National Donut Day lands on Friday, June 5, 2026, and the list of shops giving away free donuts is already long. Krispy Kreme will hand over a doughnut of any variety with no purchase needed, Dunkin’ pairs one with a drink, and Duck Donuts gives a classic to anyone who walks in. In Georgia, though, the loudest bragging rights belong to a shop that gives nothing away on the holiday.
That shop is Donnie’s Donuts in Atlanta, which USA TODAY readers ranked the No. 9 best donut shop in the country in the outlet’s 2025 readers’ choice poll. It is not running a holiday giveaway, and it does not need to. Here is the full map of what is free, what is cheap, and where the award actually went.
The National Chains Handing Out Free Donuts
The biggest names move the most product, and several are repeating offers they have run for years. Dunkin’ says this is its 16th straight National Donut Day giveaway. Most of these deals run only on the day itself, only at participating stores, and only while supplies last, so the early-morning line is the safe bet. Here is what the major chains are putting on the counter at U.S. locations:
| Chain | The deal | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Krispy Kreme | Free doughnut of any variety, plus a $2 Original Glazed dozen when you buy a dozen at full price | No purchase needed for the single free donut |
| Dunkin’ | Free classic donut | Any beverage purchase, in store or in the app |
| Duck Donuts | One free classic donut, in shop | No purchase necessary |
| Tim Hortons | Free classic or specialty donut | Any beverage purchase, rewards members, valid through June 7 |
| Parlor Doughnuts | Free French Toast Layered Doughnut | Any purchase, in shop |
Krispy Kreme has run a no-strings giveaway for years, and it posts its current offers on its National Donut Day deals page. The $2 dozen deal does need a full-price dozen first, so read the fine print before you assume the whole box is a dollar.
Georgia Deals Worth Knowing About
Beyond the free-donut giants, a second tier of offers is worth a detour if you are in metro Atlanta or anywhere else in the state. Some need a rewards account, a promo code, or a delivery order, and a few stretch well past the holiday itself.
- 7-Eleven: Rewards members get a classic glazed donut for 50 cents on Friday, with discounted mini-donut packs running through June 23.
- Bonchon: A free Korean-style donut comes with a qualifying purchase and a promo code, good for three days starting Friday.
- DoorDash: Qualifying Krispy Kreme orders are discounted from June 4 through June 18, the longest window on this list.
- Paris Baguette: Rewards members get a free donut with any purchase.
- Shipley Do-Nuts: A free glazed donut comes with a qualifying online order and a promo code.
Read each chain’s terms before you head out. A promo code that lives in an app, a minimum spend, or a members-only flag can turn a “free” donut into a small purchase, and the conditional deals above all carry one of those catches.
Why Donnie’s Donuts Ranks Among the Country’s Best
The chains pull the morning crowds, but the national vote skipped all of them. It went to a small Atlanta shop in the Old Fourth Ward that built its name one fresh batch at a time, and it earns its standing without a single giveaway.
The No. 9 Finish in a National Vote
USA TODAY’s 10Best readers’ choice awards work in two stages: a panel of experts nominates shops from around the country, then readers vote for several weeks to set the order. In the 2025 edition, the top spot went to Donald’s Donuts in Zanesville, Ohio, and City Donut in Orange Beach, Alabama, took second. The Atlanta shop landed at No. 9 nationwide, a rare independent name in a list crowded with regional favorites.
What’s on the Counter in the Old Fourth Ward
Donnie’s Donuts started as a childhood dream and grew into a destination known for rotating specialty flavors next to the classics. The breakfast lineup runs from a Maple Bacon and a Fruity Pebbles donut to lighter picks like the Seabreeze and the Sand Dollar. Dessert-style options include Strawberry Shortcake, Boston Cream, and a Chocolate Cheesecake donut. The drinks menu carries its own personality too, with a Chocolate Hammer cold brew, a dirty chai, and Ms Patti’s Sweet Tea.
Hours, Location, and How to Plan a Visit
The shop sits at 701-5 Highland Avenue NE in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward. It opens at 7 a.m. Monday through Saturday, closing at 7 p.m. on weekdays and 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays; Sunday hours run 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. With no holiday discount on offer, the play is simple: go early, before the specialty flavors sell out. The full menu and ordering details sit on the shop’s own ordering site.
How a Wartime Tribute Became a Free-Donut Holiday
The holiday is older and more serious than the giveaways suggest. The Salvation Army’s account of the holiday traces it to Chicago in 1938, when the charity launched National Donut Day as a Great Depression fundraiser and a tribute to the volunteers who fried donuts for American soldiers in France during World War I.
Those volunteers, the Donut Lassies, set up huts near the front lines. Two of them, Ensign Margaret Sheldon and Adjutant Helen Purviance, began frying dough in soldiers’ helmets when full baking proved impossible, a detail preserved in the wartime record of the Donut Lassies. The treats caught on fast, and returning troops brought the craving home, which helped turn the donut into an American staple.
- 1917: Salvation Army volunteers began frying donuts near the front in France.
- 150 to 9,000: daily output climbed from 150 donuts on the first day to as many as 9,000 a day as demand exploded.
- 250 volunteers staffed the support huts during the war effort.
- 1938: the Chicago Salvation Army launched the holiday on the first Friday in June.
The food-holiday version, all promo codes and free dozens, came decades later. The date has stayed locked to the first Friday in June ever since, which puts the next one on June 4, 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is National Donut Day 2026?
It falls on Friday, June 5, 2026. The holiday is always the first Friday in June, so the date shifts a little each year.
Where can I get a free donut with no purchase?
Krispy Kreme is giving away a doughnut of any variety with no purchase required, and Duck Donuts hands out one free classic donut per customer in shop. Both run while supplies last at participating locations.
Do I have to buy something at Dunkin’?
Yes. Dunkin’s free classic donut requires any beverage purchase, in store or through its app. It is the chain’s 16th year running the offer.
What is the best donut shop in Georgia?
By the 2025 USA TODAY readers’ choice vote, Donnie’s Donuts in Atlanta is the standout, finishing No. 9 in the country. It does not run a holiday promotion, so no freebie is tied to the ranking.
Why do we celebrate Donut Day?
The Salvation Army created it in 1938 to raise money during the Great Depression and to honor the Donut Lassies who served fried donuts to U.S. troops in World War I. The sweet-treat marketing came later.
Do the deals last all weekend?
A few do. 7-Eleven’s discounted mini-donut packs run through June 23, DoorDash’s Krispy Kreme discount stretches from June 4 to June 18, and Tim Hortons honors its offer through June 7. Most free walk-in donuts are a Friday-only deal.
