Crumbl tester locations are special Crumbl stores where new cookies, Non-Cookie Desserts (NCDs), and experimental recipes are tried out with real customers before a decision is made on a nationwide release. Historically, these stores tested one new item per week, usually starting midweek and running until it sold out.
Important update: Following Crumbl’s leadership transition in May 2026—when co-founders Jason McGowan and Sawyer Hemsley announced they were stepping back from day-to-day operations—at least one fan-tracking source has reported that Crumbl paused in-store tester testing for the foreseeable future. We have not yet found this confirmed directly by Crumbl, so we’re treating it as an unverified-but-credible report rather than settled fact. We’ll update this section the moment we can confirm it one way or the other. In the meantime, this page also covers how the historical tester program worked, since most of that information remains useful if and when testing resumes.
📋 How we verify this page: We track tester-location reports from the Crumbl app, franchise-level social posts, and established Crumbl fan communities, and we explicitly separate official Crumbl confirmations from unverified fan reports throughout. Crumbl has never published an official, permanent list of tester stores, so any list—including ours—reflects past sightings, not a guarantee of current status.
What Are Crumbl Tester Locations?
Crumbl tester locations are select stores where the company has historically tried out new menu items before deciding whether to launch them everywhere. Think of them as Crumbl’s real-world taste-testing labs—except the “lab” is a normal store, and the testers are everyday customers.
These locations have been used to test:
- Brand-new cookies
- Non-Cookie Desserts (NCDs)
- Experimental or limited-time recipes
- Non-dessert items, like Dirty Sodas, which began testing in July 2025
Historically, each tester store offered one new item per week, with testing typically beginning Tuesday or Wednesday and continuing until the item sold out.Crumbl has never published an official list or confirmed the exact number of test locations because the program changes based on participating stores.
How Does Crumbl Test New Flavors?
Crumbl’s product team develops new recipes internally, then sends promising ones to a small number of tester stores, where the item appears alongside the normal weekly menu and is sold like any other item. Crumbl then reviews sales performance and in-app customer feedback to decide whether to launch the item nationwide, refine the recipe, or shelve it.
In October 2025, Crumbl added a Requests tab to its app, which includes a Dessert Lab section focused specifically on testing non-cookie items like mousse cups, brownies, cakes, and chilled desserts—a sign that testing has been moving partly from physical tester stores into the app itself, even before the May 2026 leadership change.
Crumbl uses this process to test how well new items perform and to fix any recipe issues before launching them nationwide.
Why Did In-Store Testing Slow Down?
Even before the May 2026 leadership transition, Crumbl had already been reducing its reliance on physical tester stores for a few practical reasons:
- Better in-app data: The Dessert Lab and Requests tab let Crumbl gather structured feedback directly through the app, reducing the need for as many physical test stores.
- Operational cost and labor: Running tester items adds extra prep and inventory work for franchise staff. Some locations reportedly opted out of the program for this reason.
- Quality control: A smaller, more consistent set of tester stores makes it easier for Crumbl to control taste and presentation standards during testing.
- The May 2026 leadership transition: As McGowan, Hemsley, and CTO Bryce Redd stepped back from their day-to-day roles and the company searched for new leaders, at least one fan-tracking source reported that Crumbl paused its test-cookie program for a period.This part remains unconfirmed by Crumbl directly — we’re flagging it as a credible but unverified report.
Crumbl Cookies Tester Locations: What We Know
Crumbl has never published an official public list of its tester locations. Customers, franchise social media posts, and fan communities have identified the states and stores below over time. Crumbl has not officially confirmed this list.Treat this as a “these stores have tested before” reference, not a guarantee that any of them are actively testing right now, especially given the uncertainty around the program described above.
| State | Stores Previously Reported as Testers |
|---|---|
| Arizona | Ahwatukee, Arcadia, Avondale, Oro Valley, Queen Creek, Scottsdale, Tempe |
| California | Apple Valley, Rancho Cucamonga, Roseville, Santee, Valencia |
| Florida | Altamonte Springs, Gulf Breeze, Palm Beach Gardens |
| Georgia | Cumming |
| Illinois | Naperville, Wicker Park |
| Indiana | Bloomington, Fishers |
| Minnesota | Arden Hills, Minnetonka |
| Missouri | Cottleville, South County |
| Nevada | Sparks |
| New Jersey | Morris Plains, Ocean |
| Ohio | Anderson, Avon, Dublin |
| Pennsylvania | Bensalem |
| Tennessee | Chattanooga, Mount Juliet, Smyrna |
| Texas | Amarillo, Cinco Ranch, Lubbock, San Antonio |
| Utah | Brigham City, Springville |
| Washington | Kennewick, Lakewood, Sammamish |
⚠️ The Crumbl app does not display tester items in advance—they only show up once you’re browsing the menu in-store. The most reliable way to check is to call ahead or visit in person and ask staff directly whether anything extra is being tested that week.
Recently Tested Items (2025–Early 2026)
Crumbl reportedly tested a few items at select locations before adding them to its national rotating menu:
- Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Cookie and Dubai Chocolate variations
- Biscoff Cookie Butter Cheesecake (NCD)
- Raspberry Lemon Bar Cookie
- S’mores Skillet Cookie
- Peanut Butter Pretzel Brownie
- Mango Coconut Cream Pie (NCD)
- Strawberry Skillet Cookie
- Cookies & Cream Cheesecake
Many of these flavors went on to become genuine fan favorites and were later added to the regular rotating menu in 2026 — the Dubai chocolate trend in particular went from a single tester item to one of Crumbl’s most recurring flavor concepts of the year. You can check our Crumbl Spoilers page to see what’s expected on the upcoming national menu.
Tips to Find and Try Test Items
- Call your local store directly and ask if they’re currently testing anything — this is more reliable than the app, which doesn’t show tester items in advance
- If your store is testing new flavors, visit early in the week. Tuesday or Wednesday mornings usually offer the best selection because stores often sell out of test items and may not restock them.
- Follow Crumbl fan communities, like r/CrumblCookies on Reddit, where customers regularly post sightings of unlisted items
- Check the Requests tab and Dessert Lab in the Crumbl app, since some testing has shifted there directly
- Ask staff politely—they’re usually happy to tell you if something off-menu is available that week.Want to see what’s actually on the menu right now? Check out our Crumbl This Week Menu.
Final Thoughts
Crumbl tester locations have long been part of what makes the brand exciting to follow—being near one has historically meant a chance to taste what’s coming before everyone else. With the testing program’s current status genuinely uncertain following Crumbl’s May 2026 leadership change, the most reliable thing fans can do right now is check in with their local store directly and keep an eye on official channels for any updates on whether — and how — the program continues.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s currently unclear. Following the May 2026 leadership transition, at least one fan-tracking source has reported that Crumbl paused in-store testing for the foreseeable future, but we have not been able to independently confirm this directly through Crumbl. We recommend calling your local store to check current status, and we’ll update this page as soon as we can verify either way.
Check with store staff directly, since the Crumbl app does not display tester items in advance. If your store offers unique or extra flavors that don’t appear on the regular national menu, the store is likely serving as a test location.
Yes — when testing is active, anyone can buy a test item, as long as it’s still in stock at that store.
Yes. Crumbl has historically rotated which stores participate in testing, so a store that tested new items last year may not be doing so now, and vice versa.
Not always. Some test items, like several Dubai chocolate variations, went on to become major hits. Others stayed limited to a handful of stores and never reached the national menu.
📋 Editorial Note: This page is compiled from Crumbl app features, franchise and fan-community reports, and verified news coverage of Crumbl’s May 2026 leadership transition. crumblmenu.us is an independent fan site, not affiliated with Crumbl LLC. We have not independently confirmed whether tester-location testing is currently paused—this is based on a single fan-tracking report following the leadership change, and we are treating it as unverified until we can confirm directly. Tester store lists reflect past sightings, not a current guarantee, since Crumbl does not publish an official list. Last updated: June 27, 2026.