Free doughnuts.
Now that we have your undivided attention, we suggest you get along to one of independent business The Kilted Donut’s branches at Edinburgh’s 191 Great Junction Street or 22 St Stephen Street. This Sunday, March 27, with doors opening at 10am, they’re giving away a box of four kilties - their bite-sized bakes, which come in various flavours - to each customer while stocks last, with no other purchase necessary. In fact, they won’t be selling any doughnuts that day, just gifting the mini versions from both of their shops. Expect queues.
At the same time as the giveaway, they’ll also be holding a charity raffle in each location. Tickets are £10, with all proceeds raised going to the British Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal, and the winner will bag a box of six doughnuts every week for a year. That’s 312 in total.
This is to mark five years since they started their family business, which began as a stall at The Pitt and Leith Market, before they opened their Leith branch in 2018, then their basement level Stockbridge shop in 2021.
“We’re thrilled that we’ve made it this far, with all the normal challenges of a new business, the pandemic and Brexit added on top”, says Lena Wollan, who owns The Kilted Donut with her husband, Mark Anderson. “We love our customers and we’re looking forward to many more years coming up with fun flavours”.
Although they usually offer six varieties to choose from on their weekly menu, they currently have a catalogue of around 50 types of these American-style doughnuts with a Scottish twist, which are also available for delivery and collection. These include vegan doughnuts as well as filled numbers like their Banoffee, which features a banana custard filling, and is covered in sticky caramel and chocolate drizzle, or the Mocha, with a chocolate cream filling and espresso drizzle. There’s also the more contentious creations, such as the Fiery Cheetos - a ring doughnut with a Scotch bonnet glaze that’s covered in crushed cheesy Cheetos.
