# Why are donut shops open in the evenings? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 9, 2002, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-donut-shops-open-in-the-evenings/102685 "2002-04-09T16:22:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2002, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-donut-shops-open-in-the-evenings/102685/1 "2002-04-09T16:22:40Z")
I purchase beer from a carryout that’s located next to a donut shop. I usually go there after work (around 6:30 PM) and the donut shop is _always_ open. _ **Why** _ is it open? Has _anyone_ here purchased donuts in the evening? If so, _why_? Did you eat them for dinner? If they were for next morning’s breakfast, why didn’t you buy (presumably) fresh donuts early the next day? ---
**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2002, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-donut-shops-open-in-the-evenings/102685/2 "2002-04-09T16:27:46Z")
It’s not so much the donuts as the coffee. A lot of donut shops are open 24/7/365. They do a big business on people who are working late shifts or out partying with a case of the munchies. Back in high school, I worked closing shift at a BK. After getting out at 3:00 in the morning on a weekeng, we’d hit D[sup]2[/sup] for coffee and donuts, then go do things I’d rather not discuss. ---
**Author:** ![scotth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@scotth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotth)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2002, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-donut-shops-open-in-the-evenings/102685/3 "2002-04-09T16:28:01Z")
Well, I for one have had donuts in the evening… Usually a bit later than 6 though. I have also bought donuts for the following morning many times. Also, even if the majority of their sales are in the morning, many donut shops must be staffed nearly 24 hours a day preparing for the next morning onslaught. If people are there anyway, why not keep the doors open and catch a little “extra” sales as well. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2002, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-donut-shops-open-in-the-evenings/102685/4 "2002-04-09T16:28:07Z")
The cops are out at night. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2002, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-donut-shops-open-in-the-evenings/102685/5 "2002-04-09T16:34:34Z")
## Having worked at a Dunkin’ Donuts for 4 years during high school and college, I suspect that most customers who came in during the evening hours came in with the intent of using donuts as an after-dinner treat. There is, of course, the late-night crowd of cops and party-goers who come by during post-evening or early morning hours. Note that you can actually get a meal, albeit no more sound than a fast food meal, at a Dunkin’ Donuts. The one I worked at carried soup, bagels, and croissant sandwiches with bacon, sausage, egg, cheese, etc. Sail away, sail away, sail away ---
**Author:** ![Cap\_n\_Crude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Cap\_n\_Crude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cap_n_Crude)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2002, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-donut-shops-open-in-the-evenings/102685/6 "2002-04-09T16:45:21Z")
Donuts and their ilk are a perfectly acceptable dessert item. I don’t recall there being any social taboos against eating them at some time other than breakfast – in fact, they’re too insubstantial to be worth much in the mornings. They’re much better after dinner. ---
**Author:** ![Tattva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@Tattva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tattva)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2002, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-donut-shops-open-in-the-evenings/102685/7 "2002-04-09T17:01:29Z")
Because driving down to Jeff City, stopping by the Dunkin’ Donuts, and then eating them on the steps of the Capitol Building is a lot of fun. They typically have a new batch of doughnuts ready at 11:00pm so you can’t go there any sooner than that. ---
**Author:** ![nineiron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e56c9b/32.png) [@nineiron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nineiron)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2002, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-donut-shops-open-in-the-evenings/102685/8 "2002-04-09T17:44:51Z")
If we are to assume that donuts are a “breakfast” item, remember that there are people who work different shifts. Maybe for them, breakfast comes at night. I used to work third shift, and things got really messed up; thank God the bar near my apartment opened at 8 A.M. But another more likely explanation is that donuts are good anytime. I must admit that when I was young, on Sundays when my grandmother hosted us and didn’t want to cook, we’d sometimes have donuts for supper. Yum! ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2002, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-donut-shops-open-in-the-evenings/102685/9 "2002-04-09T17:51:02Z")
Computer geeks will eat anything at any time. I myself had some donuts last night at 1 in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Mike\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_B)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-donut-shops-open-in-the-evenings/102685/10 "2002-04-10T02:50:53Z")
Well, when you’re out with your friends, and you don’t usually return until around midnight (or go to bed at 2), then doughnuts are perfectly fine at 11PM because that is the equivalent of 6PM to some people… hehe…anyway, some people just need that huge dose of sugary goodness to get them going at night… ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-donut-shops-open-in-the-evenings/102685/11 "2002-04-10T06:24:59Z")
I have bought donuts for the next morning after being out late. In the morning you don’t have to get dressed, get in your car, etc., etc. You just go to the kitchen get a cup of coffee reach in the bag and there donut is waiting for you. Or you can get the donut first. To each his own. ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-donut-shops-open-in-the-evenings/102685/12 "2002-04-10T07:19:37Z")
There’s never a wrong time for a Canadian Maple from Tim’s. Unless you are trying to get one from one of their Buffalo stores–don’t bother at night. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2002, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-donut-shops-open-in-the-evenings/102685/13 "2002-04-11T05:13:30Z")
I can’t remember the last time I went to a doughnut shop in the morning, but we regularly have doughnut runs around midnight. Krispy Kreme makes these really good strawberry filled ones. [Homer] … Doughnuts… [/Homer] ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2002, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-donut-shops-open-in-the-evenings/102685/14 "2002-04-11T05:22:47Z")
I used to work at a donut shop(I know, I used to work at everything…So I changed jobs a lot)… The donut shop I worked out, started making donuts early in the evening for the next morning. Since the night guy had to be there anyway, why not unlock the door for the ocasional customer between the first few batches of donuts, and the leftovers from the morning, usually you could sell a few to the late nighters. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2002, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-donut-shops-open-in-the-evenings/102685/15 "2002-04-11T05:51:14Z")
Elwood: did you remember to roll up the rim? I ask for the express purpose of saying something that will sound dirty to (most of) our American cousins.