Friday is National Donut Day and TheStreet got a chance to speak with Dunkin’ Brands CEO Nigel Travis to hear how the company is celebrating. (Quick hint: The Massachusetts-based company is giving away a free classic donut with drink purchase.) While it may at times seem like every day is ‘National Something Day,’ the history of National Donut Day is impressive. It was started in 1938 by the Salvation Army in recognition of members who served donuts to soldiers during World War I. Offerings at Dunkin’ Donuts have increased well beyond the old mix of black coffee and so-called “classic” donuts, which are regular donuts with frosting and sprinkles. In fact, in the last quarter, Dunkin’ attributed its 2% same-store sales growth to the growing popularity of its espresso-based and iced coffee drinks. If eco-conscious coffee consumers are worried about Dunkin’s continued use of Styrofoam cups, Travis said it is working on new polyethylene-based cup designs that work with the plastic lids favored by customers. Innovation at Dunkin’ is happening outside of the kitchen as well. The company is rolling out its On-the-Go mobile-based ordering technology more broadly. (It was launched in the New York metro area last month.) It allows customers to place their orders up to 24 hours in advance and select a time and place to pick it up and skip the line. As for Travis’ favorite thing at Dunkin’, while he enjoys the company’s newly-launched pork roll sandwich, he admitted he has a favorite donut is the traditional glaze donut. ‘I know it’s the standard one but I actually really do like it. I eat it a lot,’ Travis said. Lucky for us, he’s sharing it with customers for free today.
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