I remember the first time I had Duck Donuts.
It was in Duck, North Carolina, where they were founded.
We were on vacation in the Outer Banks and had heard great things about this local donut shop.
And wow, did they deliver.
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The donuts were innovative without crossing over into “too much.”
You could get Reese’s pieces on a donut, or maple bacon, or sunrise (lemon icing and raspberry drizzle) – just a lot of great flavor combinations.
Since then, Duck Donuts has gotten a lot bigger.
And the competition has taken notice.
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In fact, there are now several donut shops (some old competitors, some new to the scene) whose fans would claim they’re definitely better than Duck Donuts.
Are they right?
Well, that’s ultimately your call.
But let’s start with a particularly well-known brand…
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If you’ve never had a Krispy Kreme donut hot and fresh from the oven, you know that it’s just about the best thing possible.
The thing I really appreciate about Krispy Kreme is that each donut is just so well-executed.
Like, the flavors are pretty “standard,” but each donut just tastes so good!
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I know I’ll get some grief for this, but let’s face facts: Tons of people love Dunkin’.
There’s a reason it has almost 10,000 locations across 45 states!
The selection and taste is just hard to beat.
(And if you’re in the mood for a donut but don’t know what you want – the Boston kreme or the sour cream donut are safe bets.)
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First off, Voodoo doughnuts just look amazing.
They’re so colorful and bright.
And the flavors and tastes…just incredible.
Oh Captain, My Captain…Banana Cream Pie….Sweet Cream Cannolo…Strawberry Go-Tart…
Once you have Voodoo, you’re hooked.
They’re only in a handful of states right now – California, Washington, Oregon, Texas, Colorado, Illinois, and a couple others – but they’re expanding rapidly.
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Perhaps my favorite thing about salt is that it enhances the flavors that are already there, and it can provide a contrast that makes sweetness all the sweeter.
Consider homemade ice cream – if you’ve ever made it in a Ziploc bag in a salt water bath, you get that hint of salt on the outside of the ice cream which just makes the sweet hit all the harder.
Same rules apply at The Salty Donut. Their brown butter and salt donut is the perfect balance, and their mixed berry cheesecake is right behind it.
It’s only in seven states plus DC for now, but with these flavors I think it’s only a matter of time before they go national.
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If you haven’t had LaMar’s, you’re missing out.
Their French cruellers are excellent – you should get the chocolate iced for an extra indulgent treat.
Also, their chocolate long john with Bavarian cream is fantastic. (I’ve always loved filled donuts of all kinds.)
You’ll find LaMar’s in five states (Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Arizona, and Nebraska), but I’m confident they’ll keep expanding from here.
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So there you have it – five donuts with a claim to being better than Duck Donuts.
Or, at least, each can make a fair argument!
But the real question is…
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What do YOU think?
Is Duck Donuts #1?
Is one of these competitors better?
Is it someone I haven’t even mentioned?
Let us know in the comments!
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