Those who run on Dunkin may have been unable to purchase one of the brand’s iconic donuts this week after a mysterious ‘manufacturing error’ left shelves empty.
Dunkin’ stores in Omaha, Lincoln and Grand Island, Nebraska, and areas near Albuquerque, New Mexico, were fresh out of donuts on Thursday and Friday.
Signs on store doors and drive-thru kiosks informed customers that the pastries were unavailable ‘due to a manufacturing error.’
At least one store in Albuquerque credited the mysterious disappearance of the breakfast staple to a ‘nationwide recall on all donuts,’ according to The Albuquerque Journal.
However, several locations in other regions, including St. Joseph, Missouri, and Boston – where Dunkin’ has a near cult-like following – still had the sweet treats available, according to AP.
Some affected locations did offer ‘Munchkins,’ or donut holes, in lieu of donuts on Friday.
The DailyMail.com has reached out to Dunkin’ for comment.
In response to the absence of the pastry, several Dunkin’ enthusiasts were upset and curious why the shelves were bare.
‘What? No doughnuts!’ Tyler Raikar, of Ohama, exclaimed when she arrived at her Dunkin store early on Friday after an overnight shift as a phlebotomist.
Raikar was seeking a coffee and a chocolate cake donut, only to be left disappointed she didn’t get her little morning treat.
‘That’s tragic,’ she told AP. ‘Hopefully, they have them soon.’
The Albuquerque Police Department jokingly told The Journal that they nearly canceled the chief’s monthly meeting due to the shortage.
‘Fortunately, we averted tragedy when Roma Bakery came through with breakfast burritos,’ APD spokesman Gilbert Gallegos told The Journal.
Some Albuquerque-area employees chalked it up to a supply chain issue and others said simply that delivery trucks had been arriving without the delicious cargo.
Employees said they hoped stocks would be replenished by next week.
Jack D’Amato, a spokesperson for Inspire Brands – Dunkin’s parent company – said there was an issue with donuts from a single supplier that impacted stores in Nebraska and some other states.
About four percent of Dunkin’s US stores were impacted by the issue.
D’Amato said the company was still looking into what the issue was and exactly how many stores were affected. But he said the company has already begun restocking some affected stores.
Bryce Bares, who owns several Dunkin franchises in Nebraska, told The Omaha World-Herald that some Dunkin’ stores received products from suppliers that were not up to standard and that he would not serve them to customers.
He told the newspaper that the supply partners had corrected the problem and that his Nebraska locations should be offering donuts again soon.