• Krispy Kreme is a popular international chain of doughnut stores that originated in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In 2008, the doughnut chain offered free doughnuts to voters on Election Day and announced on January 14, 2009, that it would offer free doughnuts to customers again on January 20, Inauguration Day.Official Site: HistoryPerez Hilton: Free Is Good (January 14, 2009) The pro-life organization American Life League has protested the move due to incoming president Barack Obama's pro-choice voting record.Miami New Times: Pro-Life Group up in Arms over...Abortion Doughnuts (January 15, 2009)

• Fast Facts

  1. Stock symbol: KKD (NYSE)
  2. Annual revenue (2006): $510.21 million
  3. Founder: Vernon RudolphOfficial Site: History
  4. Year established: 1937Official Site: History
  5. Industry: Restaurant
  6. Phone: (800) 4KRISPY
  7. HQ: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
  8. President/CEO: James Morgan
  9. Staff: 4,250
  10. Products: Doughnuts, hot and cold drinks

• Socially Conscious Doughnuts

  Krispy Kreme announced in October 2008 that they would offer free doughnuts to voters on Election Day, November 4, 2008. This caused a small controversy because it is illegal in most states to offer prizes for voting. Krispy Kreme did not require customers to prove they had voted, and gave the doughnuts away as a gesture of goodwill.

  Krispy Kreme announced on January 14, 2009 that they would repeat their gesture of goodwill by giving away free doughnuts to customers on January 20, Inauguration Day. The popular doughnut chain issued a statement saying, "Krispy Kreme Doughnuts is honoring Americans' sense of pride and freedom of choice on Inauguration Day by offering a free doughnut of choice to every customer on this historic day, January 20. By doing so, participating Krispy Kreme stores nationwide are making an oath to tasty goodies; just another reminder of how oh-so-sweet 'free' can be."Perez Hilton: Free Is Good (January 14, 2009)

• Key Dates

  1. 1950s: Build equipment to automate doughnut-making process across franchisesOfficial Site: History
  2. 1960s: Begin expanding out of SoutheastOfficial Site: History
  3. 1973: Founder Rudolph diesOfficial Site: History
  4. 1976: Bought by Beatrice Foods CompanyOfficial Site: History
  5. 1982: Bought back by franchiseesOfficial Site: History
  6. 1996: First New York store opensOfficial Site: History
  7. 2000: Company goes public on April 5Official Site: History
  8. 2005: Stores give away free doughnuts on June 3 (National Doughnut Day)Official Site: History
  9. 2007: Introduce Whole Wheat Glazed doughnutOfficial Site: History
  10. 2008: Eliminates trans fatsOfficial Site: History

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Krispy Kreme Coupons | Doughnuts | Coffee | Cake | Hamburgers | Dunkin' Donuts | Free Election Day Food | Jelly Doughnuts | Election Day | Inauguration Day 2009 | Free Election Day Food | Free El Pollo Loco

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