6 Major American Donut Chains, Ranked Worst To Best

There's nothing quite like a donut to start your day and fortunately, there are plenty of options all around the country. I set out on a donut sampling quest to decide which rose to the top and which were better left in the fryer. Trying multiple donuts wasn't a task I could handle on my own, so I enlisted the help of my family to get in on the sweet adventure.

Glazed is a classic option and the one most chains got their start with, so that's where I started my tastings. I also added a specialty donut to each order, plus a small cup of coffee. After all what's a morning donut without a cup of joe with it? With these three items in hand, I sampled and ranked them based on taste, texture, and general yumminess. I tried each one fresh at the restaurant rather than bringing them home in order to get the most authentic experience.

Even though this test didn't include any other menu items like breakfast sandwiches or smoothies, I made sure to peruse the entire menu and take note of which chains have more than just donuts available. One of my kids is pretty picky, so he made sure to point out when there were options for him to try. In the end, all of the donuts were delicious, but one had to be crowned a winner.

Dunkin has a long history of making donuts, opening back in 1948 with just donuts and coffee. But in recent years, other options, such as Dunkin's breakfast sandwiches and wraps, have been the focus and, in my opinion, a better option at the chain. Dunkin seems to be everywhere, giving it an edge when it comes to availability, but since this comparison focused mainly on donuts, I had to let that weigh heavy in the rankings.

For this comparison, I stuck to donuts and tried glazed, classic sprinkles, and a jelly filled option that was accidentally added to my order. I also got a small coffee, even though there are a lot more specialty drinks on the menu (and they're cheaper than those at Starbucks).

The glazed donut from Dunkin isn't all that impressive and was on the dense side, putting it at the bottom of the entire list of donuts I tried. The sprinkled version was a bit better, but the donut itself was also a bit dry underneath all that sugary topping. I'm glad I ended up with a jelly donut as an extra because it was my favorite of the three thanks to the sweet and slightly tart jelly. Dunkin definitely has the edge when it comes to the rest of the breakfast menu, plus plenty of coffee, drinks, lemonades, and refreshers. But for classic donuts, it ended up at the bottom of my list.

If you're in the mid-Atlantic area, chances are you've heard someone rave about Fractured Prune donuts. This is a regional chain with numerous locations around Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey. It's a little bit more quaint than some of the national chains, with couches and comfortable chairs in the smaller restaurant. 

For this test, I again went with a classic glazed donut and one of the specialty options. This time it was a black forest donut, which combined cherry glaze, chocolate, and coconut on the top. The cherry wasn't nearly as strong as I had hoped, but it was still good. The glazed donut just had a classic sugar glaze, but it soaked into the donut really quickly, so it didn't create much of a shell on the outside. I was still happy with the flavor, it just wasn't what I was expecting from a glazed donut and nothing all that notable.

The coffee was also just okay and not as strong as I like. Overall, this is a tasty donut chain to try, but I'm not sure it lived up to the hype surrounding it. On my list, it ended up toward the bottom, only because there were other spots that also do made-to-order customizable donuts with more options.

I couldn't do a thorough taste test of donuts in my area without including Sandy Pony donuts. These are also made fresh and only piped into the fryer once you put your order in. This means you may have to wait for a minute, but I promise it's worth it.

Like other hot donuts, these could be customized with your choice of glaze and toppings. I tried a classic glazed and the Yabba Dabba Doo-Nut, which had colorful, sweet cereal on the top. The donuts were hot on the inside and crispy enough on the outside to let the glaze create a nice shell. The coffee was also fantastic and there were multiple milk and cream options, plus other drinks on the menu. 

What gives Sandy Pony a slight edge over similar spots is the acai bowl section of the menu. If you're grabbing breakfast with a group and someone doesn't want to indulge in a sweet treat, they can go with a nutrient-rich acai bowl instead without having to make a special trip. Sandy Pony will remain my go-to in my area and would have ended up higher on my list overall if there were more locations around the country.

Shipley Do-Nuts dates back to 1936 when glazed donuts were the big item on the simple menu. According to the chain, while this style remains super popular, it now offers around 60 styles, including some savory kolaches. Shipley's definitely has the upper hand when it comes to variety.

The first thing that came to mind when I bit into the Shipley's glazed donut was, wow, that's chewy! It was hot and fresh, so I expected something airy, but this donut was still pretty dense. I ended up really liking the glazed donut, but it was the chocolate cream-filled specialty donut that really knocked my socks off. I've only ever seen a chocolate cake donut, which are good but nothing special. This one combined the rich chocolate donut portion with some extra sweet filling, which I loved.

The coffee at Shipley's was also good and you could add cream and sugar yourself at the bar. The coffee and glazed donut got my attention, but it was the super tasty specialty donut that earned Shipley's a spot closer to the top of my list. I've also tried the kolaches, which are unique to Shipley's and filled with sausage, ham, or cheese. They are a perfect savory breakfast item and may even be the pinnacle of carb perfection.

The first time I ever tried Duck Donuts, which has customizable combinations of glazes and toppings, I had to go with the maple bacon donut that combined salty and sweet flavors. It's the gold standard against which I measure all other inventive combinations of toppings on donuts. For this comparison, I again went with it, along with a basic glazed. The glazed version was tasty, but it's the specialty donuts that earned Duck Donuts a spot high on my list.

All donuts are made fresh to order, making them hot when served and helping the glaze melt into them. But there was a generous amount of glaze, which helped create that shell that makes a good glazed donut so delectable. The interior of the donuts are hot and soft while the exteriors are crispy. It's best to eat them right away, since you'll miss out on this texture phenomenon if you let them sit for too long.

Duck Donuts had the best coffee of all the places that I tried. There aren't a ton of coffee drinks on the menu, but if you're looking for just a simple cup of black coffee, this would be my recommendation. Like the donuts, it was fresh brewed and piping hot.

The Krispy Kreme menu has a good balance of fresh-made glazed, which the chain is famous for (and they're kosher), and options with specialty toppings. I knew that I liked the plentiful offerings because I've brought my picky family to Krispy Kreme and everyone has been able to find a donut that strikes their fancy. But, I'm not sure why anyone would want anything but the Original Glazed because it's just that good.

These yeast-based donuts are really light and almost melt in your mouth. In addition to the glazed, I also tried a cannoli donut, one of the limited time specialty offerings, which was delicious and very sweet. Krispy Kreme also has classics like sprinkles and cream-filled, but everything paled in comparison to the Original Glazed. That specific donut was the big winner of the overall taste test according to all of my family members who helped sample.

You can watch your fresh donuts as they come out on a conveyor belt and get doused with sweet glaze. If you're taking kids to get donuts like I do, the window into the kitchen is a big draw. Plus, you can pick up a fun hat with your sweet treat. Overall, this chain gets the top ranking not just for the taste of its donuts but also for the numerous options and the fun experience. To get the hottest, freshest Krispy Kreme donuts, just look for that iconic red sign in the window to light up.

When it was time to do a comparison, I went to each chain for a classic glazed donut to see which was the best for the staples. I added a cup of coffee as well to sample the morning brew, a perfect pairing to make a breakfast food powerhouse couple. I also picked one of the more unique specialty offerings on each menu to see how each chain puts its own spin on a donut.

Taste was a big consideration, of course, and as expected, most of the donuts that I tried were pretty sweet. When it came to the specialty flavors and toppings, there was a little bit more opportunity to try some unusual combinations. Texture was also a big differentiator, since many chains had similar topping options.

Even though this specific taste test only focused on donuts and coffee, I also looked at the rest of the offerings on the menu when determining my rankings. If you're getting breakfast as a family, it can be helpful to have more than just sweet treats available. Savory breakfast sandwiches and wraps, plus caffeine-free drinks for younger kids gave some of these chains a slight edge over others that had a more limited menu.