LaMar's in the News
 NBC's The Tonight Show host Jay Leno dubbed LaMar's Donuts founder Raymond Lamar the undisputed "King of donuts." |
 New Yorker magazine's Calvin Trillin penned praises for the LaMar's powdered sugar donut. The Today Show's Willard Scott argues with host Katie Couric that a LaMar's donut is the best ever made. |
 California's Orange County Register's acclaimed "Best of the Best" annual series named LaMar's Donuts "America's Favorite Breakfast." First runner-up was an English farm breakfast at Woolley Grange in Wiltshire, England. |
 Gourmet Magazine, in search of the country's favorite donut, conducted a nationwide poll. The runaway winner was a LaMar's donut. |
 Hallmark Cards designed a greeting card, in the shape of a donut, in Ray Lamar's honor. |
 Food Network featured LaMar's Donuts in the network prime-time series called "Unwrapped." |
 The famed Zagat Survey, the New York City-based namer of premier dining spots nationwide, described LaMar's Donuts as "extraordinary; fit for kings." |
News Archive
KCTV-5 interviews LaMar’s Donuts about eight decades of hand-crafting delicious, gourmet treats.
LaMar’s Celebrates 80 Years of Making Donuts
KANSAS CITY, Mo., (January 12, 2013) — This year, LaMar’s Donuts is proud to celebrate 80 years of hand-crafting gourmet donuts. In honor of this important milestone, Marketing Manager Kayde Pierce spoke with Bonyen Lee of Kansas City’s KCTV5 to discuss what makes LaMar’s Donuts so delicious.
Peppermint Iced Devil’s Food Cake Donut available for a limited time this holiday season.
LaMar’s Offers Peppermint Iced Devil’s Food Cake Donut for the Holidays
DENVER (Nov. 27, 2012) – LaMar’s Donuts has created what is sure to be a fan favorite—the Peppermint Iced Devil’s Food Cake Donut, available for a limited time beginning Nov. 23.
Ushered in on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving), the holiday donut’s special flavor combines chocolate devil’s food cake covered in smooth peppermint icing with festive red sugar sprinkled on top.
It’s decadent, delicious, and fun – and it’s available to lovers of fine donuts at any LaMar’s Donuts location nationwide until Jan. 2, 2013.
“We are offering the Peppermint Iced Devil’s Food Cake Donut throughout the holidays because the smooth peppermint and rich chocolate tastes pair perfectly with the season,” said Kayde Pierce, spokesperson for LaMar’s.
This seasonal donut is something of a throwback to the devil’s food donuts founder Ray LaMar began making in 1933.
As in the old days, all LaMar’s donuts—including their newest Peppermint Iced Devil’s Food Cake special—are still made entirely by hand every day. Never using mass-production techniques, LaMar’s employees personally create each donut, from hand-kneading the dough to applying the icing.
That’s the LaMar’s difference, and it’s a difference you can taste in the Peppermint Iced Devil’s Food Cake Donut, available from Nov. 23, 2012 to Jan. 2, 2013.
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About LaMar’s Donuts
After developing his original donut recipe as a teenager in 1933, Ray Lamar opened the first LaMar’s Donuts in 1960 in Kansas City, Missouri. Today the franchised chain has 27 stores in Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, Nebraska, Alabama and Arizona. LaMar’s has won numerous awards and favorable reviews by such publications as The New Yorker and Gourmet magazine, and was the first donut to be reviewed and acclaimed by Zagat, the world’s most trusted guide to restaurants. LaMar’s Donuts are proclaimed by many as “simply a better donut.”
Shannon LaMar, Wife of LaMar’s Donuts Founder, Dies at 71
Denver, Colo. (November 14, 2012) – Shannon LaMar, wife of Ray LaMar and a driving force behind the success of LaMar’s Donuts, died at age 71 on October 27, 2012. She is survived by three sons.
Mrs. LaMar was not only the wife of the company’s founder, she was also a former employee of the famous chain. Her husband Ray passed away in 2005.
Over the years, Mrs. LaMar helped the company build a loyal clientele, beginning with the first LaMar’s Donuts shop, which was opened in 1960 in a former gas station in Kansas City, Mo. Mrs. LaMar was instrumental in helping to develop the LaMar’s Donuts franchise in 1990.
Today, 27 LaMar’s locations produce more than 17 million donuts each year. LaMar’s Donuts was recommended by Zagat’s Survey, The New Yorker and Gourmet Magazine, and was chosen as one of America’s five best donuts by AOL Cityguide in the summer of 2008.
The New York Times features LaMar’s Presidential Donut Poll in recent article
LaMar’s 2012 Presidential Donut Poll in NY Times
Denver, Colo., (November 9, 2012) – The LaMar’s Donuts Presidential Donut Poll gained international attention recently when The New York Times highlighted the promotion on its opinion page. The infographic that accompanied the story included details and fun facts about the LaMar’s poll. In addition, this year’s poll was covered in Seattle Weekly, and will soon be featured on a popular Japanese national morning television program.
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About LaMar’s Donuts
After developing his original donut recipe as a teenager in 1933, Ray Lamar opened the first LaMar’s Donuts in 1960 in Kansas City, Missouri. Today the franchised chain has 27 stores in Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, Nebraska, Alabama and Arizona. LaMar’s has won numerous awards and favorable reviews by such publications as The New Yorker and Gourmet magazine, and was the first donut to be reviewed and acclaimed by Zagat, the world’s most trusted guide to restaurants. LaMar’s Donuts are proclaimed by many as “simply a better donut.”
The elephant-shaped Mitt Yum-ney donut barely edges out the Dough-Bama in 2012 Presidential Donut Poll
Mitt Yum-ney is Projected Narrow Winner in LaMar’s Presidential Donut Poll
LaMar’s to give gourmet donuts to voters on Election Day in select locations
DENVER, Colo., November 2, 2012 – In a squeaker of a race between two hotly ingested candidates, LaMar’s Donuts is declaring the “Mitt Yum-ney” as the winner of the 2012 Presidential Donut Poll by less than a half-percentage point.
Since September 1, LaMar’s customers have been able to select from two limited-edition gourmet donuts on sale: the “Dough-Bama,” a donkey-shaped donut with blue sugar topping, or the elephant-shaped Mitt Yum-ney donut with red sugar. Sales of the two handmade goodies have been tracked and posted online at www.lamars.com.
As of the end of the polling October 31, the Mitt Yum-ney finishes with 50.2 percent of sales, compared to the Dough-Bama’s 49.8 percent.
Reflecting other polls, the Dough-Bama took an early lead of 3 percentage points in the first announced results, prior to the initial presidential debate. But by mid-October, the Mitt Yum-ney had moved into the lead by a 0.4-percent margin.
“We have a case of donuts imitating life,” said Kayde Pierce, spokesperson for LaMar’s Donuts. “The race has been almost too close to call, although the larger Mitt Yum-ney has proven slightly more popular, especially among voters ages 10 and younger.”
On November 6, LaMar’s Donuts in Colorado; Omaha, Nebraska; and Overland Park, Kansas, will celebrate Election Day 2012 by giving a free donut to each customer wearing an “I Voted” button or sticker.
In the 2008 LaMar’s Donuts Presidential Poll, the Dough-Bama beat out the “McCandy Cain” with 52 percent of sales. As it turned out, then-Senator Obama won the real presidential election with a nearly identical share of the popular vote: 53.7 percent.
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About LaMar’s Donuts
After developing his original donut recipe as a teenager in 1933, Ray Lamar opened the first LaMar’s Donuts in 1960 in Kansas City, Missouri. Today the franchised chain has 27 stores in Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, Nebraska, Alabama and Arizona. LaMar’s has won numerous awards and favorable reviews by such publications as The New Yorker and Gourmet magazine, and was the first donut to be reviewed and acclaimed by Zagat, the world’s most trusted guide to restaurants. LaMar’s Donuts are proclaimed by many as “simply a better donut.”
Donkey-shaped pastry ekes out 3-point margin over the “Mitt Yum-ney” in 2012 presidential donut poll
“Dough-Bama” Takes Lead in Initial Presidential Donut Poll
DENVER, Colo., October 1, 2012 – The blue-sugared, donkey-shaped “Dough-Bama” donut has taken a slim lead over its red-topped “Mitt Yum-ney” rival in the first announced results of the 2012 LaMar’s Presidential Donut Poll.
Sales to date of the Dough-Bama treat – representing President Barack Obama – lead those of the elephant-shaped Mitt Yum-ney – the pastry stand-in for Republican nominee Mitt Romney – by a margin of 51.5 percent to 48.5 percent.
The unscientific poll reflects sales of the two gourmet donuts since September 1 in LaMar’s Donuts in six Midwestern, Western and Southern states.
Coincidentally, current polls in the real presidential race show Obama leading by a range of from 2 to 7 percent.
As election day draws nearer, LaMar’s will track and announce further poll results on its website at www.Lamars.com.
“With a margin this narrow, it’s still an open race,” said Kayde Pierce, spokesperson for LaMar’s Donuts. “As we all know, tastes in politicians and pastries change regularly.”
The donut poll was also close in the 2008 election, when the Dough-Bama garnered 52 percent of sales against the “McCandyCain” donut, standing in for Republican nominee John McCain. Obama won the real election with a nearly identical share of the popular vote: 53.7 percent.
This year, donut-voter turnout and demographics may affect the poll significantly.
“Our locations report that many presidential-donut eaters are under the age of 10,” Pierce said. “Because the Mitt Yum-ney is considerably larger, size may matter more than political philosophy.”
The donuts will be sold through October 31, with sales proceeds benefitting the Colorado and Kansas City chapters of the Alzheimer’s Association.
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About LaMar’s Donuts
After developing his original donut recipe as a teenager in 1933, Ray Lamar opened the first LaMar’s Donuts in 1960 in Kansas City, Missouri. Today the franchised chain has 27 stores in Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, Nebraska, Alabama and Arizona. LaMar’s has won acclaim by publications such as The New Yorker, Gourmet magazine, and Zagat, the world’s most trusted guide to restaurants. LaMar’s Donuts are proclaimed by many as “simply a better donut.”
LaMar’s Donuts to gauge candidates’ popularity with sales of “Dough-Bama” and “Mitt Yum-ney” treats
[Read Press Release]
LaMar’s Donates to Colorado Wildfire Relief Efforts-LaMar’s Donuts is supporting relief efforts in the battle against Colorado’s Waldo Canyon and High Park wildfires [Read Press Release]
LaMar’s Donuts Brings Back the Pumpkin Spice Trio - Beginning October 1st, the Pumpkin Spice Donut and Latte will be available. Click here to see our full page ad.
For a Limited Time, LaMar’s Donuts Introduces the LaMar’s Donut Duo - Each visitor to receive a free LaMar’s Cold / Hot Cup with the purchase of the LaMar’s Donut Duo. Click here to see our full page ad.