Dunkin’ Donuts
In 1946, William Rosenberg founded Industrial Luncheon Services, a company that delivered meals and snacks to workers in the Boston area. Rosenberg’s success convinced him to start a doughnut shop in Quincy, Massachusetts called the Open Kettle. Two years later, Rosenberg changed Open Kettle’s name to Dunkin’ Donuts. Today, there are more than 7,000 Dunkin' Donuts worldwide located in more than 40 countries. In the United States, alone, there are more than 5,200 Dunkin' Donuts restaurants located in 36 states.
Krispy Kreme
Using a yeast-raised doughnut recipe he bought from a New Orleans French Chef, Vernon Rudolph opened a small shop in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on July 13, 1937 and began selling fresh baked doughnuts to grocery stores. Excited patrons located the small distributor and asked if they could purchase the breakfast confection while it was still hot. In response, Rudolph cut a hole in the wall of his shop and began selling Krispy Kreme Doughnuts direct to the public. Rudolph died in 1973 and the company was sold to Beatrice foods in 1976. In 1986, “a small group of associates” bought the company back, and in April of 2000 made an initial offering of public stock.
