Krispy Kreme

[torakris]

I have never been to a Krispy Kreme store and actually I had never even heard of them until a month ago when there was a thread about them right here on egullet.

Now I just heard (through an e-mail group I belong to in Japan) that they are coming to Japan and everyone in the group is going crazy with anticipation.

What makes them so different from the Mister Donut that we have here?

I checked their locator page and the closest to Cleveland (I will be there in Dec.) is near Akron, is it worth the drive? I do enjoy donuts, especially coconut, no creams for me.

On a side note here, just after the Krispy Kreme thread ended a Japanese friend of mine brought me a print out of an e-mail she received from a friend who is living in Kentucky. The e-mail seemed to be a mass mailing announcing the arrival of the new krispy kreme calendar. She said she looked in every dictionary she had and couldn't figure out what Krispy Kreme was and did I know. Thanks to egullet I did! If it had been just a couple weeks earlier I might have been as confused as she was.

[Holly Moore]

What makes KrispyKreme special is the conveyor belt in many stores that runs right past the customer service area. When donuts are in production, the server grabs the piping hot donuts right off the conveyor belt - resulting in a super fresh, warm donut.

Once cooled off, they are not as good as Dunkin Donuts.

[Suzanne F]

I don't much like them -- they're too sweet, kind of greasy, and way too small But this is my favorite Krispy Kreme story.

[Schielke]

The krispy kreme callendar was a joke, it depicted people who might have had too many krispy kreme doughnuts in skimpy clothing.

I enjoy hot krispy kremes, but they are nothing to go nuts over. You will have to report how the japanese launch goes, how much are the doughnuts?

Ben

[torakris]

I enjoy hot krispy kremes, but they are nothing to go nuts over.  You will have to report how the japanese launch goes, how much are the doughnuts?

It seems to be in the talking stages currently, they are in ties with McDonald's? It seems it is McDonald's that is bringing them here.

The only Donut shops we really have are Mister Donuts (is this American?)

The prices range from 90 to 140 yen per donut ($.75 to $1.20) and the stores seems quite popular. However the one nearest me has just closed with a KFC being put in its place.

The most recent American import, Starbucks, has taken over this country and they are now on every corner.

[Dave the Cook]

I feel I must defend the honor of this Southern delicacy.

I don't much like them -- they're too sweet

How is this possible?

kind of greasy

What do you expect? They come from the region that elevated pork fat to one of the major food groups.

and way too small

How else could you be expected to eat six before getting out of the parking lot?

The most recent American import, Starbucks, has taken over this country and they are now on every corner.

This is much better than another Starbucks. Sweet they may be, but Krispy Kremes will never try and convince you that a burnt donut is in any way authentic.

[Schielke]

I enjoy hot krispy kremes, but they are nothing to go nuts over.  You will have to report how the japanese launch goes, how much are the doughnuts?

It seems to be in the talking stages currently, they are in ties with McDonald's? It seems it is McDonald's that is bringing them here.

The only Donut shops we really have are Mister Donuts (is this American?)

The prices range from 90 to 140 yen per donut ($.75 to $1.20) and the stores seems quite popular. However the one nearest me has just closed with a KFC being put in its place.

The most recent American import, Starbucks, has taken over this country and they are now on every corner.

I have not heard anything about McDonalds being a partner with Krispy Kreme. Krispy Kreme is a public company here in the states as far as I know.

I have not seen a Mr. Donut before, but that is just in Seattle.

And being from Seattle, I deeply apologize for the actions of Starbucks. No good Seattlite drinks it.

Ben

[jhlurie]

What makes KrispyKreme special is the conveyor belt in many stores that runs right past the customer service area.  When donuts are in production, the server grabs the piping hot donuts right off the conveyor belt - resulting in a super fresh, warm donut.

Once cooled off, they are not as good as Dunkin Donuts.

Holly's got most of it here. It's to the point where I can get Krispy Creme Donuts at about 10 different neighborhood delis or supermarkets, and frankly I don't bother. Why? Because they aren't 1/10th as good as the specimens you get in a full service Krispy Kreme store.

It's more then that they are warm, or sweet. They are, in fact, only semi-solid--they literally melt when your mouth comes in contact with them.

If you aren't having a Krispy Kreme within a few minutes of the oven, you shouldn't bother.

I will say, however, that this is only true for the "original" variety--plain cake covered with glaze. A few of the other donut varieties made by the franchise are reasonably good cooled off. But the flip-side of that is that the "original" glazed is the only one that is truly a trancendent experience when "served" correctly.

The "sweetness" a few people have noted is much less pronounced when the donut is fresh out of the oven, by the way. When it cools you start to taste the glaze more than the batter, and that's most of the problem with it cooling. Even warming it back up doesn't fix this.

[201]

I'm not very impressed with Krispy Kreme, but then again I'm not a big donut-eater. I find Krispy Kremes to be composed primarily of air and sugar (they're light and sweet) which I'm sure some people may prefer, but it's not to my taste. I'll eat one if it's placed in front of me, but I wouldn't go out of my way to get one and I don't quite understand why they've become so trendy*. In my eyes, the best thing about Krispy Kreme is that they seem to threaten Dunkin' Donuts monopoly in the NY/NJ area (though I'd rather see that threat come from more local independent bakeries and I actually like Dunkin' Donuts... but I also like to have options).

* Aside from the usual reason of trend-followers needing a new trend to follow.

[Shiva]

Holly's got most of it here.  It's to the point where I can get Krispy Creme Donuts at about 10 different neighborhood delis or supermarkets, and frankly I don't bother.  Why?  Because they aren't 1/10th as good as the specimens you get in a full service Krispy Kreme store.

It's more then that they are warm, or sweet.  They are, in fact, only semi-solid--they literally melt when your mouth comes in contact with them.

If you aren't having a Krispy Kreme within a few minutes of the oven, you shouldn't bother.

I will say, however, that this is only true for the "original" variety--plain cake covered with glaze.  A few of the other donut varieties made by the franchise are reasonably good cooled off.  But the flip-side of that is that the "original" glazed is the only one that is truly a trancendent experience when "served" correctly.

The "sweetness" a few people have noted is much less pronounced when the donut is fresh out of the oven, by the way.  When it cools you start to taste the glaze more than the batter, and that's most of the problem with it cooling.  Even warming it back up doesn't fix this.

NO NO NO NO NOOO!!!

No oven please, the true Krispy Kremes are a raised glazed fried donut.

The real deal

Buying baked donuts at Krispy Kreme is like ordering a chicken salad sandwich at Les Halles. It's just a waste of everyone's time.

[Suzanne F]

If you aren't having a Krispy Kreme within a few minutes of the oven, you shouldn't bother.

Figuratively. I didn't think they made anything but fried.

Buying baked donuts at Krispy Kreme is like ordering a chicken salad sandwich at Les Halles. It's just a waste of everyone's time.

Hey, Les Halles makes a damn good roast chicken! And it comes with frites!! And that's what they use for the sandwiches, no?

[High Priestess]

Hi.

I don't really like any donuts, but as a fellow traveler I say make the drive to try Krispy Kremes.

Otherwise, you might always wonder. And, you'll get to see some more of the midwest on the drive.

Seeing more of the midwest might sound like torture to some of the other egullet contributors, but it's actually really sensual and beautiful.

There's an incredible smell of rain in the fields all the time, black dirt, tractors, really green and yellow corn and wheat fields, etc.

Anyway, you probably won't find very good food in the midwest farmlands, but once you hit Chicago there's some excellent restaurants.

I'd go to Blackbird for sure.

But, back to Krispy Cremes:

My friend Joanna developed such an addiction to them that she had to make a promise to herself only to buy one when the sign in the window said "hot".

Otherwise, she leterally has to drag herself away from the donut shop.

When I was traveling in India, I sometimes took a bus for hours just to see or taste one thing. But it was worth it, you know?

So I say, Krispy Cremes for you!

[CooksQuest]

Krispy Kreme's are different.

They differ from Dunkin', in that *yeast* is added to the Krispy Kreme dough and then they are proofed for a short period of time.

Krispy contends that this adds a more airy bite to the treat.

Dunkin' does not have this addition.

[Liza]

In a word: no.

[Shiva]

Krispy Kreme's are different.

    They differ from Dunkin', in that *yeast* is added to the Krispy Kreme dough and then they are proofed for a short period of time.

    Krispy contends that this adds a more airy bite to the treat.

    Dunkin' does not have this addition.

From Dunkin Donuts Website

Glazed Donut

Serving Size: 1 donut

Calories: 180

Calories from Fat: 70

Protein: 3g

Total Carbohydrates: 25g

Sugars: 6g

Vitamin A: 0

Vitamin B: 0

Total Fat: 8g

Saturated Fat: 1.5g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Total Dietary Fiber: Less than 1g

Iron: 4

Calcium: 0

Sodium: 250mg

Ingredients:enriched flour (bleached wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, sugar, dextrose, contains 2% or less of the following: yeast, salt, maltodextrin, whey, soy flour, mono- & diglycerides, sodium acid pyrophosphate, baking soda, sodium stearoyl lactylate, soy lecithin, nonfat milk, cellulose gum, guar gum, propylene glycol, annatto, turmeric, sodium caseinate, natural & artificial flavor, gum arabic, potassium sorbate (preservative), xanthan gum, agar, carrageenan, citric acid.  

Dunkin and KK make both cake style (the classic Dunkin {no yeast}) and yeast raised style (the classic KK) donuts.

[cugel_the_clever]

Krispy Kreme just opened a place up by me, the "first KK store in New England!". Whoopty-do. Traffic has been backed up horrendously near the KK store, they've had to hire policemen to direct traffic. I've heard it's an hour - hour and a half wait FOR SOME #@*%# DONUTS. And this is a good 2 weeks after it opened. Insanity.

[CooksQuest]

Krispy Kreme's are different.

    They differ from Dunkin', in that *yeast* is added to the Krispy Kreme dough and then they are proofed for a short period of time.

    Krispy contends that this adds a more airy bite to the treat.

    Dunkin' does not have this addition.

From Dunkin Donuts Website

Glazed Donut

Serving Size: 1 donut

Calories: 180

Calories from Fat: 70

Protein: 3g

Total Carbohydrates: 25g

Sugars: 6g

Vitamin A: 0

Vitamin B: 0

Total Fat: 8g

Saturated Fat: 1.5g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Total Dietary Fiber: Less than 1g

Iron: 4

Calcium: 0

Sodium: 250mg

Ingredients:enriched flour (bleached wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, sugar, dextrose, contains 2% or less of the following: yeast, salt, maltodextrin, whey, soy flour, mono- & diglycerides, sodium acid pyrophosphate, baking soda, sodium stearoyl lactylate, soy lecithin, nonfat milk, cellulose gum, guar gum, propylene glycol, annatto, turmeric, sodium caseinate, natural & artificial flavor, gum arabic, potassium sorbate (preservative), xanthan gum, agar, carrageenan, citric acid.  

Dunkin and KK make both cake style (the classic Dunkin {no yeast}) and yeast raised style (the classic KK) donuts.

Shiva,

Thanks for the correction. I guess going to the source would have been a good idea. I got my info from Food TV's program "Unwrapped". Their focus was Krispy Kreme, so maybe they were just conveying the spin Krispy Kreme fed them...

[LainaAS]

If you have to go out of your way to get a Krispy Kreme doughnut, then pass. They're small, overly sweet grease balls.

However, if you're ever anywhere near a not-nearly-as-famous Lamar's Donuts outlet, it's worth at least a four-hour detour. This mini chain was started in Kansas City long, long ago and they're now in seven states. These doughnuts are bigger, denser, not at all greasy, and when still warm, they taste like butter. You can even eat them after they've cooled to room temperature and still enjoy a moment of bliss. Oddly, they can even stand up to a few moments of microwaving.

Unfortunately, I now live in Los Angeles and the closest outlet is in Las Vegas, sigh.

[Malawry]

I guess I should just file this one under "places where personal history takes over true foodiness." I ADORE KK donuts. I even like the jam-filled raspberry ones, and I openly acknowledge that the jam they use is cheap and mostly devoid of real fruit. But I grew up in the next town over from where KK donuts were born, and they were a fact of life around town. I don't go way out of my way for them but I do love them if I'm near a KK bakery.

They're a conveyance vehicle for fat and sugar, yes. Nothing wrong with that.

Maybe you have to be a Southerner to "get" KK donuts and sweet tea, I dunno. But they both sure are mighty tasty...

[jhlurie]

Maybe you have to be a Southerner to "get" KK donuts and sweet tea

Nah...

[Holly Moore]

Back when I was working new products for Dunkin Donuts I came up with the idea of a premium jelly donut, one that was filled with quality preserves as opposed to the cheap ultra-sweet jelly that Dunkin' and everyone else was using and still uses. I felt and still feel it would have given Dunkin' Donuts a unique product and most importantly it would have traded up some jelly donut purchasers to a better, more expensive product. Easiest way for any business to increase sales is to get its existing customers to spend more.

Got shot down by the operations and the marketing departments. Probably one of the reasons I left with wonderfully shallow world of corporate thinking.

As to the yeast issue - As I remeber, Dunkin uses a mix that includes the yeast within the mix. If KrispyKreme adds fresh yeast to the mix at time of preparation, they are doing it differently and I suspect the live yeast would result in greater leavening than yeast incorporated into a mix.

The wonderful thing about working corporately at Dunkin Donuts is that they kept their break room well stocked with fresh donuts and fresh coffee. Got french crullers fresh out of the fryer every morning. Those were the days...

[Crystal]

I'm a Krispy Kreme virgin. We don't have one here in Springfield but, they do sell them by the box for fundraisers. I don't see the point of buying them this way-they've cooled off and been shipped here. The whole point of a Krispy Kreme is that you can see it made and eat it fresh, yet these freaks buy them up every time. Must be a republican thing.

P.S. I'm not ignoring you.

[Saffy]

I live in a town - where there is NO donut shop!!!!!!!

I did live in a city where there was a Winchells.. which I believe is American. Their donuts were not too bad.. but with every mouthful you just know it is incredibly bad for you :/

[haunted_chef]

Still likes Shipleys Donuts better than krispy creme.......

[TheMan,TheMyth]

Krispy Kreme is a good donut, but I don't think they are as good as the hype would lead you to believe. They are similiar to Dunkin Donuts with just a lot more glaze. The donuts from the actual Krispy Kreme store are much better than the ones you find in the gas station mini marts. I frequent them when I am down south.

The Man, The Myth

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