economie

I tried the same doughnut at Dunkin’, Krispy Kreme, and Tim Hortons. The best one came from a gas-station kiosk.

October 30, 20240
Dunkin’ is one of the most popular doughnut brands in the United States.

Ted Berg

Dunkin’ is one of the most popular doughnut brands in the United States and has more than 13,200 locations across nearly 40 countries.

The chain was founded in Quincy, Massachusetts, and is now owned by Inspire Brands — the parent company of restaurants like Arby’s, Sonic, and Buffalo Wild Wings.

I’ve had Dunkin’s Boston Kreme doughnut before, so I knew what to expect.

I probably won’t return for another Boston Kreme doughnut from Dunkin’.
I’ve loved Krispy Kreme since I was in college.

Ted Berg

The first Krispy Kreme shop opened in 1937 in North Carolina. The brand was originally based in the Southeast until it opened a New York City location in 1996, followed by a California location in 1999.

Although Krispy Kreme now has 357 shops across the country, I’ve loved the brand since I was in college — before it was even available in the Northeast.

Naturally, I had high expectations when I picked up one of the store’s chocolate-iced custard-filled doughnuts.

Krispy Kreme’s chocolate-iced custard-filled doughnut wasn’t as filling as the other two I tried.
The majority of the Tim Hortons locations are in Canada.

Ted Berg

Tim Hortons was founded in Ontario in 1964. Today, there are over 5,500 stores across 13 different countries — but more than 4,000 of those are in Canada.

I’ve only spent about two weeks of my doughnut-eating life in Canada, so I don’t have nearly as much experience with Tim Horton’s as I do with Dunkin’ or Krispy Kreme.

The location I visited in Brooklyn was just a kiosk inside a gas station.

The next time I’m craving a Boston cream doughnut, I’ll be sure to stop by Tim Hortons.
I loved the frosting on the Boston cream doughnut from Tim Hortons.

Ted Berg

Tim Hortons’ Boston cream doughnut looked almost identical to the Dunkin’ version. Since it came from a gas-station kiosk instead of a proper doughnut shop, I worried it might not be as fresh as the others.

However, it was actually better. The doughnut itself was only mildly sweet, with a slightly spongy texture. The cake was strong enough not to crumble in my hands but delicate enough not to overpower the chocolate or custard flavors.

The frosting was my favorite of the three due to its warm chocolate flavor and nice fudgy texture. The custard tasted yolky and creamy with a slight hint of tanginess, giving it a richness the other doughnuts lacked.

Although none of the doughnuts were bad, Tim Hortons’ take on the Boston cream tasted the best to me.