, i would like a paraphrase - read short write up about whatever you are filming... i dont have a high speed connection, and i guess lots of other guys dont too. i missed out watching the clip totally.

Posted by mals | March 13, 2006 12:56 AM

My friend was visiting from out of town this weekend and we passed the long line sine I live nearby and we laughed, although she wanted to get a Magnolia cupcake again, she wasn't willing to wait. Weekends there are the worse.

Posted by Tara | March 13, 2006 1:01 PM

The last time I was in NYC, my friend and I joined the Sex in the City tour, and they provided Magnolia's cupcakes. Like the others said, I was not impressed. Sweet Mandy B's here in Chicago makes a way better cupcake. But then, I have not tried the famous Janet Jackson cupcake yet... ;)

Posted by CrazyC | March 13, 2006 4:57 PM

We foolishly waited on the line. Pre-packaged Hostess cupcakes which I remember from my youth was a better tasting cupcake.

Posted by Bryan J. Wasserman, M.D. | March 13, 2006 6:13 PM

the hostess cupcakes are also a lor cheaper.

Posted by RichardAB | March 13, 2006 6:27 PM

That is hilarious. Why do people wait in line for Magnolia? It's not that great! It probably takes less time to take the train to Buttercup to get the same cupcake (I feel it's a bit better at Buttercup) and come back downtown. My question is, I always hear (and now see) talk about this line, but I have NEVER seen it. I was there today and there was 5 people in the store!

Posted by Virtual Frolic | March 13, 2006 11:52 PM

Classic. "Why do people wait in line for Magnolia? It's not that great!" Followed by, "I was there today..."

Posted by Jane | March 14, 2006 2:38 PM

The line for hot dogs at Pink's in Hollywood is always similarly long. And yes, they're that good!

Posted by netcowboy | March 14, 2006 3:20 PM

I hope most of these people aren't New Yorkers since then they could just go some other time when there is no line...which I feel like is most of the time. Outside of the peak cupcake eating period, whatever that is. Whenever I see a longish line (never saw it this long though), it seems to be mainly composed of tourists; I guess they don't really have a choice if they want the cupcake that badly.

As for the "Why do people wait in line for Magnolia? It's not that great!" line, to me that means it's not great enough to wait in line for. It's good enough to visit and NOT wait in line for, which is what I'd say about most bakeries.

Posted by Robyn | March 14, 2006 11:07 PM

Wow, that looks a lot like the line for Cold Stone Creamery here in Tokyo (it's the only one in Japan). I only thought Japanese willingly waited for hyped products that long!

Posted by Johan | March 16, 2006 6:04 AM

You can make the YouTube player fit in your middle column better by changing the size parameters in the html code.

Try 380 and 313 for the width and height, respectively.

Posted by Gaijin Biker | March 16, 2006 8:59 PM

I live around the corner, and I've seen the piles of butter they have delivered a few times a week. It's in a box labeled "unsalted solids." Ew.

My roomates call it Cracknolia.

Posted by noa | March 17, 2006 4:45 PM

I WISH there was a Cold Stone in Seoul. Instead, we just wait in line for Krispy Kremes.

Posted by ZenKimchi | March 20, 2006 5:49 AM

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Posted by Kir | April 3, 2006 4:40 PM

CRUMBS cupcake bakery located in the Upper East and West Side of Manhattan - I think they have a new one in Union Square too now - are excellent alternatives to the Magnolia line. However, alternatives are just what you settle for when you can't be bothered to head down to the village.

Posted by ACao | December 7, 2006 10:28 AM

I think their cupcakes are their worst dessert at Magnolia's. The icing is entirely too rich and sugary and their cupcake itself is dense and dry.

Their cheesecake however is fantastic.

Posted by Reena | September 15, 2008 8:51 AM

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