Krispy Kreme Good, But Not That Good

When Krispy Kreme opened its doors in Erie two weeks ago, it was met with great fervor. Some especially zealous doughnut fans waited outside the shop for up to a day and a half before the shop opened. It was the front-page story in the newspaper and a major headline on the news. And we had, after all, been told months in advance by the local media that Krispy Kreme was on its way. Krispy Kreme has a friend in Erie!

The most unique feature of Krispy Kreme is its “HOT FRESH DOUGHNUTS” light, which has been known to cause drivers to veer off the highway. When that sign is lit, free doughnuts are on the horizon. Free, fresh from the oven doughnuts. What’s more, as you step inside, you can watch the final stages of the doughnut-making process as they make their way along the conveyor belt to the spot where a Krispy Kreme employee hands them to eagerly waiting customers. And as good as they are at room temperature, you haven’t really tasted a Krispy Kreme until you take a bite out of a gooey glazed doughnut hot off the line. It’s good business sense, too, since everyone I’ve talked to who stops for a free doughnut winds up buying a few more.

It seems to me, though, that this gimmick is about the only thing setting Krispy Kreme on a pedestal. Sure, their doughnuts are good, especially their glazed ones, which are a bit smaller than average and have a perfectly smooth glaze that has the potential to send someone into sugar shock. But there’s nothing extraordinary about them. In a comparison with my favorite local doughnut shop, I would say that Krispy Kreme’s glazed doughnuts – which are their biggest draw, sold by the dozen – are as good but not necessarily better than the local ones. As for the special doughnuts – jelly doughnuts, chocolate, etc. – I think the local doughnuts are actually much tastier and easier to handle. The jelly doughnuts, for instance, are so thickly filled that once you hit the middle of the doughnut, it’s hard to keep eating without spilling the filling.

After having had the chance to sample Krispy Kreme doughnuts several times, my opinion is that they’re highly overrated. They’re good, but not good enough that I’d be perfectly happy if they put the local doughnut shops out of business, which they very well may. I’ve been hearing about Krispy Kreme doughnuts for months, and I just don’t see what the big deal is.