A Glazed & Amused thread
Get there early, or don't bother.
Some shops fry one batch. When it's gone, the door gets locked.
Monarch Donuts in Arcadia, California, started baking around 1 a.m., opened at 5, and usually sold out of about 1,500 donuts before 8. It closed for good in September 2026. The shops below still do it every morning.
"The secret is there is no secret. We make them fresh in the morning." Popular Donuts, Kennewick
Go early. Earlier than that.
Rolling out the map…
Positions are approximate.
1800 S Union St, Kokomo, IN · since 1975
1 a.m. until noon, or until they're gone. Closed Monday.
Dan and Sharon Haworth opened it Memorial Day weekend 1975. The doors open at 1 a.m., and on weekends people line up 90 minutes before that.
It sells out five days out of seven. Cash and checks only.
Known for: A 1 a.m. opening
101 N Union St, Kennewick, WA
John Peck learned the trade at his uncle's shop in Texas in 1983. The family opened in Walla Walla in 1999 and in Kennewick in 2005.
Doors open at 4 a.m., and it runs until sold out, often before noon, especially late in the week. Maple bars, fritters, French crullers.
Known for: Maple bars and fritters, gone by lunch
11222 W 75th St, Shawnee, KS · since 1975
5:30 a.m. to noon, Tuesday to Sunday
A vintage shop, Asian-American owned, with cake, raised and mochi donuts. Johnny Chen has co-owned it since 2018.
Its own hours say noon "or until sold out!" Before Super Bowl LVIII it sold 300 to 400 Chiefs donuts in a single day.
Known for: Chiefs donuts on game weeks
1040 S Burlington Ave, Hastings, NE · since 2024
6 a.m. until noon, or sold out
Hand-made, hand-cut donuts on the Nebraska plains. It opened in June 2024 with a warning that quantities might be limited, and the posted hours still end at noon or when sold out.
Known for: Hand-cut donuts
760 Winchester Rd, Lexington, KY · since 1929
Wednesday to Sunday, mornings only
Bowman and Zelma Spalding started selling donuts from their home in 1929. The bakery spent 70 years at Sixth and Limestone, and when it moved in 2006, customers lined up at the new door.
Cash only, known for long lines, and known for selling out early.
Known for: Glazed, the old way
547 Fischer Blvd, Toms River, NJ · since 1953
Named for founders O'Brien and Colfer in 1953. It opens at 5 a.m. every day of the year, and people are waiting.
Thirty-six flavors from a 1950s recipe, and it sells out daily, usually around noon.
Known for: A 1950s recipe, 36 flavors
7414 Montgomery Rd, Cincinnati, OH
One item on this list sells out on its own: the apple fritter, from a recipe owner Ron Jimmar's late brother created. It's often gone before the morning is over. Regulars call ahead.
Known for: The apple fritter
Every town has a shop that's empty by mid-morning, and the regulars aren't advertising it. Set an alarm and find yours.
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