Butter and Crumble, the North Beach bakery known for drawing some of San Francisco’s longest pastry lines, is asking customers to hold off on lining up before 7:45 a.m. as it tries to curb early-morning crowds.
In an Instagram post Thursday, owner Sophie Smith said customers have lined up “every single day for the last 2.5 years we’ve been hustling,” but that lines have recently started forming earlier than ever – sometimes hours before opening – creating long waits and straining neighbors.
“Starting tomorrow April 10, we ask that the line not begin until 7:45 AM,” Smith wrote. “We hope this small shift will have a positive impact on both our visitors, and our community.”
Since opening in 2023, Butter & Crumble has built a devoted following for its pastries, including pistachio-sugar croissants, lemon-filled cruffins and savory specials.
On weekends, customers often begin queuing as early as 7 a.m. for a 9 a.m. opening, with lines stretching for blocks.
The popularity has turned the sidewalk outside the Francisco Street shop into a daily flashpoint.
An assortment of pastries from Butter and Crumble.The San Francisco bakery is asking customers not to line up before 7:45 a.m. as long waits strain neighbors and frustrate fans. (Elena Kadvany/The Chronicle)
In its post, the bakery said earlier lines have created “a crazy unavoidable wait time for everyone before we even open our doors” and have become “increasingly tough on surrounding residents.”
Smith has spent months trying to manage the crowds.
The bakery has posted signage, sent staff outside with updates on inventory and reminded customers about line etiquette. It also recently hired a line coordinator – an unusual role in the local restaurant scene – to answer questions, provide wait-time estimates and keep the line from blocking driveways and sidewalks.
That coordinator will help manage the new 7:45 a.m. start time this weekend. Smith acknowledged, “we’re not entirely sure how this will go.”
Online, the reaction was swift and divided.
In a Reddit thread discussing the policy, some commenters questioned how it could be enforced, suggesting customers would simply gather nearby before the designated time. Others said the bakery should expand preorders or adopt reservations to avoid long lines altogether.
This article originally published at A wildly popular San Francisco bakery is asking customers not to line up early.