The Crumbl Cookies Labor Violation You May Have Forgotten About

Crumbl is famous for its bubble-gum pink boxes and weekly rotating menu of delicious cookies. While some fans are annoyed at the chain for sometimes upcharging its desserts and for remaining closed on Sundays, a much more serious — but mostly forgotten — scandal saw those involved fined a total of $57,854 in penalties.

In 2022, a Department of Labor investigation uncovered two serious child labor law violations that had occurred at 11 independently owned Crumbl franchise locations across six states, with the majority of the 46 victims based in Utah or California. Most of the minors affected by the violations were just 14 or 15 years old. The first violation was that these minors were permitted to operate potentially hazardous machinery. Federal law states that employees must be a minimum of 18 years old to operate certain types of machinery, which at Crumbl includes dough mixers and ovens. The second violation was that minors were permitted to work illegally long hours. Child labor laws dictate that no minor is allowed to work past 7 p.m., work more than eight hours a day, or work more than 40 hours a week.

Following the scandal, Crumbl issued a statement to TODAY.com apologizing for the violations and claiming that it would "take appropriate action to ensure that all of [its] franchisees are fully compliant with the law." A glance at the Crumbl career website revealed that all applicants must be at least 16 years old to apply. It is unclear whether this policy was in place prior to the scandal or implemented retrospectively.

Despite Crumbl's previous scandal, business appears to be booming. The chain boasts over 1,000 locations across the U.S. as of December 2025, and plans to open up a new headquarters location in 2026.

It is not just stateside that Crumbl is enjoying success, either. The brand currently has over 20 locations in Canada, which also feature an exclusive dirty soda that has yet to hit the U.S. market — although Crumbl consistently introduces new menu items. International expansion is also on the horizon. Co-founder Jason McGowan has expressed interest in opening stores in both the United Kingdom and Mexico. Another country likely to see a Crumbl store in the near future is Australia, following a scandal that — luckily — did not involve the chain itself. In 2024, Sydney-based fans of the viral cookie were resold stale, imported cookies from an unauthorized popup. The stunt became an international sensation, and shortly afterward, Crumbl took to Instagram to announce that it would be coming to Australia soon.

In 2025, the company opened just under 100 new locations across the U.S. and Canada, a figure slightly higher than its 2024 growth but still much lower than its expansion between 2021 and 2023. Additionally, financial disclosures in 2024 revealed that many Crumbl locations were struggling with falling profits compared to previous years. Taken together, these trends suggest that while the brand continues to enjoy success and pursue global expansion, its long-term trajectory remains open to interpretation rather than clearly defined.