For twenty years, Sprinkles was the cupcake place you went to for birthdays, breakups, and, of course, the cupcake ATM run when you wanted dessert without making eye contact with anyone.
And now, as Delish reports, in a terrible kickoff to 2026, it’s closing—for good.
Candace Nelson, the founder of Sprinkles Cupcakes, confirmed in an Instagram post that December 31 was the brand’s final day of service, calling the sudden ending “surreal.” She also made it clear this isn’t a decision coming from her side of the kitchen. Nelson said she sold Sprinkles to private equity back in 2012 and hasn’t been involved in operations for more than a decade, but the news still hit personally, since she always assumed Sprinkles would keep growing.
The first Sprinkles opened in Beverly Hills in 2005, and the brand expanded into multiple states, becoming famous for its cupcake ATMs (quite possibly the greatest invention for people like me whose sweet tooth has no limits). Sprinkles reportedly expanded to more than 20 locations across six states, plus Washington, D.C., and roughly two dozen cupcake ATMs.
Online, the reaction has been all over the place. Fans piled into the comments on Nelson’s video with memories of waiting in line for their favorite flavors, with a few celebrity faces chiming in, too, including Lacey Chabert, Nicky Hilton, and Cody Rigsby.
As for why everything is shutting down now, that part is still murky. A spokesperson said the company made a “difficult decision” to move away from operating company-owned bakeries, but didn’t share much beyond that. On Sprinkles’ corporate posts, however, some commenters claiming to be employees said they were given little notice before the end-of-year shutdown, which only added fuel to an already emotional dessert situation.
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Photo Credit : Walter Cicchetti / Shutterstock.com