Tuesday 6 January 2015

Damn Those Donuts- They Get Me Everytime!

You know how you start the New Year by making a whole bunch of resolutions? You know... drink less, exercise, eat healthier... well, I did anyway :) And then the cravings start. For some people it's french fries, others, butter chicken... for me it's donuts! They call out to me, and try as I may, it's impossible to resist:) And when it comes to donuts, I shamelessly admit that Dunkin' Donuts is the place I go. So, in the never ending war between Krispy Kreme and Dunkin Donuts, I am very much a Dunkin' loyalist :) (there, I've said it... love it, or hate it... judge all you want!) 



The full arsenal of colorful yumminess


Surprisingly though, Dunkin' Donuts isn't just about donuts alone. I have been hearing people praise their burgers ever since they opened shop in 2012. A few weeks back, I got the chance to attend a Dunkin' Donuts workshop held at their original CP outlet, which has now been renovated into a swanky, hip place. I got a chance to understand their strategies and thoughts behind their India menu and, it was quite an interesting experience. It's kind of amazing the thought that has gone into creating their menu, which is not just about donuts, but so much more... some great wraps, delicious burgers and of course COFFEE! 



New Interiors



While reading about the iconic Dunkin' Donuts brand, I was intrigued to learn that in the 90s', in the US, they strategically placed themselves as a brand that sells coffee and donuts (with an emphasis on coffee). The thought being that people would enter into a Dunkin' store wanting to buy coffee and get tempted into buying donuts! Quite sneaky :) But this strategy has proven to be quite successful, since psychologically people may not want to walk into a place solely for donuts (I'm the exception of course) because, let's be honest, they aren't exactly good for you :) But everyone wants coffee at some point, and well, when you see all those pretty colorful donuts, who can resist... a good strategy that seems to have helped them over their main competition, Krispy Kreme, at least in the US. 




It looks like in India they have tweaked this strategy. I think that they've realized that we Indians have a more savory palate and so they reel us in with their delicious burgers and wraps, which are actually quite delicious. This differs quite starkly from their global archrival, Starbucks, which is also a coffee shop where you can get a bite to eat. But I think what's happened in India is that Dunkin' has positioned itself as a place to get a variety of decent fast food options at reasonable prices, very different to Starbucks, which is mainly seen as a coffee shop with food, that is priced slightly on the higher side. 



Learning about the menu


After finally trying the burgers at Dunkin' I must admit I rather prefer their burgers over the burgers at Burger King (in India). The Tough Guy Chicken burger is a beast of a burger, but so worth the calories. And I love their wraps! My favorite being the Not So Wicked wrap which has chicken, doritos and an absolutely moreish mango relish sauce (which is more like a mango chutney), a crazy combination that works.  I love it so much that I've started ordering it whenever I have tons of work and don't have the time or the inclination to cook. I'm expecting more judgement here :)






When it comes to their donuts... I'm a traditionalist, and I love their jelly donuts. I don't know who came up with the idea of filling fried dough with jam, and then sprinkling sugar on top, but whoever it was, I am in their debt. And in India, I personally think Dunkin' does it best. To add to this, Dunkin' has added a number of new donuts to their huge arsenal, I'm not going to name them all, but my favorite (my mouth is watering thinking of it) is the 'It's a Mistake' donut, a glazed donut filled with guava jam and topped up with chili flakes and a dollop of some more guava jam... heaven! And I don't even like guava!



The oh! so delicious 'It's a Mistake"


So if you are a fan of Donuts, or a fan of Dunkin Donuts, and you haven't checked out the new menu... then do! If you are a health freak and and never touch the good stuff, you don't know what you are missing. If you are like me, and your motto is "Everything in moderation, including moderation!" then it's definitely worth the occasional binge :)


[All images by Shalini Pereira. Please do not use without prior written permission]






4 comments:

  1. I want to be naughty with naughty lucy burger and happy to do lots of mistakes with "Its a mistake" donut. :P

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  2. Yummy duo nuts and burger...With to grab them right away. Thank u so much for the share...Keep posting with lots more.

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  3. wow.. thats a lovely looking store!!

    What I hate the most about buying donuts.. is when you ask for one.. and they say.. its cheaper to buy six.. *sigh*.. I really dont want to eat six!! So tuff!! ;)

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    Replies
    1. ha ha ha, Patricia I know exactly what you mean... and it's almost like they can sense us donut lovers and know we won't be able to resist... i once went to buy 1 donut and came out with 12!

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