There was a time when cupcakes were all angry. That era included Skinny Jeans, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Fall Out Boy’s “Sugar, We Are Down,” and the rise of Uggs. But now the very famous cupcake location is dark.
Sprinkle location in Americana, Glendale, California – a legendary self-service cupcake ATM and a large, brightly colored kiosk. Instead, a new chocolate store will soon be available. Yelp lists permanently closed locations. A closer look online shows that @Americanaatbrandmemes on Instagram actually had the news a few weeks ago and posted a RIP to Americana’s sprinkles.
Maybe the biggest question is why.
Despite repeated requests for comments, Sprinkle has not responded. But perhaps the @americanaatbrandmemes meme has the biggest clue, saying, “The 2005 cupcake trend officially ended in Glendale.”
The Sprinkles still lists famous spots such as Grove and Beverly Hills, as well as locations across California, including Arizona, Florida, Nevada, Texas, Utah and even Washington, DC.
I was one of them – who doesn’t have a sprinkle cupcake? But is the meme correct? Is cupcakes popular? We asked about the sprinkles about the reasons for the closure and whether other locations are closed. Sprinkle didn’t answer.
But there is no doubt. Cupcakes are still popular nationwide.
TasteWise, which tracks consumer trends, said in a 2025 report that social chatter in cupcakes has declined by 15.59% over the past year. But they say there are still more than 52,000 restaurants with cupcakes on the menu. Industry tracker Essfeed says the global cupcake market is expected to reach $13.5 billion this year, but consumers are now healthier, forcing markets that include cupcakes to meet changing demand.
David Lazarus of Consumer Confidential agrees, saying that changing demand could be bad news for the top sweets retailer.
“The simple fact is that cupcakes don’t address the needs of young consumers who are looking for tasty, but healthier foods and snacks,” says Lazarus.
What does it mean for sprinkles and other cupcake bakers? Food for thought.
