You may assume that National Doughnut Day is one of those made up food holidays to promote restaurants and other businesses. Well, you’re wrong! It’s actually a patriotic holiday established by the Chicago Salvation Army in 1938 to honor the women who served doughnuts to soldiers during World War I. In that spirit, there are two charitable ways to mark Doughnut Day. There’s also the chance for free food, which feels equally American.
FREE
Buy a drink at Dunkin’ Donuts, get a free doughnut. They will also launch a new flavor: “The Blueberry Cobbler Donut features a yeast shell donut with delicious blueberry filling, white dipping icing and coffee cake streusel topping.”
Krispy Kreme (1350 Connecticut Avenue NW) is giving away one free doughnut of any kind. No purchase necessary.
District Doughnut is giving away free four-packs with delivery service Postmates. To redeem this offer, you must “download the Postmates app; find the District Doughnut On-Demand store in the app at 10 a.m.; select your free doughnut 4-pack (one per customer); check out and await delivery in less than an hour.”
CHARITY
Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken (1308 G Street NW) is giving 100 percent of the sales from a $3 “Strawberry Chocolate” doughnut to the Fisher House Foundation, which provides comfort homes to people in the military and their families. Only 200 will be available in the store, while a limited amount will be sold through the food struck.
SPECIAL
Astro is also teaming up with Shake Shack (1216 18th Street NW; 800 F Street NW0 to create three different doughnut-custard creations. Available doughnuts are Crème Brûlée, Strawberry Chocolate and Maple Bacon.
LECTURE
The Smithsonian is hosting writer and former Michael Krondl to discuss the history of the doughnut and his book The Donut: History, Recipes, and Lore from Boston to Berlin on Saturday morning. A doughnut tasting from (get this!) Astro will take place after the talk. Tickets $30.
CRAWL
There’s also the second DC Donut Crawl on Saturday, which combines riding bikes and eating doughnuts. Registration is $20 and comes with one doughnut from the three participating stores (Astro, District Doughnut and Golden Brown Delicious). A portion of the proceeds go to Food For Life, which trains low-income adults in the culinary arts.
Photo by Kevin Harber.
