Parlor Doughnuts
Parlor Doughnuts is a privately held U.S. doughnut and coffee chain founded in 2019, franchising its proprietary Famous Layered Doughnuts across 100 corporate and franchise shops coast-to-coast, with digital ordering, catering, and a rewards app.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersEvansville, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Parlor Doughnuts does
Parlor Doughnuts is a privately held craft doughnut and coffee shop chain founded in February 2019 by Darrick Hayden in partnership with Josh Tudela, headquartered at 204 Main Street, Suite D in Evansville, Indiana, and operating as Parlor Doughnuts Franchising, LLC. The company's core product is the proprietary "Famous Layered Doughnut," a layered buttery-dough pastry fried crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, offered in over 20 sweet and savory varieties, alongside specialty coffee (proprietary Wheelhouse medium roast and Night Rider decaf), breakfast items, and add-on modules including vegan/gluten-friendly, keto-friendly, mini, and dog doughnuts (under the Pawlor Doughnuts sub-brand). Distribution is primarily through company-owned and franchise retail locations across the United States, supported by the OLO online ordering platform, a dedicated catering portal, the Parlor Perks mobile rewards app (iOS/Android), digital gift card systems, and a branded merchandise e-commerce storefront, with payments processed via Stripe.
The business model is a hybrid franchise-and-retail structure: the franchisor earns initial franchise fees, ongoing royalties, and merchandise revenue, while franchisees and any corporate operators generate revenue through in-store and online retail sales of doughnuts, beverages, and breakfast items, plus catering. Franchise expansion was enabled by regulatory approval to offer franchising in all 50 U.S. states as of June 30, 2021, with operator requirements of $175K minimum liquid assets, $750K net worth, and a 680+ credit score. By 2025 the brand reported 100 shops coast-to-coast, with strategic preference for coastal and tourist destinations, and four states (KY, MI, SC, UT) still unavailable for new franchisees. The technology stack is light and largely outsourced: OLO for ordering, Stripe for payments, Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel for marketing measurement, and a proprietary but small rewards app — no proprietary AI/ML, no APIs, and no public SDKs are evidenced.
Customer segments span individual consumers (general, health-conscious with keto/vegan/gluten-friendly needs, and pet owners), plus franchisees as a secondary B2B segment. Marketing channels combine the Parlor Perks app and referral program (bottom-of-funnel), email and seasonal campaigns (mid-funnel), and organic social plus franchise-industry marketing (top-of-funnel). The company has received no disclosed external venture or private equity funding and has grown organically from its Evansville origins via franchising, with the International Franchise Association (IFA) membership supporting franchisee acquisition.
Parlor Doughnuts firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Parlor Doughnuts
- Legal name
- Parlor Doughnuts Franchising, LLC
- Website
- https://parlordoughnuts.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Parlor Doughnuts is a privately held U.S. doughnut and coffee chain founded in 2019, franchising its proprietary Famous Layered Doughnuts across 100 corporate and franchise shops coast-to-coast, with digital ordering, catering, and a rewards app.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Parlor Doughnuts industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Bakery and Coffee Shop
- NAICS
- Baked Goods Retailers (445291), Retail Bakeries (311811)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Donut Shops (THAFAGAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Cafe-Bakeries (Bakery + Coffee/Foodservice) (THAFAFAG)
Keywords
Where Parlor Doughnuts is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Evansville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Parlor Doughnuts business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Retail Doughnut and Beverage Sales: In-store and online sales of Famous Layered Doughnuts, specialty coffee, and breakfast items at corporate and franchise locations.
- Franchise Fees and Royalties: Revenue from franchise fees and ongoing royalties from independently owned and operated franchise locations.
- Merchandise Sales: E-commerce sales of branded merchandise including apparel, accessories, drinkware, and limited-edition collectibles.
- Catering Services: Catering orders for events and large orders placed through dedicated catering platform.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Franchise Applicant Requirements |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
Parlor Doughnuts product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Parlor Doughnuts is a craft doughnut and coffee shop chain that produces and sells its proprietary Famous Layered Doughnuts — buttery layered dough fried crisp on the outside and light/fluffy on the inside — alongside specialty coffee, espresso drinks, and an artisanal breakfast menu. Operations are run through corporate and franchised retail storefronts (dine-in, takeout, drive-thru), complemented by digital ordering, catering, a mobile rewards app, and branded merchandise e-commerce.
Product overview
Parlor Doughnuts is a craft doughnut and coffee shop chain offering a portfolio centered on its proprietary Famous Layered Doughnuts (over 20 sweet and savory varieties), specialty coffee and beverages, and artisanal breakfast items. The company operates a unified retail concept with add-on modules including vegan/gluten-friendly and keto-friendly doughnut lines, dog doughnuts (Pawlor Doughnuts), a Parlor Perks mobile rewards app, catering services, branded merchandise e-commerce, and a franchising program. Products are made-to-order in small batches throughout the day. The brand positions itself on superior product quality at moderate prices with exceptional service.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Pawlor Doughnuts: A pet-focused sub-brand offering dog doughnuts and dog bandanas for customers' four-legged companions.
Products and services
- Famous Layered Doughnuts Signature proprietary layered doughnut product featuring layers of buttery dough fried crisp on the outside and light/fluffy on the inside, offered in over 20 sweet and savory varieties (e.g., Margherita, Honey Glazed, Maple Bacon, Turtle Cheesecake, plus seasonal options). Made in small batches fresh throughout the day for retail consumers.
- Coffee & Specialty Beverages Specialty coffee program featuring espressos, lattes, cold brews, seasonal specialties, refreshers, teas, tea lattes, energizers, old-fashioned sodas, and hot chocolate. Includes proprietary Wheelhouse Medium Roast and Night Rider Decaf blends.
- Breakfast Menu Artisanal breakfast items including acai bowls, breakfast tacos (bacon, avocado, chorizo), breakfast sandwiches (spinach pesto, sausage biscuit, bacon egg cheese), and avocado toast.
- Vegan & Gluten Friendly Doughnuts Dairy-free and gluten-friendly doughnut offerings prepared on a dedicated surface with glove changes, addressing dietary restriction needs of consumers.
- Keto Friendly Doughnuts
Companies that use Parlor Doughnuts
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Parlor Doughnuts technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature1 record
Parlor Doughnuts partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- International Franchise Association (IFA)minorParlor Doughnuts is a member of the IFA, the principal organization representing franchisors, franchisees, and suppliers in the United States.
- StripecoreThird-party payment processor used to process transactions and collect billing information. Handles payment processing for online and app transactions.
- OLOcoreOnline ordering platform provider powering parlordoughnuts.olo.com for online ordering and parlordoughnutscatering.olo.com for catering orders.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Parlor Doughnuts competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Tim Hortons: Large North American coffee and doughnut QSR chain offering a similar donut-plus-coffee value proposition. A broad incumbent competing for the breakfast and coffee daypart.
- Dunkin': Mass-market doughnut and coffee chain with thousands of U.S. locations and a broad beverage-led menu. Not a craft peer, but the dominant volume competitor for everyday doughnut and coffee occasions.
- Shipley Do-Nuts: Regional doughnut chain with a long-standing franchise model across the southern U.S. Competes in the same traditional doughnut-shop category, particularly in overlapping geographies.
Direct peers
- Voodoo Doughnut: Craft doughnut brand known for novel flavors and a strong experiential retail concept with multiple U.S. locations. Competes directly for the same craft-doughnut, experience-driven customer.
- Top Pot Doughnuts: Premium doughnut and coffee café chain operating a similar craft positioning with dine-in retail locations. Directly comparable product and atmosphere offering.
- Krispy Kreme: Global doughnut and coffee chain with a similar franchised retail model and nationwide U.S. footprint. Directly competes for the same premium doughnut and specialty coffee occasion, but at significantly larger scale.
- District Donut Bar: Craft doughnut and coffee concept offering chef-driven sweet and savory doughnuts. Direct craft-doughnut competitor with a similar premium, experiential retail positioning.
- Five Daughters Bakery: Craft bakery famous for its 100-layer doughnut, an extremely close conceptual analog to Parlor’s layered doughnut. Competes in the same premium, Instagram-driven doughnut category.
- Duck Donuts: Made-to-order premium doughnut franchise chain with a comparable craft-doughnut positioning, franchise-led growth model, and U.S. multi-state footprint. Among the closest direct comparables to Parlor Doughnuts.
Regional players
- Black Rock Coffee Bar: U.S. specialty coffee chain that has expanded into premium food offerings, including pastries. Comparable as a franchised, multi-state coffee-and-breakfast competitor, though primarily Western U.S. focused.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Parlor Doughnuts social profiles
Digital presenceParlor Doughnuts financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Parlor Doughnuts leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Parlor Doughnuts funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Parlor Doughnuts M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Parlor Doughnuts
What does Parlor Doughnuts do?
Parlor Doughnuts is a craft doughnut and coffee shop chain that produces and sells its proprietary Famous Layered Doughnuts — buttery layered dough fried crisp on the outside and light/fluffy on the inside — alongside specialty coffee, espresso drinks, and an artisanal breakfast menu. Operations are run through corporate and franchised retail storefronts (dine-in, takeout, drive-thru), complemented by digital ordering, catering, a mobile rewards app, and branded merchandise e-commerce.
Is Parlor Doughnuts a public or private company?
Parlor Doughnuts is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Parlor Doughnuts founded?
Parlor Doughnuts was founded in 2019. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Parlor Doughnuts based?
Parlor Doughnuts is headquartered in Evansville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Parlor Doughnuts make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Retail Doughnut and Beverage Sales are the primary driver. The others are franchise Fees and Royalties, merchandise Sales and catering Services.
Who are Parlor Doughnuts's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Tim Hortons, Dunkin' and Shipley Do-Nuts. Direct peers are Voodoo Doughnut, Top Pot Doughnuts, Krispy Kreme, District Donut Bar, Five Daughters Bakery and Duck Donuts. Black Rock Coffee Bar is listed as a regional player.
Does Parlor Doughnuts have an API?
No public API is recorded for Parlor Doughnuts.
What industry is Parlor Doughnuts in?
Parlor Doughnuts's product category is Specialty Bakery and Coffee Shop. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAGAE, Donut Shops, with a secondary code of THAFAFAG, Cafe-Bakeries (Bakery + Coffee/Foodservice). Its NAICS code is 445291 and its SIC code is 5810.