 This summer, CNN's Defining America project will be traveling the country with the CNN Express bus to explore the stories behind the data and demographics that show how places are changing. This week, CNN brings you coverage from North Carolina. If you eat doughnuts in Greensboro, North Carolina, chances are you head to Krispy Kreme. The king of the hot glazed doughnut was founded just 30 miles away, in Winston-Salem, in 1937. Since then it's gained a loyal following regionally, and more recently, nationally and internationally. The first Krispy Kreme in New York City opened in 1996, and the first non-U.S. store opened in Toronto in 2001. So what on earth would possess someone to open a little, independent doughnut shop in the land of Krispy Kreme? "I'm confident in my product," she added with a shrug. Ly says what separates her doughnuts from the Krispy Kreme variety is their freshness. They're homemade from scratch on the premises every day. She says the apple fritter, for example - a customer favorite - has "a lot of apple," more than many other commercially available treats.
Perhaps part of Ly's confidence in Donut World comes from her background within in that very niche. She grew up in California, where her family owned a doughnut shop, and she uses the same family recipes at Donut World now. Plus, she says she's very much "into the business" aspect of owning and running the shop. Donut World is small and unassuming, tucked into an old strip mall in the Guilford College area of Greensboro. There are only a couple of tables for seating. But on the day we visited, Ly had a steady flow of customers, most ordering an assortment of doughnuts to take home - with more than a few apple fritter requests. Much of the shop's business is from regulars like Jennifer Short, a Greensboro resident who comes in for a treat "at least three or four times a week." And Ly says she has loyal customers who come from as far away as Asheboro - about 30 miles to the south - to get their doughnut fix. "I really love my customers," she says, adding that the people she meets are the best part of owning a doughnut shop. Is this customer loyalty enough for Donut World to compete with chains like Krispy Kreme? Well, business is "good and bad," says Ly. "It's not the best." She tries to straddle the line between making a profit and not setting her prices too high. The day we visited, I bought a dozen doughnuts for $7.64 - about the same price I would have paid at a nearby Krispy Kreme. And even with business being less than ideal, Ly has recently opened a second location in Greensboro and plans to expand further in the future. But perhaps the most important question of all: How do the doughnuts stack up? I gathered some colleagues for a taste test - which didn't take much convincing. The light, airy glazed yeast doughnut was comparable to Krispy Kreme's original glazed - and coming from someone who was raised on those, that is praise of the highest order. It was a bit lighter in both texture and flavor than a Krispy Kreme, which could be a pro or a con, depending on your doughnut preferences. The glazed cake doughnuts - we sampled chocolate and blueberry - were very fresh but otherwise average, as were the custard-filled doughnuts. If you prefer cake doughnuts to the yeast variety, try the unglazed cinnamon cake doughnut; it's almost like a slice of crumbly coffee cake in doughnut form. The two standouts were the customer-beloved apple fritter and the buttermilk doughnut. The fritter did indeed have plenty of fresh apple flavor, balanced out but not overwhelmed by cinnamon and plenty of crunchy glaze. And the buttermilk doughnut was denser than most of the others but with a very light, not overly sweet flavor - a surprise to most of us. Perhaps that's just what independence tastes like. Poll - What's your favorite kind of doughnut? (Or is that "donut" to you?) |
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Can't wait for the gourmet doughnut shop to open downtown charleston!
:)
I Keep My Money In The Local Small Town Bank. I Spend My Money At The Local Mom And Pops Businesses,from What Groceries I Need To The Pharmacy To Get My Meds. Heck With All Them Big Stores And Franchises. The Local Merchants Know Me By Name,and By God If For Some Unearthly Reason I Had No Money,checks Or Credit Cards, My Local Yokels Would Make Sure I Got What I Needed. Krispy Kreme Does Make A Heck Of A Donut,but After All,arent We The Fattest Country In The World??? The Citezens Of This Country Are Committing Suicide By Overindulding. Donuts? Really? Mc Donaldr And Bk Are The World Leaders In The Hamburger Industry. They Also Buy All The Beef Eyeballs They Can Get.so,thru The Hocus Pocus Of Organic Chemistry You Get An Organic Chemical Laced Eyeball Sammich. Dont Believe Me? Ok. Go To Mickey D's. Grab A Burger. Heres Lookin At You.
KK are yummy when fresh and warm, but ALL donuts are yummy when fresh and warm. When cooled, KK are hard-shelled toxic waste! And nobody at KK has a clue how to make coffee. Of the chains, DD is far and away the best!
I first tried KK when i was visiting my uncle in Vegas as a kid. I love them fresh but any older than an hour or so and they arent that great. I love voodoo in Portland Or. Fun place and great taste! @cellisiti if you want health food go to a place that serves health food. Sweets arent an everyday thing but when a person would like to treat themselves to something sinfully delicious they dont want to go to a doughnut shop to eat healthy.
Mmm Krispy Kreme bread pudding! Only once a year, though, at Christmas.
Thank you CNN for featuring a GREENSBORO (NC,USA) business. We love this hometown, slice-of-life segment to CNN. Keep it us and do stop back by Greensboro when you get a chance.
That should be "up."
Sorry, folks, Krispy Kreme is the fast food of donuts. The best donuts in the world are at the Donut Dinette in Norfolk, Virginia. Only one variety – deep fried and glazed. Pure heaven.
Sorry – at the ideal healthy weight.
What an obsession with donuts!? Dump them and eat a healthy treat and maybe American will loose the "land of the fat asses" moniker. It sounds like most of you visit the the donut shop frequently. Now tell me you all are at the idea healthy weight so I can have a good LOL.
Krispy Kreme is by far my least favorite in the do-nut industy. They put WAY to much sugar in the batter and glazes. I like the light, less glazed flavor in my donut. For the larger donut producers, I prefer Dunkin', but my favorite is a more local business located here in central Texas, Shipley's. They have delicious fresh donuts as well a some magnificent kolaches that I dream about for Sunday breakfasts.
I am born and raised in Portland, OR now living on the East coast, and let me say VOODOO Donut is the BEST!!!!!!!!! If you're ever in Oregon it's a place to visit. Yum!
Obama eats chocolate donut holes.
Duncan Donuts...yes...the company that wll someday have a store in every home!
I live in Greensboro and have always enjoyed a donut, but never got KK. Just had my first DW donut three months ago and I'll never go back! The kruellers literally melt in your mouth!!
I live about 1 mile from Donut World. Their buttermilk donut with maple glaze is nearly orgasmic.
Not a Krispy Creme fan, nor do I care for those "fancy" over sugared donuts that put breakfast cereal on top for nolvety. I guess that type of donut isn't new to me since we have VooDoo Donuts where I live, but even they are getting old. I guess something that may be more novel is to go back to the tradional homemade donuts and leave out the crap!
Voodoo Donuts in Portland,OR has been doing wild donuts longer than anyone. Try their maple bar with bacon on top or their Memphis Mafia mmmm so good! They also do marriages.
I live outside of Indianapolis – everyone always raves about the donuts from Long's Bakery. I've never been, but I know that CNN did an article about the best donuts in the USA and they got more letters written in about how they could have left Long's off the list than any other donut in the country. Hmmm...guess I need to try them!
I likes burrito boys dognuts
I live in Greensboro and I must say that the donut's at DW are AMAZING! Especially the Buttermilk Glaze. Fantastic Donut. I think I might just have to stop there on the way home. Yummy!
Doughnut Planet in NYC is by far the best. I don't even like doughnuts that much but their coconut cream filled square ones are revolutionary. Voodoo is fun and quirky, but the only doughnut that isn't sickenly sweet is the bacon maple bar (super yummy but is just bacon on top of regular maple bar).
Lived in Greensboro and other places in NC for 13 years and only once did I go to a Krispy Kreme store. Most North Carolinians are just as happy to get a box of glazed KK at the grocery store.
KK tastes like crap.
C'mon. Let's be accurate here: deep fried, glazed crap.
Well, one thing is for sure.....I want a donut.
Haha! Especially after looking at that photo.
Shipley's is the best chain donut that I've experienced, and The Donut Plant here in NYC crushes every donut place I've ever been to. They turn Donuts into an art form.
Krispy Kreme is just a plain old glazed donut. I've them here and there, always bought by someone else as I wouldn't go out of my way for them. I'm hope this woman's business thrives so that people can have an alternative. As a donut lover myself, I find it harder and harder to find an independent donut shop that sells quality. No, the grocery store or Wal Mart bakery do not cut it.
The author missed out – Donut World's three best donuts are their glazed old fashioned (rivals Seattle's Top Pot's o.f.), unglazed French krueller, and glazed buttermilk, in that order. They only hit #3.
Where I am at the only donut shop is Daylight Donutes...which by the way opens really early and is normally out of everything by noon. Get there before 8 and the donutes are amazing, made fresh every day. The glazed isn't overly sweet and just perfect, especially if you happen to get up early enough to get them while they are still warm! There is no Dunken Donutes or Krispy Kreme here...the only other option is the wal-mart, dillons, and caseys.
what about voodoo donuts? weird but the best still.
The best donut I've ever eaten was a long john with maple icing and a big ol' piece of bacon right on top. Believe me, it taste much better than it sounds.
Ok my arteries just collapsed at the thought of it. I can't decide between the saturated fats, the transfats, the simple carbohydrates, the rediculously high sugar content, or the sodium and nitrates that your poor body keeps ingesting every time you have one of those. Treat or not, the human body was not meant to ingest or process such things.
Relax a little bit Laura. I've eaten one of these thing's. Their not the staple of my diet. Sheeesh.
Nope sorry, can't do it. I prefer the natural flavors that this world has created. It has nothing to do with not eating donuts, it's just not my thing.
Laurab really? you are reading and commenting on a story about donuts! You shouldn't be waisting your time here with us (in your opinion) hopelessly fat, unhealthy donut eaters. I'm sure CNN has some health story you would be less stressed about.
I have lived in Greensboro my entire life and grew up on Krispy Kreme. Donut World has them beat hands down! Better product and MUCH better customer serivce (they actually smile when you enter their business). Krispy Kreme – be afraid, be very afraid!!!
I loved the fresh hot krispy kremes when we had a shop here in KY, but unfortunately with the Low Carb Diet fad, they went out of business. I really prefer Dunkin Donuts for cakes but will always think of K.K when I think of yeast donuts. Hot, freshly glazed, mmmmm.
There is a local Spudnuts that makes potato flour doughnuts. Very good.
spudnuts are the best in cville
I am from Greensboro and am a huge fan of Donut World. They are so much fresher and better-tasting than Krispy Kreme, Dunkin Donuts, or any others around here. Thank you, Lean, for bringing these tasty treats to us! Keep up the great work!
Denver tends to be a doughnut void. We have a couple Krispy Cremes which I have fond high school memories of as our coach would occasionally bring them in as treats but that's about the last time I had one. Otherwise there's a Lamar's Doughnuts but that's it that I know of. We're much more fond of our Panaderias with Mexican sweet breads (and the occasional doughnut that's closer to a churro) than anything. They're also vastly cheaper, I usually can pick up pan for between 50 and 75 cents a piece.
CA donut shops FTW.. every donut shop i been to here in CA is asian owned and they rock.. ham and cheese crossaints after a long nite of drinking are standard on the weekends
I live across the street from Donut World in Greensboro. It has a quality product, there are always costumers in the store, even at 9-10 pm. Dont let CNN fool you the business is doing well. They have opened a second location because they are doing so well.
I grew up on Dunkin' donuts and prefer those, Krispy kreme donuts taste to sweet to me but I rarely eat donuts anymore because they are too dang fattening
DOUGHNOUGHT – they are noughts (zeros) of dough.
Newt "no-nuts" Gingrich.
TheFreeDictionary says:
1) Anything shaped like a ring, such as the reaction vessel of a thermonuclear reactor
2) The toroidal vacuum chamber in which electrons are accelerated in a betatron or synchrotron. Also known as toroid.
3) An assembly of enriched fissionable material, often doughnut-shaped, used in a thermal reactor to provide a local increase in fast neutron flux for experimental purposes.
Awesome!
What were we discussing?
I'm just so sick of donuts, which are top the most unhealthy things in the world. I like going to Dukin Donuts in NYC area, but only take their bagels and coffee, not donuts at all.
Can someone tell those shops to make some healthy alternatives rather than sucky sugary donuts, that no one who are health consiouse would touch!
Why don't you try making some yourself that are healthy?
Congrats to all the health nut people who deny themselves the sinful pleasures of a hot, fresh donut. Life is too short to keep yourself on a strict diet and not take time for a special treat now and again. (NOT everyday) Now that said, I don't believe people who must be on special diets for health reasons should indulge in what they are not supposed to have, but happiness is in short supply sometimes and a treat can help get over the hump.
How can anyone drink Dukin Donut coffee? Pure swill!!!
Try Peets or better yet, Mother Lode Coffee Roasting Company from Sonora, CA. http://www.mlcrc.com/
Krispy Kreme is very popular in Richmond, VA the very best donuts I've EVER had ANYWHERE are from the local Westhampton Bakery. Lines out the door & donuts sold out daily.
Duane, I'm guessing you got sick because you ate a whole box of doughnuts in general.
Crime must be low in Greensboro ...
Livermore, CA's Donut Wheel is a fixture there keeping Krispy Kreme at bay. Quality always beats hot & gooey.
There was a KK in Oxnard CA but after a few years it closed down due to lack of business, I had KK a few times but just found them to have way to much sugar for my taste. I like some of the small mom and pop doughnut shops, the doughnuts don't taste as overly sweet as KK and if you get them in the morning they are nice and fresh, prefect for taking a box to work.
we are scourged with Dunkin Donuts in CT, which are inedible. but there is a Yalesville shop called Neil's that makes real doughnuts, beautiful cake donuts and crullers, overflowing jelly donuts and jelly filled crullers. it's a sin how bad baked goods are in central CT
What I think is funny is that I have been to numerous places where you see the husks that once were Krispy Kreme shops. Those places pop up, get popular at first, and then fail. It's quite funny.
I do remember in college (2003) one opened up in town, and the dorm ordered boxes and boxes of them. I got a whole box to myself (as I worked in the dorm), and I ate it all....I got sick like nobody's business. I haven't eaten another Krispy Kreme since.
Ugh... I've been there! In high school, a friend and I got a dozen heavy, cake donuts and ate them... I felt so sick, I did not eat another donut for about 6 years.
I took a two week business trip to Panama City, Florida (I can hear you all say, "Who the hell takes a "business trip" to Panama City, Florida?"), I went by a place called Dan-D-Donuts & Deli on my way through down town every day (yes, Panama City, Florida, has a "downtown"–their sign says so). It was only on the second week that I deliberately made a trip to this place to try all the local establishments. Let me tell you, it's a good thing I waited until the second week, otherwise I would have gained ten or more pounds during my stay.
To make a long story longer, if a Krispy Kreme and a Dunkin Donuts were placed on each side of/in front of/blocking this establishment, both of them would be oozing red ink. The deliciousness, variety, and uniqueness of their doughnuts puts them miles ahead of any possible competition. They've also been around, apparently, since the beginning of time itself (well, 1968), and made it through Atkins just fine. And, this is in the middle of a relative ghost town! (No offense, Panama City! I truly love your town after visiting!)
The moral of this excruciatingly long story? If you create your own niche that people want, they will demand that you stay in business at all cost.
I am not a fan of Krispy Kreme donuts most of the time. Every once in a while I'll want one of their glazed donuts, but most of the time it's too sweet to me. I generally prefer Shipley's or mom and pop stores.
Donut World reminds me of what Krispy Kreme was like when I was a child. I would walk with my dad on a Saturday morning to the old downtown Raleigh shop. Nothing can beat a KK original glazed hot off the line. However, all the rest of them really don't taste like they used to–and I'm not saying that just because I'm old now! It's a sad result of their huge expansion attempt.
Donut World doughnuts taste like what my childhood Krispy Kremes did. Except for the apple fritters. KK has never had anything like Lean's apple fritters. They are truly a delight. We've converted many to Donut World with the gift of an apple fritter. I think I'll head over there now to pick up some for my kids for breakfast! :)
I live in Greensboro these are the best donuts south of NYC. Without a doubt better then KK and DD!!!!!
Small, independent businesses were once the economic backbone of this country. Hat's off and best wishes to Ly and other small entrepreneurs across the US brave enough to follow their dreams (donuts, or otherwise) in this tough economic climate. It is these types of small to medium local businesses that we should be supporting everyday. Without the type of risk Ly and others like her are willing to take on this country will never get out of the fiscal decline we now face. People like Lomez and Hope should remember that next time they find themselves in the unemployment line.
Ok sorry, I have to be the devil's advocate here. With the obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol rates which rival those in the UK, I don't understand what it's going to take for someone to give up donuts and all the other crap out there before their health takes a huge hit.
Yes they taste good, I don't deny that, but once you've been told you are obese and you have diabetes with all the other health problems out there that come with it, it's just not worth it.
Laurab68: We don't know if any of the people on this board are obese, have diabetes or high blook pressure, etc. We could all be healthy active adults who enjoy a donut once and a while. Same as some people enjoy a hot fudge sundae, cookie, a slice of birthday cake, etc. Yes, America in general has an obesity related health problem, but donuts aren't the main cause... lack of exercise is probably a bigger contributor (my opinion only). Be active, healthy and enjoy all the varieties of life available in our country!!!
I agree! Work out or be active regularly, and there is no problem with having an occasional donut.
I also know that Medford, MA (right outside of Boston) had a KKD that went out of business. It first opened when I was in college and my friends and I would take a ride and bring back donuts for our other friends. The novelty wore off quickly though. But then again it was in the heard of Dunkin' country.
You are right Ejisma. Everything in moderation is good as long as you don't have any food intolerances/allergies. Yes, in case you haven't guessed by now, I am a "health" nut. This comes actually from watching my mom deal with diabetes, high blood pressure, bladder cancer, angina, glaucoma just to name a few. I've never seen someone have to take so much medication in one day in my entire life and the thought of going down the same road scares the crap out of me. I've always eaten healthy, even as a kid and then an adult. It just comes naturally to me. If I can not follow in her footsteps for as long as possible by eating healthy and exercising then I will. I love my mom, I just don't want to live like my mom.
The Donut Man in Glendora, CA ROCKS! Especially their fresh strawberry and peach donuts. People come from miles for those bad boys. Their tiger tails aren't bad either.
Agreed... and they have a giant window for you to watch them being made.
Very rarely eat donuts anymore because all we have are the chains anymore in the part of NY State I live in. We always had dunkin donuts but the independents held their own against them. Krispy Kreme came in and drove some away before they themselves failed. Tim Hortons, Dunkin Donuts with aggressive expansion in the area have killed all but one of the independents. The chain donuts are nowhere near as good as the independents used to be, those donuts were meals unto themselves. They had flavor, they would fill you up, they tasted like a donut, unlike these airfilled lumps of fluff the chains serve.
There was a big wave of Krispy Kreme openings in Chicago between 2004-2007, but all of them are closed now........
The story did not mention it, but i'm guessing Ms Ly is Cambodian, They bought up all the old Dunkin stores here in Austin Tx and opened loads of SUPER donut stores in the area. If you come through Central Texas the real Star here are the Round Rock yellow donuts, preferred by Cops 3 to 1 over all the rest. Google it!
Larry, I read over a hundred comments just to see if anyone else knew about those wonderful Round Rock Bakery donuts. Absolutely the best (and I've had fresh KK, Dunkin, AND Voodoo). They show up on every Food Network or Travel Channel special about donuts.
I prefer the Jewish donuts...bagels.
Silly Dilly.
More 'mom and pop' places like this need to be supported.
I couldn't agree more. I grew up in California and my dad worked at a friends donut shop. It was the BEST! I remember helping out as a girl, glazing the donuts just out of the fryer or dipping the cake donuts into the frosting and then into the sprinkles. KK or Dunkin Donuts just can't compare to the little mom n pop places that make them fresh. There is no comparison. And yes, small businesses like this need to be supported!
K.K. got their ass's kicked in Houston by Shipley's donuts!
Shipley's has been good for 50 years. We used to stop at the Shipley's on North Main on the way home from church to get a dozen and watch the machine in the window make donuts. I think we paid 40 cents for the dozen.
Voodoo Doughnuts!!! The Magic Is In The Hole!!! A Portland Oregon mainstay for years. Check them out on line or watch a voodoo doughnut wedding on YouTube!
Sublime Doughnuts near the Georgia Tech campus (ATL) has some AMAZING doughnuts. Creative ingredients and great texture!!
Sublime Donuts are great! A little pricey, but worth it, great combinations, always fresh, great employees. Very much worth the extra buck or two for a dozen!
Two Words: Tim Horton's
Hear, hear. I long for the day Tim Horton's opens somewhere near Milwaukee.
Maple Glaze....doooooooonuuuuuuuutttttttssss (as Homer would say)!
My pops delivered freight up north and he swears by Tim Hortons.
I am from the land of Tim Horton's, the Great White North, but I have to disagree. Tim's used to be good when their product was baked on site, but now it's all par-baked in Ontario and shipped to be finished locally. Now it all tastes mass produced.
Damn, thats too bad.
What's too bad, Jerv? That TH is par-baked or that I'm from Canada :)
I live near the 2nd Donut World shop which is about 2 blocks from Krispy Kreme. We don't buy often, but the biggest compliment I can give them is they taste great and even the next day in the paper bag there are no grease spots. KK has grease spots on the box in hours. We all prefer Donut World.
Seems to me that anyone who has never walked into a Krispy Kreme shop and had one of their donuts fresh off the glazing rack can't say that their donuts aren't good. Not saying that anyone is a fool for not liking them, or that they are crazy or stupid or whatever, but I tried them for the first time in Gulfport, Mississippi and fell in love. I can't imagine a better donut. I would love to try the donut that is claimed to be the rival to the KK donut.
You got that right, HotRod.
When I say that you have to walk into the shop to enjoy KK donuts, I mean it. I HATE their boxed donuts that they sell in the grocery stores. I would say the difference is comparable to a cold Coca Cola and a flat, warm Coca Cola.
So if anyone bases their opinion of KK ONLY on their donuts sold in grocery stores, or even donuts that have picked up and brought to the office/classroom/house, then I think they have been misled.
I swear: Heaven is a Krispy Kreme donut that has JUST passed through that glazing bath, still warm, and just a bit crispy on the edges. And Heaven apparently has an incredibly short shelf life, that could even be measured in minutes.
But to echo the comment about the quality of mom and pop's, there is a donut shop called Mark's Donuts in North Little Rock, Arkansas, on Camp Robinson Road. if you are ever in the area, give them a try. Their donuts are a little more dense, and bigger than KK's. I assume they must be similar to the buttermilk donut from the article, and not so sugary as KK's. They are fantastic!
I had one fresh off the rack and didn't care for it. My sister moans in ecstasy when anyone mentioned KK. She loves the hot ones. As they say, to each his own. It's not my cuppa tea – or donut either. :D
Ice cold, chocolate cake donut, with or without icing. That's what I like.
I live in KK central so I've had them off the rack and they still are a pale comparison to a good donut. KK has an underlying taste of burnt oil but when you grow up with something I can see why there are certain people who only eat KK donuts. I'm not one thank god. Stumbled into VOODOO once and still remember how fantastic they were. Heck, the local IGA had donuts to die for when I was a kid, a million times better than KK.
I'd have to disagree. I prefer cake donuts with a variety of flavors and toppings, donuts with density. KK donuts are all air and sugar glaze, pretty boring. I suppose it's a regional thing, like Chicago vs. New York style pizza.
I have walked in and tasted them freshly glazed – flavorless and greasy. Ick. Wont touch 'em and fortunately they all went out of business in my area.
KK went under in O'Fallon, MO-best donuts are from our local Heaven Scent-awesome variety!
The military moved me around to live in several parts of the country. I would say people in the south LOVE Krispy Kreme, but since I didn't grow up on them I never really thought they were all that great. Fresh ones are very light, sweet, but still a bit greesy, and don't have much substance. Maybe that becuase I'm more of a cake donut and maple bar fan? I think Dunkin Donuts is the best chain store, but if you are lucky to live near a mom & pop donut shop you will probably find better quality. And, if you are ever near Oregon City, OR you should get a Muno's maple bar and enjoy!
Maybe it is a Southern thing after all. We do love our sugar.
I think you mean, "lard."
I have never met anyone who loves lard like someone from the South.
Krispy Kreme in Cedar Rapids, IA lasted all of 6 months before going belly up. They tried selling them in convenience stores and grocery stores, but those donuts were made 50 miles away and shipped. That also wen belly up. Donutland is still here and still in business though.
Oh man, Marshalltown IA used to have a Donutland – miss it so much!
I worked at an independent donut shop in Orange Co, CA decades ago as a teen, and still remember how good those made from scratch, freshly fried little wonders tasted! I still dislike donuts from Dunkin Donuts, Krispy Kreme, etc – Tac-Do Donuts spoiled me!!!
KK donuts taste like grease, I dislike TH as well, it seems that only small independents can make a good product.
I agree, I think Krispy Kreme donuts are flavorless, greasy and have an awful smooshy texture – bleh. Dunkin' Donuts are only slightly better – they have two varieties that are somewhat decent. You can't beat a good mom & pop donut place or a good bakery.
DD leaves a film of lard, grease in the roof of my mouth. Yuk.
Voodoo Donuts in Portland, OR. By far the best donuts I've ever eaten in my life. Fresh and with oddball flavors ( the maple bacon donut is the best with a real strip of bacon on top!)
Agreed! Voodoo Donuts – the best ever!!
That sounds so good!
VooDoo rocks!! THE best donut shop out there.
Voodoo IS the best, until you try Sesame Donuts. AMAZING. Fresh, light, just the right texture and nice people to. Voodoo is over unless its about being cool and not about the donut!
Mmmmm... Donut...
donuts suck
That's because they have a hole dorkus. ;)
well played
sometimes, when i'm lonely, i look at that whole and start fantasizing...well, you know what happened next...
Touche'
DUNKIN' DONUTS are the only real donuts! KK just taste like limp wads of grease.
So .... you're 12 years old and don't know which end is up yet. Got it.
Why don't you sit the rest of this one out and watch to see how the grown-ups do it? That's a good girl.
Krispy Kreme opened up a store in Modesto, CA and went out of business about a year or so later. Crap compared to Mr. T's which is open 24 hours and friggin awesome.
I pity the fool who don't try Mr T's donuts
Most Krispy Kreme stores make their doughnuts fresh on the premises everyday, so I don't know what she's talking about (aside from the ones sold at grocery stores).
Agreed with that.
We'll see how confident she is in her product when she goes belly-up in 12 months.
I've had her donuts and they are good. And she's been there a couple of years...
She won't go belly up in 12 months. She has been in business for almost 2 years now and has just opened her second shop. Her clientel keeps growing and growing.
Exactly, Dana. I saw that in the article and thought "Then what's all the hubbub about that neon light being on at Krispy Kreme, if not to signal that the donuts are being made RIGHT NOW."
Regardless, I hope Ly does well and is very successful. Seems like it would be tough to beat KK's standard, classic, fresh donut, but maybe that buttermilk donut can be her claim to fame.
"They're homemade from scratch on the premises every day."
Making donuts from scratch is a lot different from taking 50 lb bags of premix and adding water.
Exactly Todd E. Thats all Krispy Kreme does.
That was their true claim to fame, was the fresh, warm donut they handed out as you walked in. There were very tasty. The ones you took home ended up too heavy and too sugary, especially if you got anything other than the plain glazed.
There was a Krispy Kreme that opened here... and failed after the first few OMG months of rush at the newness of it.
No one knows where "here" is, Mildred!
"Here" is everywhere and you are nowhere. There ya' go. Just sayin'...
What do mean hannah1, I'm there now!
I bet it is somewhere near where she lives, Hannah
I'm here now. I grew up here. Lived here all my life. Will probably die here. Great place. You should visit Hanna!
Here is Upstate NY, Albany area.
nowhere is now here.
OH, .OK I WILL JUST GO TO THE ONE HERE
Can't say I have ever been there...only here. Kinda in a rut...pretty depressing...always trying to go there but find I am stuck here. Kinda like that dram where you try to run but you legs are just too heavy and you go nowhere and just stay here. Well, since we are both here I keep looking for you and can;t seem to see you so you really must be there and not here. Good for you!
There is a Krispy Kreme a couple miles from my house and place of work, but I don't go there unless it's late at night at which point the much better donut places are closed. Krispy Kreme does make the very best plain glazed donut ever in my opinion but I prefer other varieties and in that field Krispy Kreme does not excell.
I've only ever had a KK donut when we were leaving a hockey game, there was a store on the arena parking lot. The free donut we were offered as we entered the store was taken from the fryer fresh and was very tasty. The dozen we took home for the next morning were awful – heavy and way to sugary. We continued to stop by after games for the free fresh donut, but never bought anymore. Folks at work used to bring them in and rave – I prefer a lighter not so frosted donut. Most of the KK stores that opened in our area during their boom are closed now, including the one at the arena.
Same story in the Twin Cities – Krispy Kremes opened up around 2002 to crowds that required police officers to manage the traffic, but were done in by the Atkins craze a mere two years later, also when people found out that Krispy Kremes were only marginally better than the donuts they could buy at a convenience store.
Meanwhile, the Mom & Pop Donut Shops march on, and another one just opened up out in the western suburbs, and man alive is that some good stuff.
The same thing happen here in CT when Krispy Kreme opened. My sons owns an donut shop in the state and they never affected his business. Small shops like us keeps this country going, not the big box stores. Our product is much better and doesn't have the artificial sweet taste that they have. Plus the size of their donuts are small!
@judy Their donuts are on the small side.
Same thing happened in Denver. Traffic on the south end of town was a mess, reporters roving the jammed streets looking for sound bites. People fell into one of two camps: the transplants were like "OMG IT"S KRISPY KREME!" and the locals asked "WTF's a Krispy Kreme?" Don't know if there are still any here.
The big places... KK, McDonald's, etc. got to be so big because they did at least one thing better (or more ruthlessly) than the others. I can rail against Krispy Kreme and how they put the little guy out of business, but really, they've got some fabulous doughnuts!
Its hard to find a donut shop anymore.right in San Diego in my area all but one of the donut shops have closed down.Independent donut shops have better donuts anyways. Krispy Kreme is garbage.Premanufactured bland overglazed garbage.
Well I'm also in Albany, NY and remember the krispy....it failed because Albany, NY is Dunkin country....we are super saturated with the yummy DD treats :)
WHERE IS (HERE) IT COULD BE ANY WHERE. I LOVE KRISPY KREME DONUT'S