Whenever you want great donuts to go with a good cup of coffee, chances are good that Dunkin’ Donuts is the first brand you think about. Is there even any other brand that offers tasty donuts like Dunkin’ Donuts?
What’s really great is that you can get these fantastic donuts for a very reasonable price. You can basically enjoy one donut for about 1 dollar. Economists warn about how monopolies can dictate higher prices for their goods because there’s no competition for them, but Dunkin’ Donuts didn’t seem to get the memo on that. Their prices are just extremely affordable.
That might get you thinking about how expensive donuts can actually be. Can they fetch much higher prices, if they’re offered by fine dining establishments? Want does an expensive donut look like and taste like? Who would even pay for an expensive donut?
We did the research, and found donuts priced so high that even the 1-percenters would reconsider their donut fanhood. Here are some of the most expensive donuts in history:
Manilla Social Club Cristal Ube Donut
Everyone knows that the costs of living in New York City is much higher, compared to most of the US. So, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that some place in NYC has offered rather pricey donuts a few years before.
The Manilla Social Club is in Brooklyn, and a few years ago they offered what they called their Cristal Ube Donut. This was designed by their very own Chef Bjorn Dela Cruz, and it was only offered on Fridays.
This donut was unique, since it was made from yam. If you ever wondered what a donut made with yam would taste like, then this was your chance. Except that its yam ingredient wasn’t the only thing that made it special.
The Chef used icing, but it wasn’t ordinary icing. Instead, he used icing made with Braven White IPA. He then even put in some Cristal gold for good measure.
So, it shouldn’t be surprising that a single Cristal Ube Donut costs a cool $100. Hey, it’s New York City! If you see a donut covered in gold leaf and you want taste, you’re going to have to pay for the privilege.
Dolicious Donuts Donutopia
The Dolicious Donuts brand has always been proud of its artisan reputation. Some of them also come with rather unique flavors, such as the nuclear scorpion donut. This comes with an ungodly number of hot peppers, so you’re not likely to forget it.
“Unforgettable” is a good word to describe the donuts. Heck, a lot of their donuts look like classical art pieces as well. But none of them can top the sheer artistry of the Donutopia.
This comes with filling infused with ice wine, so it’s not exactly a regular donut. Then it’s covered with flakes made with pure, 24-karat gold. And to really make it special, it even comes with edible diamonds. That’s some serious bling right there.
Krispy Kreme Elite Treat
Among the fast-food donuts brands, perhaps Krispy Kreme comes closest to rivaling the popularity of Dunkin’ Donuts. Some fans even consider the Krispy Kreme donuts as the absolute best in the industry, though no one is actually raving about their coffee.
One Krispy Kreme establishment in the UK came up with a donut that somehow resembled a gorgeous flower. The ingredients came with opulent trappings, such as the jelly infused with Dom Perignon. It covered the donut with 24-karat gold leaf, and the lotus flower on top was made with white chocolate. It seems like a crime to actually eat.
The Dunkin’ Donuts UK establishment sold this special donut to benefit a children’s charity, so they were able to price it much higher without offending anyone. Thus, it was sold for a whopping price of $1,685.
The Shipley Donuts Regular Donut (from KMHX-FM)
KMHX-FM is a radio station in Houston, and a few years ago they hosted the Roula and Ryan Show around the time of Hurricane Katrina. The DJs Roula and Ryan want to help raise money for the victims of Katrina, and they figured out that they didn’t actually have to design a luxury donut to raise big bucks. Sometimes, the desire to help is just there.
Thus, the two DJs simple offered a regular donut from their local Shipley Donuts. It was nothing special, to be honest. But they placed an ad on eBay to offer the donut for charity, and they even offered to ship the donut to the buyer if they lived outside the Houston area.
They made it clear that the proceeds of the auction would go for the Katrina victims relief efforts, and their idea worked. That simple donut fetched $5,200.
