What's the deal with Dunkin Donuts?

[bcla]

My kid was asking about it, so we went out to one of the ones that recently opened in our area. It's not that close to home, but we could mix it in with shopping. It was in an otherwise nondescript strip mall with mostly independent businesses. My kid got a candy cane sprinkled donut, I got a frosted one, and my wife (who hadn't eaten) got a breakfast sandwich. I had the coffee too. The donut was a donut. The coffee seemed like a pretty standard fast food coffee - a little bit bland bland compared to specialty coffee, but easy enough to drink black. My kid was also asking about the lip balm that looks like small coffee cups (I think my kid saw something about it on YouTube). The lip balm was $4, but all I can find online are third party sellers asking at least $10.

In California, donuts are dominated by mom and pop donut shops, which are mostly operated by Asian (especially Cambodian) immigrants. Our biggest regional chain (Winchell's) mostly went away locally. Krispy Kreme has a few locations, although the closest one is small, with little seating. There used to be a bigger one nearby, but I guess the demand couldn't justify the rent.

It was a decent enough donut. I heard when it first opened, there was a long wait to get in. It was a bit expensive, but each donut was pretty good sized, and they had lots of unique options like the candy cane one. I guess the last one around here closed in the 80s, but they're hoping to get back starting with a few shops. Is there really anything that special about them other than being ubiquitous in certain parts of the country?

 

[kimblebee]

No idea about DD, but if you have a Tims (Tim Hortons) near you go there instead.

Under no circumstances are you allowed to call it Timmy Hos. No..just no.

 

[wilkeliza]

Nothing special about a Dunkin Donuts especially if there are other donut places around. Now Shipley's on the other hand if they were ever to leave Texas, I would be a happy camper. Also if a Krispy Kream was to open back up not in the train station I would be happy to.

 

[lovin'fl]

My DS works for one. Just a chain donut shop. They used to make the donuts fresh on site... remember the commercial 'it's time to make the donuts'??? Now they get delivered each morning from a bigger place where they are made. The earlier in the day you get them, the fresher they are and they run out of the popular ones as the day goes on. The sandwiches and fancy blended drinks are a pain to make but they added those to keep up with the fads and demands of customers. We have them everywhere on the east coast. There are three in my town. DH loves the coffee though. It's his very favorite cup of Joe to get. We get Keurig pods for there as well.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

We have tons of them but like a PP said, they aren't baked fresh on site anymore. By the end of the day the donuts aren't good at all.

We prefer Krispy Kreme. Especially when the HOT sign is lit up. My kids can knock those back easily.

 

[weeniecat2442]

I live in New England and apparently we "run on Dunkin Donuts." I do not understand the appeal.
The coffee is meh and the breakfast sandwiches are pretty terrible.
And the donuts are just not that good. If I'm going to eat the calories then that donut better be worth it! I dont think DD is worth it at all!

 

[Mizzoufan]

If anyone has a Hurts donuts check them out. The best donuts in the world. I know about donuts LOL LOL

 

[hereyago]

I have a DD near me, but have only gone once.

We have a KK about 10 minutes away. Love when my app shows the hot light on,lol.

 

[jdb in AZ]

We have tons of them but like a PP said, they aren't baked fresh on site anymore. By the end of the day the donuts aren't good at all.

We prefer Krispy Kreme. Especially when the HOT sign is lit up. My kids can knock those back easily.

Our Krispy Kremes aren't made on site any more. They do add the glaze after you order them, but they're fried elsewhere.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Our Krispy Kremes aren't made on site any more. They do add the glaze after you order them, but they're fried elsewhere.

gosh I hope they don't do that here. I think DD used to be really good when they made them on site. After they did them offsite they went downhill.

 

[hereyago]

Our Krispy Kremes aren't made on site any more. They do add the glaze after you order them, but they're fried elsewhere.

Well that isn't fun.

 

[bcla]

My DS works for one. Just a chain donut shop. They used to make the donuts fresh on site... remember the commercial 'it's time to make the donuts'??? Now they get delivered each morning from a bigger place where they are made. The earlier in the day you get them, the fresher they are and they run out of the popular ones as the day goes on. The sandwiches and fancy blended drinks are a pain to make but they added those to keep up with the fads and demands of customers. We have them everywhere on the east coast. There are three in my town. DH loves the coffee though. It's his very favorite cup of Joe to get. We get Keurig pods for there as well.

I guess they might have some sort of commissary with big expansion plans. They're planning on having nine just in San Francisco, with many others in the surrounding area. Right now I only see four, and in remote locations like Half Moon Bay or American Canyon. These are in some pretty small towns, although the one I went to is less than a block away from an upscale shopping center.

 

[hereyago]

Ok, who else is craving donuts now? Lol

 

[BrianL]

We only got Dunkin here a few years ago, and everyone was excited for it. I'd been to them in New England before and knew they were actually the world's worst donuts, waxy and dry. We have a local donut place, Gibsons, which has been featured on food shows and such, plus a lot of other good mom & pop's that make great donuts. I can't imagine going to Dunkin!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Near us that I have been too..Krispy Kreme, Dunkin' Donuts, Daylight Donuts, LaMar's Donuts (founded in KC,MO but now found in 5 states total of 25 locations)

Step-father-in-law is from just outside of Boston he prefers Dunkin' Donuts. I don't mind Dunkin' Donuts but prefer other companies to them.

One location of Krispy Kreme was right by my high school so everyday I would drive in the morning and smell the fresh donuts. Daylight Donuts is good and LaMar's Donuts is just devine. There is also a chain place that has Kolachies called the Kolache Factory which I used to go to a lot when I lived really close to a store location. They aren't quite the same as donuts but similarish.

 

[bcla]

Our Krispy Kremes aren't made on site any more. They do add the glaze after you order them, but they're fried elsewhere.

I think it depends on the store size. Some of the bigger big ones deliver to the smaller ones. When the first one around here opened, at least one supermarket was selling them and probably got them from the big location.

I know of one small one that does have the Hot light in front.

No idea about DD, but if you have a Tims (Tim Hortons) near you go there instead.

Under no circumstances are you allowed to call it Timmy Hos. No..just no.

All we have listed are some snack bars at skating rinks. The reviews say that the only Tim Horton's item they sell is coffee. I thought the coffee I had at Tim Horton's in BC was comparable to Dunkin. Mild. Plenty of caffeine. Good with a donut (or Timbits).

 

[tvguy]

My kid was asking about it, so we went out to one of the ones that recently opened in our area. It's not that close to home, but we could mix it in with shopping. It was in an otherwise nondescript strip mall with mostly independent businesses. My kid got a candy cane sprinkled donut, I got a frosted one, and my wife (who hadn't eaten) got a breakfast sandwich. I had the coffee too. The donut was a donut. The coffee seemed like a pretty standard fast food coffee - a little bit bland bland compared to specialty coffee, but easy enough to drink black. My kid was also asking about the lip balm that looks like small coffee cups (I think my kid saw something about it on YouTube). The lip balm was $4, but all I can find online are third party sellers asking at least $10.

In California, donuts are dominated by mom and pop donut shops, which are mostly operated by Asian (especially Cambodian) immigrants. Our biggest regional chain (Winchell's) mostly went away locally. Krispy Kreme has a few locations, although the closest one is small, with little seating. There used to be a bigger one nearby, but I guess the demand couldn't justify the rent.

It was a decent enough donut. I heard when it first opened, there was a long wait to get in. It was a bit expensive, but each donut was pretty good sized, and they had lots of unique options like the candy cane one. I guess the last one around here closed in the 80s, but they're hoping to get back starting with a few shops. Is there really anything that special about them other than being ubiquitous in certain parts of the country?

I found Dunkin Donuts to be like Krispy Kreme, just donuts with a too high price. A few Krispy Kremes have come back in my area, but most got run out of town about 7 years ago. They were all built next to those mom and pop donut shops, and mom and pop kicked their donut holes out of town, better donuts, almost half the price. Now, I do like Dunkin donuts coffee.

 

[moniqueand2]

I prefer DD over Krispy Kreme and Tim Hortons. I find the DD doughnuts to be plumper.

 

[luvsJack]

Nothing special about a Dunkin Donuts especially if there are other donut places around. Now Shipley's on the other hand if they were ever to leave Texas, I would be a happy camper. Also if a Krispy Kream was to open back up not in the train station I would be happy to.

We have a Shipley's here! Been here forever. I kinda thought they were the only one.

DD close here but we do have our beloved Krispy K and Shipley's. Everyone is either team KK or team Shipley's. LOl

 

[ImDMous]

We have a Starbuck's every square mile and a great local donut shop, but I did read an article that DD was supposed to be expanding here in So Cal. We don't have any that I know of currently. I've been a few times while visiting relatives in NY. They can stay away as far as I'm concerned.