Long Island, NY - May 31, 2018 - It’s the day that those of us with a sweet tooth note on our calendars every single year- June 1 marks the return of National Doughnut Day, the eponymous annual event that pays homage to everyone’s favorite circular, frosted, and jelly-or-cream-filled treat: the doughnut.
The event that finds its roots in the 1930’s, when the Chicago branch of The Salvation Army started it to honor members who had braved the frontlines of World War 1 while serving doughnut to our soldiers. National Doughnut Day has since endured and evolved over the years, attracting the attention of the general populace and eventually becoming a national phenomenon. And why not? After all, considering the vast number of varieties that this tasty treat comes in – limited only by the imaginations of bakers everywhere – doughnuts are one of the most popular snack items going nationwide, and as National Doughnut Day continuously gained traction over the years, more and more doughnut stores started offering free doughnuts, eventually cementing the tradition in the public consciousness.
Of course, you’re not reading this article for a history lesson, and you’re certainly not here to be told that doughnuts taste good; you most likely are already well aware of that! No, you’re here because the headline promised the locations of free doughnuts being offered to Long Island residents, and it’s time to deliver. There are a number of merchants who will be participating in National Doughnut Day giveaways this June 1, and LongIsland.com is here to offer a comprehensive list of where you can get your hands on these doughy discs of delight.
- Dunkin' Donuts – and as the nation’s largest doughnut dealer, it’s probably the most obvious inclusion on this list – is offering a free classic doughnut, which covers several varieties such as Strawberry Frosted with Sprinkles, glazed, and Boston Kreme, with the purchase of any beverage. To find the Dunkin’ Donuts nearest you, just click here.
- For you early risers, convenience store chain Cumberland Farms – which has seven locations on Long Island – is also offering a free doughnut with the purchase of any beverage from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. If you’re not sure where to look, here’s a handy link to their store locator.
- Walmart, of all places, is also celebrating National Doughnut Day at their many locations across the nation, where they will be giving away complimentary glazed donuts to customers throughout the day. To find the Walmart nearest you, here’s a link to their store finder.
- Duck Donuts, which has a location at 586 Veterans Memorial Highway in Hauppauge, will be giving customers a free powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, or bare doughnut on Friday.
- Papa John’s, the pizza take-out restaurant chain, will be offering a free order of hot Donut Holes – a desert item filled with caramel crème and coated in cinnamon sugar – for anyone placing an online order June 1. Click here to find the Papa John’s nearest to you.
- While there are unfortunately no longer any locations on Long Island itself, there are still a great many Krispy Kreme fans out there, and for those of you who commute into Manhattan for work, the shops that are still situated there are offering customers any doughnut on the menu for free, with no purchase necessary. To find a Krispy Kreme location while traveling around the city this Friday, click here.
- And finally, for connoisseurs of the unusual who will also be visiting Manhattan on National Doughnut Day, the Burger King located at 327 West 42nd Street will be offering not a doughnut, but a Whopper hamburger with the center cut out for purchase. Only being offered at five locations nationwide and for one day only, Burger King is promoting this concoction as the “first flame-grilled doughnut,” with the cut-out center being served alongside the purchase as a “mini slider.”
Of course, there may be other local, independently-owned bakeries and doughnut shops getting in on the National Doughnut Day action; if there’s one such establishment near you, we’d appreciate you sharing below in the comments so that others will be aware of where the delicious goods are. From all of us at LongIsland.com, enjoy your doughnuts…but try not to overdo it!