Dunkin' Vs Krispy Kreme: Which Brand Is Best?

There's nothing like dessert to get your day off to a great start, which is essentially the appeal of donuts, regardless of where they come from. They're an excuse to begin the morning with something doughy, sticky, and ultimately dessert-like. Then, you get to wash it all down with a coffee. What else could be better? And unless you're going to a local donut shop in your neighborhood (which, let's be honest, you probably should if you want to get artisanal donuts), you're likely going to one of two donut chains: Dunkin' or Krispy Kreme. They're widely available in many parts of the country, and they're iconic for their breakfast sweets and coffee drinks.

These two shops have largely cornered the donut market, which is why we have to ask: Which is better? No clear, immediate answer comes to mind — both chains have pros and cons that make us want to enjoy their donuts occasionally. So, we've gone through the positive aspects of each of these chains to find the answer to this not-so-obvious question. Of course, you may not agree with all of our assessments, but hopefully, they'll help you decide which shop you want to visit the next time you're craving a donut.

When you want a filling breakfast, a donut may not be the first thing to come to mind. While a donut can be a delicious way to kick off the day now and then, you may be looking for something more savory most mornings. In that case, you're going to want to skip Krispy Kreme and head straight for Dunkin'.

Dunkin' offers a wide variety of savory breakfast options, ranging from breakfast sandwiches to avocado toast (which is, maybe surprisingly, actually really good). Are these gourmet breakfasts the most nutritious way to get you ready for the day? Maybe not. But they are solid options when you're on the go and want something more substantial than a simple donut.

On the other hand, if you want to get breakfast at Krispy Kreme, donuts are your only option. Sure, if that's what you're craving, then going there may not be a bad idea. But we like having the option to choose from both sweet and savory breakfasts.

So, you have a craving for sticky glazed donuts, but you don't have a donut shop near you or don't want to go out of your way to get your fix of morning sweets. No worries — you can just head to a local grocery store and pick up a box of Krispy Kreme donuts. Of course, you won't be able to snag all of Krispy Kreme's flavors at a Walmart or Kroger location, but you can typically get its classic glazed donut, which is — if you ask us — the best variety the store sells anyway. That makes accessing Krispy Kreme donuts relatively simple, even if you don't live near one. And, just this year, the company announced that it would be partnering with McDonald's to offer the donuts at the fast food chain as well.

On the other hand, you won't be able to find Dunkin's donut offerings at your local grocery store. Rather, you'll have to go out of your way to an actual Dunkin' location to get your hands on those sweet rings of dough. That may not be a big deal if you live near a Dunkin', but otherwise, it can be a hassle to obtain them. Therefore, when it comes to accessibility of donuts, Krispy Kreme takes the cake ... er, donut?

At the beginning of a long day (or any time during a long day), you might need a pick-me-up to keep you feeling energized. But for some people, coffee just isn't the answer. Maybe coffee negatively affects your stomach, or perhaps you're just not in the mood for that intensely bitter flavor. Whatever the case may be, it's always good to have alternatives. And that's exactly what we love about Dunkin's drink offerings: You can easily snag an energy drink to help you get that rush of energy you're looking for.

Dunkin's energy drink is called Sparkd' Energy, and it comes in two flavors: Berry Burst and Peach Sunshine. They feature both caffeine and guarana, and they're lightly fizzy, which can help you deal with soda cravings and boost your energy at the same time. Admittedly, these energy drinks are quite sweet, but so are a lot of other energy drink options on the market. If that's the kind of flavor you enjoy, then you should definitely get your hands on the beverages to see what they're all about.

During the hottest months of the year, the idea of drinking a hot coffee in the sweltering heat sounds unappealing at best and downright nauseating at worst. This is when iced coffee is in order. And if you just want something basic, then feel free to head to Dunkin' — there are a few options to choose from, ranging from a plain iced coffee to a slightly fancier iced cappuccino. However, if you want anything more complex or more interesting than that, you're out of luck.

On the other hand, Krispy Kreme offers a wider range of iced coffee drinks to select, and some of them are way more exciting than a basic cold brew. You can choose from options like an iced caramel mocha latte or an iced vanilla latte if you want to keep things simple. Overall, there are more iced coffee options available at Krispy Kreme, which makes it our top choice when we're leaning toward the less basic end of the spectrum. Either chain, though, can definitely help you get your iced coffee fix for the day.

Sometimes it's even too hot for iced coffee, and you need something that tastes lighter and more refreshing but still packs some flavor and caffeine. If that's what you're craving, then you're going to want to head to Dunkin' instead. That's because Dunkin' offers a few iced tea options, while Krispy Kreme doesn't have any at all.

Of course, Dunkin' doesn't exactly specialize in tea, so it doesn't offer the artisan teas that may be stocked at your local higher-end coffee shop. It does, however, have the basics covered. You can choose from sweetened and unsweetened versions of both iced green and black tea. And if you're really looking to satisfy your sweet tooth, then you can snag the sweet tea for some sugary sipping. Sure, iced tea may not be for everyone, but for the real tea lovers out there, Dunkin' has you covered where Krispy Kreme falls short.

When you want a drink to actively cool you off, opting for something frozen is not a bad move. But where should you go if you're craving that oh-so-intense brain freeze? Well, if you have to choose between these two chains, we definitely think you're better off going to Krispy Kreme. That's because the chain has more frozen drinks to choose from. You have the option of seven different frozen coffees and two Chillers (the brand's fruity frozen drinks), which should have you covered on the brain freeze front.

If you find yourself at Dunkin', you still have a few options to go with — but those options are limited. In fact, the chain only sells one variety of frozen coffee, and it doesn't have any of the interesting add-ins you'll find at Krispy Kreme. You can also snag a Coolata, a frozen chocolate, or a frozen matcha (which is delicious) from the brand. However, we simply wouldn't go out of our way to get our frozen drink fix at Dunkin' — there just aren't enough different choices to pick from.

If you're the kind of person who always knows which donut flavor to get, you may not find the appeal in a wide selection of items. After all, why try a new flavor when you already know what you like? But not everyone fits into that category, and some of us want to switch up our donut game from time to time. If you feel the same way, then you might be partial to Dunkin's donut offerings over Krispy Kreme's. That's because Dunkin' sells a significantly bigger array of flavors.

When going through the list of our local Dunkin's donut flavors, we came up with a whopping 96 options, though they're likely not all available in stores due to various constraints like space. On the other hand, we only found 16 flavors at Krispy Kreme. Now, even though you might not be face-to-face with 96 different types of donuts, it's good to know that the flavors might rotate more often to accommodate the wide assortment, and there's a higher chance of having something new to try when you visit.

Luckily, prices at both of these donut chains are not too expensive. While you may be able to snag donuts for a lower price at the grocery store, in most cases, both Krispy Kreme and Dunkin' are pretty affordable options, especially if you're only ordering a single donut. However, prices fluctuate depending on the location you're visiting. If you want assurance that you're getting more stable pricing depending on the kind of donut you're ordering, you'll probably want to stick to Dunkin'.

Why? Because most of Dunkin's donuts are available for the same price. Therefore, you don't have to think about whether it's worth shelling out a few extra cents for the special donut you have your eyes on. On the other hand, prices vary a bit more at Krispy Kreme. While the original glazed donut may be slightly more affordable than a donut at Dunkin', there are other flavors that will set you back more.

For some people, that stability in pricing may make Dunkin' a more appealing option. On the other hand, lovers of Krispy Kreme's plain glazed donuts may be interested in paying less for the donut of their choice because they're not interested in mixing and matching flavors. Ultimately, the decision is yours.

Sure, we can talk about the pros and cons of different chains all we want. But ultimately, it doesn't really matter which one is better if you don't have access to both. And in most parts of the country and world, you're much, much more likely to find a nearby Dunkin' than you are to find a Krispy Kreme. That's because Dunkin' is the largest brand of coffee and donuts in the entire country. The chain impressively boasts more than 13,200 stores in 40 markets globally. Basically, there are a lot of places in the world where you're never far from a Dunkin' glazed donut.

On the other hand, you may not be as close to a Krispy Kreme. The chain is not small by any means, but it does nowhere near Dunkin's numbers. There are only 357 Krispy Kreme locations in the country. That's definitely still a lot of places where you can get your donut fix, but Krispy Kreme can't really compete with Dunkin' when it comes to availability. If you're one of the lucky ones who have both in your local area, then congratulations — you get to choose based on your donut and coffee preferences. The rest of us will be making do with whatever donut chain we have in the vicinity.

You're craving a Dunkin' drink, but you don't have time to go to the drive-thru (or you're in one of those rare corners of the country where you can't find a Dunkin' a few miles away). What are you supposed to do then? Well, it shouldn't be a big problem because you can just head to the nearest grocery store, as Dunkin' offers many of its beverages through retailers. Of course, you'll get that drink packaged in a bottle or a can instead of a plastic cup with a straw, but it gets the job done the same.

And it's not just the basics you can get from Dunkin's retail line. It actually has a ton of different products on offer. Get a huge bottle of the brand's original coffee to put in the fridge at home so you don't have to think about preparing coffee in the morning. Or, you can opt for a flavored, single-serve version of your favorite latte, choosing from caramel, mocha, and French vanilla in addition to the original flavor. Oh, and don't forget the bakery-inspired iced coffee drinks that'll have you feeling like you're enjoying a sweet treat, too — both the Brownie Batter and Cake Batter Donut Iced Coffees are super-fun ways to start your day. Unfortunately, Krispy Kreme doesn't offer the same on-the-go retail experience when it comes to beverages.

We hate playing favorites since we love both Dunkin' and Krispy Kreme. But if we're going by the numbers, we can't deny that Dunkin' takes the top spot. First of all, it's simply a more widely available chain, which means more people have access to Dunkin' than Krispy Kreme. Then, Dunkin' offers more donut options to choose from. The brand also has a wide enough array of drinks that can cater to a larger audience than Krispy Kreme because there are simply more categories of beverages available. Add in the fact that you can grab a savory breakfast at Dunkin', and it's clear why Dunkin' comes out on top.

However, there's a time and a place for everything. Sometimes, we're just undeniably craving one of Krispy Kreme's perfect glazed donuts, and in these moments, we'll admit that we're not loyal to the GOAT of donut shops, Dunkin'. But that's just our take — all true donut lovers must decide for themselves.