Mister Donut
Encyclopedia
Mister Donut is a fast food franchise founded in the United States in 1956. The primary offerings include donuts, coffee, muffins and pastries. After being acquired by Allied Lyons in 1990, most North American locations became Dunkin' Donuts
. Today its main market is in Japan
, where it has more than 1,300 locations. It also maintains a presence in Taiwan, South Korea, China, Philippines
, Thailand
and El Salvador
.
in Dunkin' Donuts
. After Winokur broke his partnership with Rosenberg, he went on to create Mister Donut in 1956 and had locations across most of North America.
The Mister Donut business became so popular that Mr. Winouker decided to go into franchising. As a result, Mister Donut began a rapid expansion that resulted in the opening of 275 stores in the United States and Canada.
In 1970, Minneapolis-based International Multifoods Corporation, one of the world’s largest and most successful food companies, acquired Mister Donut and its franchising concept from Mr. Winouker.
It was the largest competitor to Dunkin' Donuts
, which was founded in 1950, before being acquired by Dunkin' Donuts' then-parent company, Allied-Lyons, in February 1990.
After the acquisition of Mister Donut by Allied-Lyons, all Mister Donut locations within North America were offered the chance to change their name to Dunkin' Donuts. Now only a scattered few locations still hold the name Mister Donut.
, Japan
acquired the rights to franchise Mister Donut throughout Japan and Asia. Mister Donut is the largest donut chain operating in Japan.
with a mane
shaped like its "pon de ring" donut line) has become equally recognizable (if not more so) to customers in Japan.
One popular Mister Donut advertising jingle featured a song sung by two people in various settings:
Today, the Mister Donut brand survives in Japan
, Thailand
, China
, and the Philippines
, and the company is expanding into other areas of Asia
such as Taiwan
, and South Korea
. In Taiwan, the chain is owned by a joint venture between Duskin and the Uni-President Enterprises Corporation
, which also operates 7-11 and Starbucks
stores in Taiwan.
sub-stores that serve a small variety of dim sum
. These sub-stores are usually advertised with the phrase "San Francisco Chinatown," reinforcing the chain's American image even while selling Chinese food.
In the Philippines, Mister Donut is the second largest donut chain. Its toughest competitor is Dunkin Donuts. While most donut outlets in the country are located in storefronts, on the streets or in malls, Mister Donut outlets are mostly stands, sometimes located in high-end shopping malls in Manila. Donuts from Mister Donut are also sold in 7-Eleven
stores and KFC
restaruants.
in Central America
. Mister Donut locations also offer various typical dishes such as El Salvador's traditional pupusas.
, Ontario
. Of the five stores, only three survive today with the name.
There were many stores in the Pennsylvania
and Ohio
region that did not convert to Dunkin' Donuts, mostly due to being too close to existing Dunkin' Donuts locations at the time. Nine Mister Donut owners formed a cooperative to continue to receive bulk pricing on materials. These stores are now known as Donut Connection and serve the same menu and recipes as Mister Donut once did. There are hundreds of Donut Connection franchises in the eastern United States. A handful of businesses retained the Mister Donut name. Between 8-10 locations remain listed under this name on various business directories online. Several are completely out of business, and others now have Dunkin' Donuts at the former Mister Donut locations. Only one location can be verified to remain in business under the Mister Donut name. It is located in Godfrey
, Illinois
.
Dunkin' Donuts
Dunkin' Donuts is an international doughnut and coffee retailer founded in 1950 by William Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts; it is now headquartered in Canton...
. Today its main market is in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, where it has more than 1,300 locations. It also maintains a presence in Taiwan, South Korea, China, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
.
North America
Harry Winokur worked with William RosenbergWilliam Rosenberg
William Rosenberg was an American entrepreneur. He founded the Dunkin' Donuts franchise in 1950 in Quincy, Massachusetts. In 1946, Rosenberg founded Industrial Luncheon Services, a company that delivered meals and coffee break snacks to factory workers on the outskirts of Boston, Massachusetts...
in Dunkin' Donuts
Dunkin' Donuts
Dunkin' Donuts is an international doughnut and coffee retailer founded in 1950 by William Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts; it is now headquartered in Canton...
. After Winokur broke his partnership with Rosenberg, he went on to create Mister Donut in 1956 and had locations across most of North America.
The Mister Donut business became so popular that Mr. Winouker decided to go into franchising. As a result, Mister Donut began a rapid expansion that resulted in the opening of 275 stores in the United States and Canada.
In 1970, Minneapolis-based International Multifoods Corporation, one of the world’s largest and most successful food companies, acquired Mister Donut and its franchising concept from Mr. Winouker.
It was the largest competitor to Dunkin' Donuts
Dunkin' Donuts
Dunkin' Donuts is an international doughnut and coffee retailer founded in 1950 by William Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts; it is now headquartered in Canton...
, which was founded in 1950, before being acquired by Dunkin' Donuts' then-parent company, Allied-Lyons, in February 1990.
After the acquisition of Mister Donut by Allied-Lyons, all Mister Donut locations within North America were offered the chance to change their name to Dunkin' Donuts. Now only a scattered few locations still hold the name Mister Donut.
Japan and Asia
In 1983, Duskin Co., Ltd. of OsakaOsaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
acquired the rights to franchise Mister Donut throughout Japan and Asia. Mister Donut is the largest donut chain operating in Japan.
Marketing presence
Mister Donut has a distinctive orange and white logo in the likeness of a moustachioed chef. More recently, the chain developed a set of mascot characters based on its donuts. One character in particular, "Pon de Lion" (a lionLion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
with a mane
Mane
- Biology :* mane of a horse, the line of hair along the spine of the neck* mane of a lion, found around the male mammal's neck- Places :* Mane Department, a department in the Sanmatenga Province of Burkina Faso* French communes:...
shaped like its "pon de ring" donut line) has become equally recognizable (if not more so) to customers in Japan.
One popular Mister Donut advertising jingle featured a song sung by two people in various settings:
- Hey, Mister, that's a doughnut!
- Hey, Mister, that's a Mister Donut doughnut!
Asian market
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, and the company is expanding into other areas of Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
such as Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, and South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. In Taiwan, the chain is owned by a joint venture between Duskin and the Uni-President Enterprises Corporation
Uni-President Enterprises Corporation
Uni-President Enterprises Corporation is an international food conglomerate based in Tainan, Taiwan. It is the largest food production company in Taiwan as well as Asia, and has a significant market share in dairy product, foods and snacks, and beverages markets. It is also responsible for...
, which also operates 7-11 and Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
stores in Taiwan.
Japan
In Japan, Mister Donut is owned by Duskin Co., Ltd. Mister Donut is the largest Donut franchise chain in Japan. Many Mister Donut stores in Japan house YamuchaYum cha
Yum cha , also known as Ban ming , is a Chinese style morning or afternoon tea, which involves drinking Chinese tea and eating dim sum dishes...
sub-stores that serve a small variety of dim sum
Dim sum
Dim sum refers to a style of Chinese food prepared as small bite-sized or individual portions of food traditionally served in small steamer baskets or on small plates...
. These sub-stores are usually advertised with the phrase "San Francisco Chinatown," reinforcing the chain's American image even while selling Chinese food.
Philippines
7-Eleven
7-Eleven is part of an international chain of convenience stores, operating under Seven-Eleven Japan Co. Ltd, which in turn is owned by Seven & I Holdings Co...
stores and KFC
KFC
KFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. KFC has been a brand and operating segment, termed a concept of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Tricon Global...
restaruants.
Thailand
In Thailand, Mister Donut has been a leader in the Thai donut market for more than 33 years(since 1978). It is known for its concept "Donut for Fun". Mister Donut currently has more than 250 branches across Thailand with more opening every year. They include stand-alone stores as well as branches at shopping malls and supermarkets.El Salvador
There are also numerous Mister Donut locations throughout El SalvadorEl Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
in Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
. Mister Donut locations also offer various typical dishes such as El Salvador's traditional pupusas.
Canada
Mister Donut operations downsized in the late 1990s with its stores located mostly in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. Of the five stores, only three survive today with the name.
United States
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
region that did not convert to Dunkin' Donuts, mostly due to being too close to existing Dunkin' Donuts locations at the time. Nine Mister Donut owners formed a cooperative to continue to receive bulk pricing on materials. These stores are now known as Donut Connection and serve the same menu and recipes as Mister Donut once did. There are hundreds of Donut Connection franchises in the eastern United States. A handful of businesses retained the Mister Donut name. Between 8-10 locations remain listed under this name on various business directories online. Several are completely out of business, and others now have Dunkin' Donuts at the former Mister Donut locations. Only one location can be verified to remain in business under the Mister Donut name. It is located in Godfrey
Godfrey, Illinois
Godfrey is a village in Madison County, Illinois, United States. The population was 18000 at the 2010 census. Godfrey is located within the Greater St...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
External links
- Official Mister Donut website
- Official Mister Donut Japan website
- Official Mister Donut Korea website
- Official Mister Donut Taiwan website
- Official Mister Donut China website
- Official Mister Donut Philippines website
- Official Mister Donut Thailand website
- Official Mister Donut El Salvador website
- Brief history of Dunkin' Donuts and Mister Donut
- A Tale of 2 Donuts