Yes, we know Shipley Do-Nuts is technically a chain, but they’re worthy of a Donut Digest review for a few reasons: namely, their deep Texas roots and a recent focus on the DFW area. With 15 locations in the metroplex (and contractual obligations to open a minimum of 60 DFW stores by 2029), there’s plenty of Shipley goodness to go around. Check out our experience at the Arlington and North Richland Hills locations:
CONTACT INFO
Hours:
All DFW stores open at 5 am every day and close between 12 pm and 3 pm depending on location. Your best bet is to get there before 8 am!
Location:
A sample of DFW locations can be found below. Click here to locate your closest Shipley Do-Nuts.
Arlington:
Dallas:
Fort Worth:
North Richland Hills:
Web & Social:
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HIGHLIGHTS
- Cake Donuts:
- Yeast Donuts:
- Gluten-Free Donuts:
- Vegan Donuts:
- Non-Donut Food Options:
- Coffee:
- Credit Card Accepted:
- Wifi:
- Indoor Seating:
- Outdoor Seating: (unless you count their drive-thru’s)
- Merchandise: (reusable coffee mugs in some locations, but we’d totally want a t-shirt!)
- Order Ahead:
- Nearby Attraction(s): Varies by location
THE REVIEW
Shipley Do-Nuts, a Houston native, was founded by the Shipley family in 1936. According to their website, the chain offers “more than 60 varieties of delicious donuts, kolaches, and breakfast rolls made fresh daily and served hot.” Today, Shipley Do-Nuts is under the leadership of Lawrence Shipley, III and is rapidly approaching 300 franchises with locations in Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. We were curious if the recipe for success was easily replicated in multiple locations.
PROS:
Shipley Do-Nuts has a huge selection of donuts and pastries, but availability is heavily dependent on location and time of day. Good news is you can stock up on a dozen or more for your friends, family, and co-workers with barely a dent in your wallet: Plain glazed or cake donuts will only set you back by $0.75 apiece. The bang-for-your-buck trend continues with kolaches starting at $1.50 and coffees as low as $1.30.
In both locations we visited, the donut trays were on display with open kitchens in full view. Speaking of, it’s kind of mesmerizing to watch donuts being made, iced and filled…But for those unwilling to get out of a car, there’s always the drive-thru window.
As for our choices, we sampled:
- Plain glazed donut
- Purple frosted donut (vanilla-flavored icing) with sprinkles
- Chocolate frosted donut with sprinkles
- Blueberry cake donut, both glazed and unglazed
- Pumpkin spice cake donut with vanilla icing (late August arrival)
- Crunch (we’re told one of the most popular selections at the NRH location…confirmed by an 8:30 am sell-out)
- Vanilla cream cheese-filled donut
- Chocolate donut filled with vanilla cream
The plain glazed donut is simple but delish: light and fluffy with a thin layer of glaze. Second runner-up was a tie between the pumpkin spice cake donut (we’re suckers for fall flavors) or the vanilla cream cheese-filled donut. Yum!
CONS:
Since Shipley Do-Nuts is a franchise business, your donut experience will vary by location. We found the NRH shop to be larger and more modern with a wider selection of donuts and hot drinks. Check out the difference in branding:
Shipley Do-Nuts Arlington location (top) vs. North Richland Hills (bottom)
Taste-wise, our least favorite donuts were the ones that looked the prettiest; those with purple frosting (vanilla-flavored) and chocolate frosting with sprinkles. Bummer.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Shipley Do-Nuts = classic Texas donuts and we love the Shipley family for bringing them to the Southern masses. You can expect a ton more Shipley shops to pop up around the DFW metroplex in the coming years too. Plus some of the shops deliver themselves! Call your local Shipley store for more details.
As far as donuts go, the plain ol’ glazed beats out Dunkin’ Donuts glazed (and many others) any day of the week. Now that fall season has begun, we’ll be back for more pumpkin spice donuts and apple fritters. While we’re there, we’ll probably sample some kolaches and cinnamon rolls…has anyone tried?
Comment below with your favorite Shipley Do-Nuts experience!
