Review: Mister Donut in Bangkok, Thailand - Tasty American-Style Donuts at a Thai Price

During the more than 20 years I lived in the US, I never once ate at Mister Donut. Since moving to Bangkok, Thailand though, Mister Donut has become one of my favorite donut shops and I buy donuts to take home several times a month. Mister Donut in Thailand is an off-shoot of the American restaurant chain, a chain which has now closed down in the US. In Thailand though, Mister Donut is so popular it's one of the country's most successful donut chains.

The Story of Mister Donut - Once a popular American donut chain, Mister Donut was bought out in 1990 and most of their American stores were converted to Dunkin Donuts. Here in Thailand, and in several other Asian countries, the Mister Donut chain has survived. Mister Donut opened its first branch in Thailand in 1978 and has now grown so much it has more than 250 locations around the country. Mister Donut has a massive share of the donut market in Japan as well.

Why is Mister Donut So Popular in Thailand? - Branches of Mister Donut in Thailand have always sold some of the tastiest and cheapest donuts around. Thais seem to enjoy them as they have more of an American-taste than typical Thai donuts, which of course satisfies the westerners living and visiting Thailand too.

Mister Donut has also been smart in where it opens its branches. It always targets popular shopping malls, with several malls in Bangkok having more than one Mister Donut location, as well as supermarkets and stand-alone stores in high-traffic areas.

In the past, Mister Donut has often undercut its main rival, Dunkin Donuts, and now that Thailand has its first Krispy Kreme store, Mister Donut is undercutting them too.

Prices at Mister Donut - I shop at Mister Donut in Bangkok as they sell the best American-style donuts in the city for a cheap price. Where competitors like Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme are sellng their donuts at 20-30 baht (75 cents to $1) per piece, Mister Donut's prices are only 12-18 baht (40-60 cents), and they always have special deals running whereby, if you buy six donuts or more, you get even cheaper prices.

Taste of Mister Donut - Although competitors like Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme tout their 'American-style' donuts, most donut lovers will tell you they don't taste remotely like an American donut.

Dunkin Donuts, in Thaiand, sells donuts that are often dry and a bit hard, and not like their soft, moist, tasty donuts in the United States. Dunkin Donuts also has a huge variety of odd-tasting donuts -- green tea, strange custard-stuffed ones -- and they sell just about the worst-tasting coffee in Bangkok.

Krispy Kreme too, no matter how much its owner touts her expensive oven shipped from America, simply does not sell donuts that taste like 'the real thing'. Plus, they're expensive.

Mister Donut, on the other hand, has stuck to simple offerings. Iced donuts, plain donuts, carmelized donuts, vanilla, chocolate, strawberry jam and powdered donuts are high on their list, and there's not one kind that isn't soft, delicious and as similar to an American donut as you're going to get in Thailand. They also sell muffins and some pretty excellent coffee and iced teas.

Locations of Mister Donut in Thailand - Many of Thailand's more than 250 Mister Donut locations are in shopping malls. In Bangkok, you'll find them at Mahboonkrong (MBK) mall, Central Ladprao, Union Mall, Central World Plaza, and Future Park Rangsit, just to name a few. There are also stand-alone stores throughout the city. There are also many Mister Donut locations in Bangkok supermarkets. The branch at Big C Extra on Ladprao Road is one of my favorites.

Outside Bangkok, many of the main malls have Mister Donut outlets, as do a large percentage of the country's larger supermarkets.

More Information:

Mister Donut - Company website in Thailand