The search for the best glazed donut in Northwest Arkansas

Payton Primm, News Editor

A neon “open” sign hanging in the window of a small building catches my eye as I am driving, and I immediately change my destination and turn into the parking lot. As I open the double doors, the smell of fresh donuts envelops all of my senses.

This place feels like home to me. I have been eating donuts here ever since I was a kid, when my dad would take me every Saturday morning. Daylight Donuts may appear small and dull from the outside, but their donuts and customer service certainly make up for the lack of exterior decoration. The classic glazed donut is perfected at Daylight. It is thick, warm, and covered in sugar the dream of both children and adults alike. For non-donut lovers, Daylight also offers a variety of other options, such as biscuits and gravy, cinnamon rolls, and sausage roll-ups. Every time I walk through the doors, I am greeted with a beaming smile from the employee behind the counter.

Krispy Kreme, a donut shop located in Bentonville, specializes in the glazed donut as well. In contrast to Daylight, their glazed donut is thin, but always served hot and fresh. To ensure that customers are pleased with the donuts, a free glazed donut is offered to each customer upon entering the restaurant. They offer cake donuts, classic donuts, and even donuts decorated to fit specific holidays. Krispy Kreme is the full donut experience. They showcase their donut-making process with a window overlooking a conveyor belt, allowing customers to watch the donuts being produced. No visit is complete without a Krispy Kreme paper hat, complementary to customers and an exact replica of the hats worn in the original Krispy Kreme donut shops in the 1960’s.

Shipley’s is another donut shop located in Springdale. They offer a wide variety of classic donuts, as well as cake donuts, cinnamon rolls, bear claws, and glazed twists. The glazed donut is a crossover between Daylight and Krispy Kreme: medium thickness, warm, and served fresh daily. As far a donut shops go, Shipley’s is about as standard as it gets.

After trying the glazed donuts at each of these locations, I believe that Daylight’s glazed donut comes out on top. The thickness of the donut is hard to find at most other locations, and it is always served fresh, accompanied by a bright smile. The donuts and customer service at Daylight Donuts is nearly impossible to beat.