Home Cut Donuts: Here's How Many Donuts Have Been Made Here In 6 Decades

JOLIET, IL — One of the only restaurants in Joliet that stays open 24 hours a day is now marking its 60th year of business, and Home Cut Donuts is not just a Joliet institution. The small second-generation family-owned business with locations on Joliet's east and west sides has been recognized as one of the top donut shops in the country.

Home Cut Donuts was ranked 35th in Yelp's top 100 United States Donut Shops in 2023. And while most of Joliet's restaurants lock up their doors and turn off their lights every single day, the Home Cut Donuts at 815 West Jefferson Street has marked 21,433 days as a 24-hour operation, dating all the way back to April 1966.

In preparation for Thursday's interview, Home Cut Donuts general manager Jim Ruhaak determined that Home Cut Donuts has produced more than 100 million donuts since 1966, and more than 400,000 pounds of coffee beans.

"I can't believe it's been 100 million donuts, that's insane," he remarked.

The business was started by Ruhaak's father, Bill, and Bill's two brothers, David and Bob. Long-time Joliet residents may remember that before its name became Home Cut Donuts in 1986, it was a Mister Donut franchise, Ruhaak said.

Home Cut Donuts only shuts down two days of the year, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Practically all of Home Cut Donuts business comes from walk-in traffic.

Word of mouth and a strong loyal base of customers has kept Home Cut Donuts thriving for the past 60 years, according to Ruhaak.

"We want to make the best donuts we can make," Ruhaak explained. "We do very little advertising. "

He wants Home Cut Donuts known for "the best service" to its customers.

"We've been here forever, and I think it's important to have that nostalgic kind of feel," he said. "Business has been consistently good over the years. We have really loyal customers. Since Day One, we make them the same way."

The donuts at both Joliet locations are made daily at the West Jefferson Street location. On most days, Home Cut Donuts produces about 5,000 to 6,000 donuts. "About 10,000 is all we can make," he explained.

"We start at 8 a.m. and we make donuts all day until like 2 o'clock," he said.

Home Cut Donuts also sells souvenir T-shirts, baseball hats, hoodies and coffee mugs. The T-shirts are $16, hats are $18, coffee mugs are $12 and the hoodies are $30.

There are about 42 donuts on the menu. Among the most popular treats are the honey dip, the toasted coconut, angel caramel and the apple fritters.

As for the eclairs, the angel cream and Bavarian are other crowd favorites.

As for other selections, customers can order the German chocolate, taffy apple, apricot, sour cream, black raspberry, the cherry cake, Swiss chocolate and a whole lot more.

Ruhaak said he's worked hard over the years to keep Home Cut's prices as low as possible.

Customers can buy one donut for $1.74, a half dozen for $9.14 or a dozen for $15.64. Donut holes are 40 cents for one, $9.14 for 25 or $15.64 for 50. The stick donuts are $2.20.

"The stick donuts are still very popular with the kids," Ruhaak said.

Back in 2012, WGN Channel 9 featured Home Cut Donuts for its "Chicago's Best" series.

Ruhaak said he has no plans to end the 24-hour operation for his Jefferson Street location. But he does notice a distinct difference between the daytime walk-in customers and those who visit Home Cuts during the wee hours of the morning.

"The evening business hours, I think it's more of a dessert option," he said. "We have a lot of regular overnight shift guys."

As for 1827 East Washington St. in the Ingalls Park area of Joliet, that Home Cut Donuts shop is open seven days a week, from 5 a.m. to noon Monday through Saturday and 6 a.m. to noon on Sunday. The east side location has existed since 1980. Between both locations, Ruhaak said that Home Cut Donuts employs 26 people.

Of note, the fall months are normally the busiest time of the year for Home Cut Donuts. "I like to say as a joke that the more depressing kind of weather, the busier we get."

Ruhaak said the menu remains constant, he never makes changes to it.

However, after last week's announcement of Chicagoan Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIX, Joliet's Catholic population has been urging Home Cut Donuts to add another product to the menu.

"We've been getting a lot of requests for the Pope Leo Donut," Ruhaak remarked. "It's yet to be determined."

Related: 'Baptized In Gravy': Pope-Inspired Sandwich Blesses Portillo's Menu

Ruhaak said that if he added a Pope Leo Donut to his menu, "it kind of breaks rule number one, not to change anything. We'll see. I don't know. We can only make so many donuts a day, too."