Corner Bakery Cafe launches daily dessert samples at corporate cafes

Corner Bakery Cafe has launched a daily dessert-sampling programme at all corporate-owned cafes, offering customers a free surprise treat during lunch and dinner periods. Announced on 12 October 2026, the initiative features seven desserts, including butter cakes and a lemon tart developed specifically for the brand.

Samples are available every day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m., the company said. The programme gives customers an opportunity to taste a dessert before ordering it, while creating a point of conversation between cafe employees and guests.

Sampling tied to customer conversations

President Erin Hasselgren said customers often arrive with an order already in mind, which can leave unfamiliar products overlooked. She described the samples as a way to introduce those customers to other menu choices without asking them to commit to a full order first.

“We wanted to give them a chance to try a treat before committing to an order,” Hasselgren said. She added that the programme gives cafe teams an opening to ask customers for their views and help them explore more of the menu.

For operators, that staff-customer interaction is a central part of the rationale set out by the company, alongside the product tasting itself. The announced scope is all corporate-owned cafes; the release does not set out a corresponding programme for franchised locations.

Custom recipes underpin dessert selection

Corner Bakery worked with French Gourmet and ShellsbyDesign on the custom desserts. The company’s announcement also cited Datassential’s identification of butter cakes as the fastest-growing dessert, although it did not provide a growth figure or a period for that comparison.

Don Smith, CEO of French Gourmet/ShellsbyDesign, said developing a custom recipe allows a brand to influence the dessert rather than simply select an existing catalogue product. He said the aim for Corner Bakery’s butter cakes and tarts was to give customers a reason to visit even when they were not planning a meal.

The sampling selection comprises Tuxedo Butter Cake, Lemon Tart, Salted Brown Butter Crispy Bar and Almond Butter Cake. Pecan Chocolate Chunk Bar, Fudge Brownie and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake complete the seven-product line-up.

Bakery origins and daily updates

The initiative draws on a bakery business that began in 1991 with bread-making in Maggiano’s Chicago kitchens. Corner Bakery subsequently expanded its menu to cover breakfast, lunch and dinner while retaining its bakery focus, according to the company.

Customers can check the brand’s social media channels each day to learn which surprise sample is being offered. Its website provides the full menu and cafe locations.