Sometimes the Free Market Just Hands You a Win

In a region where a basic lunch can run you $22 before tip and the government keeps finding new ways to nickel-and-dime your paycheck, it's nice when a business does the opposite: Cinnaholic is opening its doors in Berkeley with $2 signature cinnamon rolls for the grand opening.

Yes, two dollars. For a full-sized, customizable, plant-based cinnamon roll. No strings attached, no government subsidy required — just a business trying to earn your loyalty the old-fashioned way.

Cinnaholic, for the uninitiated, is a vegan cinnamon roll chain that lets you build your own creation with a frankly absurd number of frosting and topping options. Think Subway, but instead of a sad desk lunch, you're assembling a dessert that makes your coworkers deeply jealous. The brand has been expanding across the country, and Berkeley is the latest stop.

Here's what we appreciate about this: it's a private business investing in a Bay Area community, creating jobs, and using a killer promotion to get people through the door. No public funding. No three-year environmental review. No commission hearing about whether cinnamon rolls align with the city's equity framework. Just entrepreneurship doing what entrepreneurship does.

Will the $2 price last forever? Obviously not — this is a grand opening deal, not a permanent pricing model. But it's a reminder that competition and market entry benefit consumers directly. Every new business that opens is a vote of confidence in a local economy, and every promotional deal is proof that companies have to earn your dollars rather than extract them.

So if you're in the East Bay, swing by Cinnaholic's new Berkeley location, grab a $2 roll, and enjoy something increasingly rare in this part of California: getting more than you paid for.

Your wallet — and your sweet tooth — will thank you.