The Unique Dunkin' Donut Flavors You Can Only Get In China
While America may run on Dunkin', Dunkin' themselves are running all over the globe. According to the company website, Dunkin' currently has locations in 36 different countries worldwide — about 3,200 international locations in all.
Of course, Dunkin' does not offer the same menu in each and every location. Like any global concern, the donut chain tailors their offerings to their local clientele, and many of their international offerings seem pretty exotic to those of us back in Dunkin's ancestral homeland. Among these unfamiliar offerings are a few delightful-sounding donuts we only wish Dunkin' would introduce to the U.S. — the chocolate-orange King's Day Munchkins available in the Netherlands, the pistachio-iced donut from Peru, the date syrup donuts you can get in the UAE, and the pandan-flavored Emerald Custard donut on the menu in Thailand. Some of the donuts on the menu at Dunkin's Beijing location, however, may not be quite ready to make their stateside debut.
Dunkin's China-specific flavors may not have universal appeal
As Boston Magazine tells it, Dunkin' tried to establish a foothold in China twice before, in 1994 and 2008. Neither launch was successful, and they speculate that this may have been because the chain failed to realize that most Chinese people prefer savory, rather than sweet, breakfast foods. The third time appears to have been the charm, however, as they finally realigned their donut menu to better fit with local preferences.
The Beijinger blog did a taste test with both Chinese and non-Chinese tasters of all of the donuts offered on Dunkin's Chinese menu. The top donut with Chinese participants wound up at the bottom of the list for the non-Chinese: the very polarizing pork floss donut. What is pork floss? Boston Magazine describes it as kind of like salty, porky cotton candy. (They also mention a seaweed-topped donut, but this was apparently not on the menu when the taste test took place.) The pork floss donut is not at all sweet, nor are several other donuts on the menu ,such as the Peanut Crunch and the Milk Cream despite their similarity to nut-topped and cream-filled (and much more sugary) donuts on the U.S. menu. If you're visiting China and looking for a taste of home, it seems the glazed may be your best bet. While this donut wasn't too popular with Chinese tasters, it seems to be one of the few menu items that's sweet enough for western palates.