Dunkin’ is the undisputed king of American donuts.
It’s got the most stores, the most sales, and an incredibly well-known brand.
But let’s face facts:
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The donut wars are intensifying, and there are tons of great chains out there.
Including a handful whose fans would absolutely claim are better than Dunkin’ and their best donuts.
Does America still run on Dunkin’?
Or is one of these donuts ready to seize the crown?
Let’s hop right in, starting with…
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Where you’ll find them: Mostly on the East Coast, but Duck Donuts has been gradually marching west and is now as far out as Utah, Nevada, Idaho, and even California.
All about the donut: Duck Donuts are crispy and delicious, with lots of fun flavors to choose from. And they’re made to order (you can see them being custom-crafted for you!). They’re probably my personal favorite donuts, outside of specialty bakes like crullers.
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Where you’ll find them: LaMar’s is in just five states right now: Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. Here’s hoping for more locations soon!
All about the donut: Their French cruellers are fantastic (get the chocolate iced for a special treat). I’m also a huge fan of their sour cream donuts, because they’re extra crispy – get the chocolate drizzle if you love chocolate. Also their chocolate long john with Bavarian cream is a masterpiece.
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Where you’ll find them: Just nine states – California, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Florida, Tennessee, Illinois, and Texas.
All about the donut: Voodoo’s doughnuts come in a variety of really imaginative flavors. (All of which are, of course, delicious.) This is a great place for the adventurous doughnut connoisseur!
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Where you’ll find them: Just three states – Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Here’s hoping for more locations soon!
All about the donut: Honey Dew donuts are traditional and delicious – I highly recommend the cinnamon donut, the coconut jelly stick (if you’re feeling more adventurous), and…of course, given the location…the Boston cream pie donut. They’ve also got a full menu of drinks; the Caramel Oreo Cookie Blast will take good care of you.
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Where you’ll find them: Krispy Kreme has over 350 locations in 41 states. Generally speaking, the states they’ve passed over either have a strong history of great donuts (like Massachusetts), minimal population (South Dakota), or both (New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine). (Of course, please note that Krispy Kreme inked a deal last year to start offering donuts at McDonald’s – so their actual reach will soon be further.)
All about the donut: A hot, freshly-made Krispy Kreme donut is just about the best thing you can eat. Period. If you know, you know.
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Where you’ll find them: Winchell’s stores are mostly in California, with a smattering in Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and Nevada.
All about the donut: Winchell’s donuts are great. My personal favorites are their apple fritter and bear claw, which I know are “technically” not donuts, but – come on. Also, their strudel is fantastic, highly recommend giving it a try.
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Where you’ll find them: Sugar Shack is only in Virginia – at least for now – but I’m confident they’ve got a bright future ahead.
All about the donut: Thick and crispy, Sugar Shack has done some great imaginative donuts over the years. If you’re in the Richmond area, definitely give them a look.
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Of course I couldn’t leave without giving Dunkin’ its due!
After all – it’s the only truly national donut chain in America!
Where you’ll find them: Dunkin’ is just about everywhere except for a band of states stretching from the Dakotas to the Pacific Northwest. Even Hawaii and Alaska run on Dunkin’!
All about the donut: Dunkin’s donuts are legendary, and with good reason. You get a lot of delicious, freshly-made options at a great price. And the deals from the app are pretty great too!
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So there you have it – seven donut chains who are coming after Dunkin’s crown.
But what do you think?
Is one of them clearly better? Or is Dunkin’ still on top?
Let us know in the comments!
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