Cronuts Now and Then: The Viral Delight Still Delights, Less Crowded
Today, the tantalizing taste of Cronuts still lingers in New York City, with a new flavor gracing patrons every month. As December rolls around, you can indulge in the malt caramel variety for about $7 (€6.50). Gone, however, are the endless lines of customers eager to snatch up these delectable delights.
Back in 2013, the Cronut – a marriage of a croissant and a doughnut frequented by French pastry chef Dominique Ansel – unexpectedly swept the nation, as more than 200 people would line up as early as 5 a.m. to grab this culinary creation for just $5. Remarkably, some of these pastries were even sold at alarming prices on the internet.
Now, you can easily visit Soho, Manhattan's trendy district, and buy a Cronut in the afternoon, even in the heart of the day. The Cronut's allure may have waned, but that's not a guarantee for its lasting fame. The name Ansel so vigilantly protected for his creation is now synonymous with the motherhood of all viral food crazes around the world.
Enticing Dining Establishments with Viral Food Trends
Once the Cronut's fame peaked, other renowned chefs and restaurants likewise attempted to ignite their popularity through Instagram-worthy trends, including charismatic Alain Ducasse's aerated soufflé and the extravagant milkshakes introduced by a former chef of former US President Donald Trump. The milk shakes are now found across continents, even in Dubai.
Berlin, too, embraced this trend, birthing the cruffin (a tasty hybrid of croissants and muffins) and the delightfully crispy croffle (a mash-up of croissants and waffles), among other offerings.
Passion for Virality Drives Restaurants
According to Adam Platt, a gastronomy expert from New York Magazine, any restaurant opening today aims to create one or two viral, Instagram-worthy dishes, all in a bid to catch the attention of potential patrons and differentiate itself in its competitive market. Platt refers to these concoctions as "Instagram bait."
New York City: Birthplace of Viral Food Trends
New York's competitive dining scene, as already declared by critics like Alan Sytsma of New York Magazine, makes it a hotbed for food trends. Running a business in New York can be especially challenging and expensive, pushing more ambitious chefs to shape their culinary creations in a way that might ultimately attract the attention of New Yorkers and the world beyond.
It's no secret that food trends tend to hail from the city known as the world's metropolis of over 8.5 million inhabitants. "Everything that works in New York gets sent out across the globe," Sytsma explained. If the city adopts your trend, then it becomes an official trend.
Launching a Viral Success: Factors to consider
A food trend's success can often be attributed to a mix of luck, creativity, clever marketing strategies, and a dash of novelty. Creating a food craze with the right balance of taste, presentation, and affordability can play a crucial role in its success.
Cronut inventor Dominique Ansel, who originally planned the pastry as a special Mother's Day treat, was genuinely surprised when his initial batch went viral. However, not all of his creations faring just as well as the Cronut, such as the watermelon ice cream with dark chocolate seeds and square kiwi ice cream, did not generate a comparable hoarding response.
What Makes a Food Trend Tick?
- Creative Flair: Food trends need to be new and appealing to capture the attention of consumers. The Cronut's innovative half-croissant, half-doughnut creation coupled with rose-flavored filling provided enough intrigue for people to line up for a taste.
- Instagram-worthy Appeal: A successful food trend requires the wow factor when it comes to presentation. Visual appeal is a must-have to create buzz on social media platforms like Instagram.
- Rarity: Artificial scarcity can trigger consumers to act swiftly. In the case of the Cronut, Ansel's limited availability strategy brought about endless lines of hopeful diners.
- Keep It Affordable: Food trends that are too pricey can deter potential customers. The Cronut's $5 price tag proved optimal, making it an affordable indulgence for foodies looking to engage with a trending pastry.
Critique of Viral Food Trends and the Cronut's Legacy
Some food critics and restaurant patrons raise eyebrows at the rise in popularity of Instagram-worthy trends, citing concerns over food quality and overwhelm from excessive hype. Gourmets advise sticking to their own tastes and foregoing the trend wagon.
However, the Cronut's enduring impact continues, most recently resurfacing in New York with the Suprême, a resemblance of the cronut, showcasing a round, cream-filled delight that has once again inspired long lines at Manhattan's Noho district.
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The Cronut's viral success was largely due to its innovatively designed pastry, as well as its strategic marketing and the rising popularity of social media. Here's a more detailed look at it:
- Innovative Design: The Cronut was a visually appealing treat, combining aspects of a classic croissant and a doughnut by using laminated dough with a flaky texture and a rose vanilla flavor, coated in pink glaze and sprinkled with pink crystallized rose petals.
- Strategic Marketing: Ansel's bakery limited the availability of the Cronut, stirring up a sense of urgency and excitement around the product. A friend of Ansel's even baked the first batch of Cronuts and released images of them on social media, further fueling the buzz.
- Social Media Impact: An Instagram post by 2 Loves 2 Eat (an account with over 88,000 followers) showcased the Cronut and featured a caption detailing a long line of people eager to get their hands on this unique pastry. The post went viral, generating further interest in the Cronut.
- Cultural Significance: The Cronut became a symbol of the new era of food trends, resulting in an uptick in food fusion creations, as well as pushing food establishments to create dishes that were both tasty and Instagram-worthy.
- Impact on Future Trends: The rise in popularity and success of the Cronut set the stage for other famous food trends, such as rainbow bagels, unicorn-themed foods, and fruity alcoholic beverages.
Apparently, Dominique Ansel's groundbreaking decision to blend a croissant with a doughnut had unexpected consequences that could not have been foreseen by anyone. The Cronut not only became an overnight sensation but also ignited a whole new era, blurring the lines between traditional pastries and their modern-day counterparts.
