Can the new kid’s donuts topple a fan-favorite? We put both to the test in a head-to-head comparison.
Just the other day, we reported that Los Angeles-founded donut chain Randy’s Donuts has opened its first ever store in Japan in Daikanyama, Tokyo.
We were so excited to try the new contender to Japan’s donut scene, we rushed out to try a selection of what they have to offer.
However, it got us thinking about the other donut chains in the country and how these donuts fare against each other. Doing what any good reporter does (that is if all good reporters use any excuse to eat more delicious food) we went to Krispy Kreme to pick up some donuts to compare to the Randy’s donuts we received for a press preview.
Our donut of choice for this experiment was the humble glazed donut, because if you can’t do a basic donut right, then why bother with the rest of them? Plus, it’s easier to get an idea of the true value of a donut when the flavors are kept simple. For example, Randy’s Apple Fritter is coated in an amount of sugar that feels like it has reached dangerous (if delicious) proportions, so much so that it doesn’t really lend itself to comparison with anything else.
One thing we can be certain of is that Randy’s has not attempted to adapt their donuts to fit in line with Japanese tastes. Let’s find out how that has turned out for them in our little taste test.
But first, a closer look at today’s competitors. In the challenger corner, we have Randy’s Glazed Raised (360 yen [US$2.50]), a traditional yeast donut, with a light, fluffy texture, coated in a sugary glaze. It is both their flagship item and their most popular.
On the other side, we have the local defender of glazed donuts, Krispy Kreme’s Original Glazed (216 yen for takeout). Similarly, it’s a yeast donut with a glaze coating. The Original Glazed is such a well-known and established donut that many Japanese people, even fans of other donut brands, would say that when they’re craving glazed donuts specifically they head to Krispy Kreme. Like the Glazed Raised, the Original Glazed is also Krispy Kreme’s best-selling and signature item.
To make this showdown fair, we rounded up three donut connoisseurs from our office —also known as whomever happened to be nearby and was feeling slightly peckish— and put the two donuts side-by-side.
Looking at both of them together, Randy’s Glazed Raised is significantly larger, makin the higher price feel like not as significant a factor as it could have been. At least for size, you get what you pay for, so at this stage they’re roughly equal.
What really matters, though, is the taste, and this is where the differences shone through. Despite being similar donuts on paper, the flavors were quite distinct from each other.
Seiji Nakazawa: I prefer Randy’s. It’s bigger, so you can really taste the wheat. The dough of Krispy’s donut feels like it loses out to the glaze. Not that it isn’t tasty.
Ikuna Kamezawa: I also like Randy’s. How should I put it? It’s more… bread-like, I guess you could say? I love how filling it is. But it’s just a matter of taste, isn’t it?
P.K. Sanjun: I’m team Krispy. The dough is finer and smoother. Plus, its chewiness is something Randy’s lacks. Randy’s donut is good, but the lighter Krispy gets my vote.
With the taste completed, the results are in: Randy’s wins the challenge at 2–1, but it’s just like what Ikuna was saying: deliciousness is on the tongue of the taster. Both are quite fluffy, but Krispy Kreme’s is lighter, while Randy’s offers more thickness and a satisfying bite.
A result like this is a great sign for the newcomer to Japan, going to show that, despite not having altered their popular recipe for the Japanese palate, they more than match up to Krispy Kreme’s Original Glazed in taste. Our ultimate conclusion, though, is that both signature donuts are delicious and we’d be happy to eat either one of them. While Randy’s Donuts has many visually impactful donuts, don’t forget about the Glazed Raised if you swing by.
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