Dollar Tree's Jumping On The Squishy Dumplings Trend

The latest toy trend is upon us, people – and this time, it’s food-inspired. Can you call a squishy dumpling a toy? Isn’t it more of a doll, or a food plushie, or just like…a thing? I’m not sure – but no matter what it is, people are into it. Squishy dumplings look set to be this year’s labubu, and if your algorithm has decided that you’re the target audience for them, you probably won’t have been able to avoid them in the last few weeks. Now, Dollar Tree’s getting in on the action, with a lower-price version of the toy (I’m just gonna call it a toy).

Videos by Sporked

Turns out, though, getting your hands on them won’t be so easy. Let’s discuss.

Wait, Wait, Wait…What Are Squishy Dumplings In The First Place?

In short, they are (for some people) the must-have item of the year. These toys are oversized, squeezable, rubber bao buns, complete with cute little faces, that come in fake bamboo steamers. They’re nice enough to look at, but the thing that’s really getting people excited is the unboxing element. These squishy dumplings come in loads of different colors (including glittery ones, which are considered to be the rarest), and you don’t know which one you’re going to get until you open the “steamer” lid.

The squishy dumplings were originally made by a brand called RMS International, but soon enough, imitation products started to appear. Dollar Tree’s the latest retailer to stock its own, selling squishy dumplings for $3 each, significantly cheaper than the versions you’d find at other retailers (where they can cost more than $20 for the largest size).

Great, So I’ll Just Go To Dollar Tree…

Well, before you do, you might want to check if your local store has them in stock. Dollar Tree announced the arrival of its squishy dumplings on Instagram less than a week ago, causing an immediate stir in the comment section – mainly because not many of its locations seemed to have them. One customer reported driving to seven different stores to try to track them down, but to no avail.

This could be because they sold out immediately, but it looks more likely that they just weren’t rolled out that consistently. Customers in Los Angeles and Detroit have reported being able to find them, but elsewhere, they weren’t in stock. Dollar Tree has been promising customers that they’ll soon be available more widely, but when they are, you can only grab five per purchase.