National Doughnut Day: Free doughnuts from Krispy Kreme, Dunkin’ and other chains
How do food chains typically use mobile apps during National Doughnut Day and similar events to drive business?
During National Doughnut Day and similar events, food chains typically use mobile apps to drive business by offering promotions, discounts, and freebies. These offers are usually tied to their mobile apps to encourage customers to download and use them, which in turn helps to increase customer engagement and loyalty. For example, businesses may require customers to make a purchase through the app or sign up for their rewards program to redeem the promotional offers. By leveraging the popularity of such events and combining it with the convenience of mobile technology, food chains aim to attract new customers and retain existing ones, ultimately boosting their sales and brand awareness.
What is the historical significance of National Doughnut Day and who started this tradition?
National Doughnut Day has a rich historical significance that dates back to World War I. It was initiated by the Salvation Army in Chicago in 1938 as a tribute to the group's "donut lassies." These women served doughnuts and provided assistance to soldiers, known as "doughboys," on the front lines during the First World War. The doughnuts not only provided comfort and a taste of home to the soldiers but also helped boost their morale.
The tradition of making doughnuts can be traced back to the Dutch, who called them "olykoeks," meaning oily cakes. These early doughnuts were fried in hot oil and had a sweet dough, though they did not have the iconic hole. The introduction of the doughnut hole is credited to Hanson Gregory, who, in 1847, wanted to solve the problem of uncooked centers in doughnuts by punching a hole in the middle, allowing them to cook more evenly.
Over time, doughnuts became increasingly popular in the United States, and National Doughnut Day grew into a nationwide celebration that businesses use to drive sales and customer loyalty. Today, millions of Americans participate in the festivities by indulging in doughnuts from various bakeries and chains, some of which offer special deals and promotions in honor of the occasion.
Can you explain the origin of doughnuts and how they were initially made by the Dutch?
The origin of doughnuts can be traced back to the Dutch settlers in the 17th and 18th centuries in New York, then known as New Netherland16. They prepared fried dough balls called olie koeken or olykoeks, which translates to "oil cakes1." These early doughnuts were similar to the modern ones, but they did not have the iconic ring shape1. Instead, the dough balls were filled with fruits and nuts to address the issue of the dough in the center of the ball cooking more slowly than the rest of the treat. The doughnuts were made by frying the dough in hot oil, and the sweetness came from the dough itself.