National Doughnut Day 2018 Is June 1: Where To Find Free Deals

Friday, June 1, is National Doughnut Day, and a few chains are offering deals. An informal survey that shows many states prefer their local doughnut shop over a chain, though industry giants like Krispy Kreme and Dunkin' Donuts also dominated the list.

The offers.com survey sample size was small — 1,000 consumers answered a Google Survey asking them about their favorite types of doughnuts and which chains are their favorites.

Classic glazed doughnuts are Americans’ favorites, according to survey, which showed the lightly frosted doughnuts to be the top choice of 48 percent of respondents. Coming in a distant second were Boston cream doughnuts (17 percent), followed by jelly doughnuts (12 percent), doughnuts with sprinkles (7 percent), powdered doughnuts (6 percent) and twist doughnuts (6 percent).

National Doughnut Day dates back to 1938, when The Salvation Army of Chicago created it to honor the “Doughnut Girls” who served doughnuts to soldiers in World War I. The unofficial holiday is celebrated every year on the first Friday in June.

Though the honorary salute to the “Doughnut Girls” wouldn’t begin until years later, two Salvation Army volunteers — Ensign Margaret Sheldon and Adjutant Helen Purviance — came up with the idea of frying doughnuts in soldiers’ helmets after they and about 250 others were deployed to France to provide spiritual and emotional support for U.S. soldiers.

“These tasty treats boosted morale and won the hearts of many soldiers,” The Salvation Army’s Metropolitan Division in Chicago said on its website.

Also known as the “Doughnut Lassies,” these volunteers are credited with popularizing the doughnut in the United States when troops, who were known as “doughboys,” returned home from the war. The tradition, which provided a link to home and family, continued in World War II.

If you’re looking for some great deals on doughnuts, here are some:

Cumberland Farms convenience stores are offering customers a free doughnut with the purchase of a beverage from 5-10 a.m. on June 1. Locations are found in Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Duck Donuts locations, found primarily on the East Coast, but also in the Midwest, California and Texas, will offer each customer a free bare, cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar doughnut on June 1.

Dunkin’ Donuts, which has more than 7,600 locations nationwide, is offering a free classic doughnut — including favorites like Boston Kreme, glazed and Strawberry Frosted with Sprinkles — with the purchase of any beverage on June 1.

Entenmann’s, which sells its doughnuts in grocery stores nationwide, has a pretty fun contest going on. The classic pastry company is soliciting applications for the honorary position of Chief Donut Officer, which comes with a year's worth of doughnuts and a $5,000 cash award. Four runners up will receive $1,000 and a one-year supply of doughnuts.

Fractured Prune Doughnuts is offering a free OC Sand doughnut at participating stores on June 1. The chain has locations in Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Honey Dew Donuts, which has locations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, is offering a free S’More doughnut with the purchase of any medium or larger drink on June 1.

Krispy Kreme, which has more than 300 stores nationwide, is offering a free doughnut of the customer’s choice on June 1. No purchase is necessary.

LaMar’s Donuts, which has stores in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska, is working with The Salvation Army in a fundraiser to offset child hunger. To get a ticket for a free doughnut on June 1, go here. No purchase is necessary.

Tim Hortons will offer a Honey Dip Donut Breakfast Sandwich during breakfast hours on June 1. The Canadian coffee chain has U.S. locations in Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

Walmart, with more than 6,300 stores across the country, is a huge purveyor of doughnuts. The nation’s biggest retail chain plans to give away 1.2 million full-sized glazed doughnuts from its bakeries, while supplies last. Every Walmart n the country will participate in the giveaway.

Photo via Shutterstock / media_digital