Fleckenstein's Bakery Adds Online Ordering Option For Paczki Day

MOKENA, IL - The busiest day of the year at Fleckenstein's Bakery is quickly approaching, but Paczki Day may be a bit less hectic at the Mokena staple in 2018 thanks to a recently introduced online ordering option. In fact, Paczki lovers can already start thinking Fat Tuesday and place orders for a number of paczki and cake options ahead of the Feb. 13 pickup date.

"It's total chaos... the busiest day of the year," Ray Fleckenstein, owner of the 40-year-old bakery at 19225 S. La Grange Road, said of Paczki Day. "Every year it gets busier, and this year we are excited about testing out the online ordering option."

Those who pre-order and pre-pay online, over the phone or at the store will be able to pick up their paczkis at the back of the bakery during the morning hours on Tuesday, Feb. 13. The wait time is only expected to be a few minutes for those who choose this option.

"We're testing the online ordering platform with Paczki Day," Fleckenstein said, noting that the option could soon be a permanent one for bakery lovers year round.

To help cut down on the lines this year, Fleckenstein said the bakery is only selling the fresh strawberry kind in packets of four. That way the bakery does not have to put names on the orders of that favorite kind and can just hand out the packs to those who order in multiples of four.

But it's still an "all hands on deck" day when it comes to staffing.

"Everybody who can be here will be here," Fleckenstein said, offering the fresh strawberry kind as his personal favorite.

Is your mouth watering yet? If not, check out all these options Fleckenstein's has for Paczki Day this year and it will be.

Top photo: Tim Moran / Patch