I think Kansas City is a little late on the trend, but self-serve frozen yogurt stores and cupcake shops are popping up everywhere these days!
I can count 3 new froyo stores that I can walk to and at least 2 new cupcake stores within a two minute drive from where I live. Kansas City is fairly spread out, so if there are that many opening up in my area, I’m sure there are tons of new ones all over the city.
When I returned from Dallas last Sunday morning, Lloyd and I decided to go out for lunch to catch up on our weekend apart. After lunch, we walked around the adjoining shopping area for awhile and came across a new cupcake shop. I’ve actually never been to a cupcake shop, but I know they’re all the rage right now (Food Network even has an entire show dedicated to the miniature treats!). I was overwhelmed with nauseating cuteness upon entering the little shop and was immediately hooked. Lloyd and I split a vanilla cupcake with chocolate icing that they packaged up for us in this adorable pink miniature box that was the perfect size for our new little bundle of joy sweet treat.
The cupcake set us back just three dollars. Here are my thoughts in no particular order on that price:
- I could probably make an entire box of cupcakes for less than 3 dollars.
- Then again, we were also paying for the experience.
- Any Duncan Hines cupcake I would have thrown together probably wouldn’t have tasted as good.
- Desserts that we sometimes purchase in restaurants after dinner are usually much more expensive – somewhere in the $5-7 range.
Overall, I think we’ll probably add these new cupcake shops to our list of mini-dates that we sometimes go on. I’ve also hinted to Lloyd that if he happened to bring me a perfectly packaged cupcake as a surprise or after a bad day or for no reason at all, it would probably win him some mega-points. 😉
But enough about cupcakes, let’s move on to FroYo! Self-serve frozen yogurt is also a new thing in Kansas City, but I’m pretty sure it’s been on the coasts for several years now. I love it! I can get an ice cream fix for just a couple dollops of froyo. Plus, whatever little froyo concoction that I come up with usually only cost about $1.50 I purposely make them smaller because 1) I don’t need very much and 2) it’s much cheaper that way. In my opinion, a buck and a half is a pretty good deal for a cold, sweet treat any night of the week. Especially considering a scoop or a shake at bigger chains can easily cost 3 or 4 dollars.
Have you noticed new and trendy dessert stores popping up in your area? What do you think about the new trend?
if you’re strictly comparing cupcakes to cupcakes its much cheaper to make them and eat them at home. but if you’re hitting the cupcake shop with a friend to socialize rather than going out to dinner, a $3 cupcake is a lot cheaper than a $15-20 meal at a casual dining restaurant so it can be a road to savings.
I totally agree! I think the experience is really fun no matter what! And like you said, it’s a lot cheaper than other activities overall.
BF and I make a pint of Ben and Jerry’s fro-yo version of the chocolate chip brownie ice cream last at least 2 days. 🙂
Cupcakes are awesome, it’s portable cake!… I heard the trend is already dying though.
I haven’t been to a cupcake shop nor seen any-though a local store did have a booth at the fair so I know they are out there. Such cute little cakes and lots of pink which I love. The self serve yogurt is cool too. BUT-Golden Spoon Yogurt is still #1 in my book. I figure anything you can get for $3 or less. Not a bad deal.
Cupcakes are so my weakness! They’re just the right size! I’ve even had froyo, so I don’t know if we have any of those shops around, but if you’re ever in the Knoxville area, Magpie’s is the best cupcake shop in town! I can’t believe I read this post… It’s going to be hard to drive home without stopping in for a treat!
This is making me reeallyy hungry.
Anyway. Yeah, not a new trend here… I think the cupcakes and the froyos started popping up about 2 yrs ago? It feels like at least that long. I’m a fan of both trends, though I like my froyo sweeter, a la Golden Spoon, and most of the newer places have sour-ish “healthy” flavors… bah! I love me some peanut butter, coconut, taro froyo with gummi bear or reese’s pieces on top! 😉
2 years! Wow, KC is totally behind the curve. I don’t mind the sour flavors of the froyo, but usually prefer something sweeter, too. 🙂
Hate those yogurt places! Love the cupcakes… but waiting an hour for a Georgetown Cupcake… no thank you!
I wanna say we’ve had these for awhile as well like California. I know Yogurtland has been kicking it around town for about 3 yrs now. And I’m quite obsessed with frozen yogurt. Yum!
[…] Trendy New Dessert Stores: Good or Bad for Our Budget? […]