Cronut Craigslist Scalpers Charging Up To $55 For Elusive Pastries

If you haven’t heard of the Cronut, nor seen a Cronut listing on Craigslist, you probably don’t live in the eterna-hellscape that is New York City, where life is so grueling that you latch on to things like Cronuts to make your expensive and sweaty existence slightly more bearable.

New Yorkers get obsessed with things like Cronuts en masse, creating strange inflated demand for new food trends — this time, it’s a donut croissant hybrid. With pastry cream somehow involved. It’s like a donut shaped croissant with stuff in between the croissant layers of fluffiness, and it costs $5 each, and that is something New Yorkers find totally reasonable.

Another thing New York City residents cannot resist is lines. No matter what it is, if there is a line for it — like there is for the Cronut — people will get on it and wait for hours. No seriously. This is what passes for fun in New York.

Exiled on the Island myself, I am somewhat removed from trends like the Cronut and only heard of the new item (of which only 200 are made each day) from a friend in Brooklyn who has been trying daily in vain to obtain the elusive mixed-pastry beast.

It’s gotten to the point where when he inevitably doesn’t get the Cronut, I get disappointed… but so far, no dice. It seems a lot of people can’t get their mitts on the pastry, and as such, a Cronut Craigslist black market has already sprung up to deal with the Cronut crush.

Several adds — both offering and seeking Cronuts — pop up for a Cronut-related Craigslist search. And like much in New York, pretty much anyone can buy their way to the head of the Cronut crowd.

One reads:

“I will be going down to Dominique Ansel Bakery on Friday morning ( may 31st) to beat the line and pick up the max of 6 CRONUTS allowed per customer. If you would like one of these divine creations I am willing to pick up and deliver them to your door for the below prices. Of course the max you can have me deliver is 5 Cronuts as I will be eating one myself.

“Manhattan Delivery – $20 per Cronut ($25 above 59th Street)
Queens – $30 per Cronut
Brooklyn – $40 per Cronut

“I will be picking up the Cronuts and delivering them promptly to your door step to enjoy with your Friday breakfast!”

If you don’t want a Craigslist Cronut, you have to get up very early in the morning. All Cronuts have reportedly sold out each day within minutes of the bakery’s opening at 7 AM.

How much would you pay for a Cronut? Would you trust a Craigslist Cronut?