Ok, now I have heard it all, King Cake scalpers!

Who would have thunk:

New Orleanians will go to great lengths for their favorite king cakes. Starting this week, devotees of the particular king cake from Dong Phuong (14207 Chef Menteur Hwy., 504-254-0296) will have to go to the source.

The Vietnamese bakery in the far reaches of New Orleans East has built a fanatical following in recent years for its distinctive king cake and it has developed a circuit of other stores and restaurants that carry it.

But as of Feb. 1, Dong Phuong has suspended deliveries to other retailers. That means it is only available at the bakery itself.

“We had to make a really difficult decision,” said Linh Garza, president of Dong Phuong. “We decided we had to prioritize the customers who make the journey to the bakery, who stand in line for their king cake here.”

She said the bakery is working practically around the clock on king cakes now. Looking at peak demand for king cake coming up as Carnival hits high gear, she knew something had to give.

“It’s not like I can flip a switch and have everything we need to keep up,” she said.

The bakery has even heard reports of people buying their king cakes to resell at inflated prices – essentially, king cake scalping.

“We’ve heard rumors of king cakes being sold for $60,” Garza said, noting that the cake sells at the bakery for $14, or $16 for filled versions. “If it’s true, I don’t feel sorry for that person. Why would anyone pay that much for a king cake?

2ta