Dunkin’, Krispy Kreme, Other Chains Offer Free Doughnuts

It’s National Doughnut Day, and there are a ton of sweet deals. For businesses, it’s an easy way to cash in. Fast food historically has been a low-profit business with little customer loyalty.

Doughnuts have been around since long before the First World War, and we have the Dutch to thank for them. I Photo: Dunkin’ Donuts

So, chains unveil big giveaways, typically tied to their mobile apps, to help drive business and garner repeat customers, Jordan Valinsky and Emily Smith reported for CNN.

“National (insert food here) Days” expand beyond doughnuts, including coffee, cheeseburgers, and ice cream, giving chains a boon in business and sparking publicity.

The 86-year-old tradition is celebrated on the first Friday in June. It was started by the Salvation Army in Chicago in 1938 to honor the group’s “donut lassies,” who served treats and provided assistance to soldiers (the “doughboys”) on the front lines during World War I.

Doughnuts have been around since long before the First World War, and we have the Dutch to thank for them.

The Dutch would make “olykoek,” which translates to oily cake. The first Dutch doughnuts didn’t have a hole, but they were fried in hot oil and the dough was sweet.

Enough of the boring stuff, here’s where to get free doughnuts: Dunkin’; Krispy Kreme; Sheetz; Shipley Do-Nuts; Taco John’s; and 7-Eleven.