It’s the first Friday of June (June 5, 2026), and that means it is once again National Donut Day in America (or National Doughnut Day, if you’re Krispy Kreme).
Despite the urge to assume the unofficial holiday is just another modern-day marketing scheme by the donut industrial complex, National Donut Day’s origin actually goes back nearly 90 years.
As Fast Company previously reported, the first National Donut Day was actually observed in 1938. Per SFGate, the Salvation Army declared the holiday that year to commemorate the volunteers who handed out donuts to frontline soldiers during World War I.
Those volunteers, all women, became known as “doughgirls.”
Of course, today the patriotic aspects of National Donut Day have largely been forgotten, and the 21st-century donut giants now use the day as a way to reward loyal customers with deals and freebies—and to entice them into their shops to buy even more donuts.
Here are how three of the largest donut sellers in America are celebrating National Donut Day.
Krispy Kreme
The national donut chain that has never failed to find a reason to give away free donuts is, of course, giving away free donuts on National Donut Day, or, as Krispy Kreme calls it, National Doughnut Day.
Krispy Kreme says anyone who stops into one of its shops today will get a free donut of their choice.
However, they caveat that offer by saying that “Select doughnuts are excluded from this offer such as specialty and limited time varieties.”
Still, stop by today to get a donut on them.
Dunkin’
After hitting up Krispy Kreme, swing by your local Dunkin’ for another free donut, too, if you’re still feeling peckish.
However, be aware that, unlike with Krispy Kreme, Dunkin’ requires that customers purchase any-sized beverage in order to get their hands on that free donut.
The chain says that customers can pick “a free donut of their choice,” which suggests no free donut is off-limits, provided you buy a beverage first.
7-Eleven
Finally, if you’re still in the mood for more donut deals, head over to your local 7-Eleven.
While the convenience store chain isn’t giving away free donuts, it is celebrating National Donut Day with a stellar offer on the sweet treats. The company says it will sell its classic glazed donuts for just 50 cents apiece—provided you’re a 7Rewards or Speedy Rewards member.
While 50 cents is more expensive than “free,” 7-Eleven has no limit on how many 50-cent donuts a customer can buy, which makes it a pretty good deal, considering a single donut at other chains can run around $2 each.
Details, requirements, and limitations on the above National Donut Day deals can be found in the links provided. And, as always, don’t forget to stop by your local independent donut shop to see if they have any deals in store for you today, too.
