Figured I'd post this link about the donut wars.

[simple_gifts]

(story starts @ 1:35)

Somewhat interesting, especially from the Canadian perspective. I stumbled upon it after reading up on Tim Hortons. The stores have been around Southern New England for a few years and really haven't been doing well (DnD's king around here) DnD is expanding widely (as mentioned in the piece) In fact there are several places around CT where you can see the next DnD standing in front of one. One road has 6 of them in about 5 miles.

I did not know Tim Horton was a hockey player (can I still come to Canada?) or that he had an early demise.

"Mention Tim Hortans to an American and you get a baffled stare."

Well, probably not interesting to everyone; i thought it was interesting.

 

[eljefino]

I wonder how mad the established DnD franchisees are that competition keeps sprouting up. If they were promised a certain sales district/zone etc.

DnD used to be good when they had kitchens and each store made their own donuts. Now they are trucked in; I see a truck at 1 am when I go home from work!

 

[Mr Nice]

Funny that you mention the dounts being trucked in. In my opinion the DnD donuts taste stale as if they are using old oil when cooking the donuts.

The only thing I get at DnD is an onion bagel tosted with yellow american cheese.

 

[StevieC]

Tim Hortons is also trucked in here in Canada. They are called Frozen Fresh. They come out of the ovens at a central bakery and frozen at that point really quickly and then sent to the stores. The stores thaw them out and decorate them or glaze them.

They used to be baked freshly at all the stores but this doesn't happen anymore other than certain skews.

BTW: DND has nothing on Tim-Hortons. Anyone that think so is kidding themselves in my opinion. Starbucks regular coffee sucks as well.

 

[Mr Nice]

The first and only time I drank Starbucks was at the airport in Charlotte NC. It tased so bad that it was like if you mircowaved some water for 30 seconds and put some low cost coffee in the mug and sturred it. Yuck.

 

[Brett Miller]

I stopped at Dunkin around 1:30pm on Friday. They only had 11 donuts left...the donut I did get had to be at least a day old if not two.

 

[hertzer]

I'll take Krispy Kreme over Tim Horton's or Dunkin Donuts any day!

 

[StevieC]

Krispy Kreme...

 

[Hermann]

Krispy Kreme original with chocolate icing is my fav, but the blueberry cake are really good also. MMMMMMMMmmmmmmm

 

[andyd]

I no longer do DnD donuts, I got tired of the vege oil repeating on me all day Just bagels and there are way better bagels out there. When I go to Toronto, I end up with Tim Horton's. I honestly cannot tell the difference between TH and DnD. They are both bland. I like the stuff at work or my own brews. Starbucks is fine, I just don't like the whole set up.

 

[rjundi]

I have heard Tim Horton's advertised on Maine radio.

I had it for the first time (& last!) in Canada. Not bad but nothing exciting. Just a variation of Dunkin Donuts coffee that only tastes decent if loaded with cream + sugar.

 

[StevieC]

Wow I'm surprised... I love it and everyone in the Buffalo, NY one seems to be all over it. They're always super busy.

 

[Gary Allan]

Quote:
The stores have been around Southern New England


On one of my visits to SNE I noticed another franchise. Honey Dew Doughnuts. Through the TH store locator, it does appear that there are a couple in the same area.

DnD's are incredibly burdened with banner costs. The product is nowhere near what it was before they went to the centralized bakeries. I don't really care for the product after a lifetime of what I considered "better".

The local supermarket does their own doughnut deal, but it's more oddball stuff that you appear to have to belong to some extra terrestrial alien colony that was relocated here to appreciate

Krispy Kreme's selection is a bit strange after decades of the in house variety of DnD offerings. The glazed and cream filled worked for me. I recall when KK had two bakeries. One was in Ben Salem twp, just outside of Phila proper on Rt 1 ..and they had another somewhere in NC, iirc.

 

[simple_gifts]

Tim Hortons got good penetration in SE New England when Westerly RI based Bess Eaton imploded and left a string of empty donut shops. Tim's swung in and purchased many of the profitable locations and decided to build some other stores. Ironically the new and updated stores are now shuttered and most of the stores that had Bess Eaton's in them are still hanging on. I'm no fan of TH coffee but occasionally go there since a few are open 24 hours and they have a change bin for their community service projects. DnD just has a change bin to subsidize their employee's salaries.

K.K. also built 3 CT locations, two of which are out o' business. The third piggy backs on the Mohegan Sun Casino.

Quite frankly you probably have better success trying to sell California sparkling wines in the Champagne region of France.

edit: I see Gary has mentioned Honey Dew. In fact I prefer their donuts over all others. Tough for me to justify a 45 mile trip for a donut (although I've done it)

 

[Gary Allan]

Glad you mentioned the 24 hour deal. There's hardly a DnD that's open 24/7 any more. I guess if you don't need to bake the doughnuts on site, there's really no need to stay open 24 hours. That's one more traditional thing that's dropped off into ancient history.

KK did some big expansion experiment not too long ago. The local supermarket (the one with the alien pastries) stopped making doughnuts and sold only Krispy Kreme. It lasted (impression) a few months ..and then back to village of the darn'd fritters.

Do you know how hard it is to find this one simple item?

 

[StevieC]

Tim Hortons carries those and is open 24/7 at all their locations!

Those are my favourite...

 

[sciphi]

There's a Tim Horton's every few miles around here. Well, except in downtown Buffalo, where there's 1 near Chippewa St. (restaurant/bar/club area). Go to any of the suburbs and they're everywhere. Around University at Buffalo's Amherst campus, there are 2 within 1.5 miles of each other. Both have lots of cars going in and out all the time.

I prefer Tim's coffee to many others since it's mild and tastes great with some milk. Their donuts are pretty good too.

 

[StevieC]

I wonder how many canucks

are going to the Tim in Buffalo while over for cheap shopping...

 

[sciphi]

Originally Posted By: StevieC
I wonder how many canucks

are going to the Tim in Buffalo while over for cheap shopping...

Probably a lot! Taste of home and all that. Plus, it's just under $15 for a kilogram can of Tim's, and $1.51 after tax for a medium coffee.

Frankly, I hope Tim's expands more east in NY.

 

[eljefino]

They advertise on TV here but only in february... R-r-r-r-r-r-r-oll up the rrim to win!