Sweet Nat'l Doughnut Day Deals In The Metro Area

Friday, June 1, is National Doughnut Day, and a few shops are offering deals. In the Portland metro region, people are most likely to choose doughnuts from Blue Star, Heavenly, or Sesame donuts, or from the always-popular Voodoo Doughnuts, according to a survey that shows Oregonians prefer their local doughnut shops over most mainstream national chains.

Which is your favorite? Tell us in the comments!

Admittedly, the offers.com survey sample size was small — 1,000 consumers answered a Google Survey asking them about their favorite types of doughnuts and which chains are their favorites — so it's hard to say just how many Oregonians gave their input.

Nevertheless, classic glazed doughnuts were determined to be Americans’ favorites, according to survey, which also showed the lightly frosted doughnuts to be the top choice of 48 percent of respondents.

Coming in a distant second were Boston cream doughnuts (17 percent), followed by jelly doughnuts (12 percent), doughnuts with sprinkles (7 percent), powdered doughnuts (6 percent) and twist doughnuts (6 percent).

Perhaps surprisingly, National Doughnut Day dates back to 1938, when The Salvation Army of Chicago created it to honor the “Doughnut Girls” who served doughnuts to soldiers in World War I. The unofficial holiday is celebrated every year on the first Friday in June.

Though the honorary salute to the “Doughnut Girls” wouldn’t begin until years later, two Salvation Army volunteers — Ensign Margaret Sheldon and Adjutant Helen Purviance — came up with the idea of frying doughnuts in soldiers’ helmets after they and about 250 others were deployed to France to provide spiritual and emotional support for U.S. soldiers.

“These tasty treats boosted morale and won the hearts of many soldiers,” The Salvation Army’s Metropolitan Division in Chicago said on its website.

Also known as the “Doughnut Lassies,” these volunteers are credited with popularizing the doughnut in the United States when troops, who were known as “doughboys,” returned home from the war. The tradition, which provided a link to home and family, continued in World War II.

If you’re looking for some great deals on doughnuts, here are some in Oregon:

Blue Star Donuts will release a surprise new donut at all seven Portland metro locations and donate 10 percent of the day's donut proceeds to Saturday Academy, a local nonprofit that offers science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) classes, camps, and internships to kids in grades 2 through 12.

Entenmann’s, which sells its doughnuts in grocery stores nationwide, has a pretty fun contest going on. The classic pastry company is soliciting applications for the honorary position of Chief Donut Officer, which comes with a year's worth of doughnuts and a $5,000 cash award. Four runners up will receive $1,000 and a one-year supply of doughnuts.

Krispy Kreme, which has more than 300 stores nationwide — including ones in Beaverton, Clackamas, and Vancouver, Washington — is offering a free doughnut of the customer’s choice on June 1. No purchase is necessary.

Sesame Donuts' locations in Portland, Hillsboro, Tigard, Sherwood and Aloha will give a free doughnut in celebration of National Doughnut Day.

Voodoo Doughnuts in Portland and Eugene will sell a special National Doughnut Day "funfetti doughnut" on June 1. Locations in Colorado and Texas will also likely share the special, but Voodoo officials could not confirm that on Thursday. The "Funfetti Doughnut" will have sprinkles in the mix and strawberry/vanilla frosting on top — with more sprinkles.

Photo via The Doughnut Parlor