Be the office hero: Krispy Kreme doughnuts cost $1 for a dozen Friday

If you're looking for an inexpensive way to ingratiate yourself to coworkers Friday, look no further than Krispy Kreme.

When you purchase a dozen regular-priced doughnuts on July 27, you can also get one dozen classic Original Glazed doughnuts for a dollar. In celebration of the popular North Carolina-based chain's 81st birthday, the deal joins another limited-time offer: Glazed Confetti Doughnuts, available from July 27-Aug. 2. 

"This festive doughnut features a vanilla birthday cake-inspired dough with confetti sprinkles throughout, glazed in classic Original Glaze, and lightly topped with colorful sprinkles," according to a statement.

The first Krispy Kreme opened in Winston-Salem on (Friday!) July 13, 1937.

It quickly developed a cult following among locals based on what the Duke Chronicle calls "doughnut theater." In the 1950s, founder Vernon Rudolph began installing glass panes through which customers could watch their breakfast parade with pomp along a conveyor belt.

These days, fans across the country look out for the famous "hot now" neon sign, which signifies a warm, melt-in-your-mouth experience. (Despite prevalent rumor, simply showing up when the sign is lit doesn't mean you get a free doughnut; Delish debunked that belief in 2017.)

You can even download the company's Hot Light app, which alerts you when a nearby shop pulls a piping hot batch out of the oven. It's a daily occurrence that some -- namely Southern Living -- claim is worth a special trip. In fact, that magazine cheekily (we think...) suggests planning an entire tour of the South around it.

Like other chains with national mystique, Krispy Kreme attracted long lines when it first arrived in North Texas in April 1999.

Customers camped out overnight in Arlington to be the first to try the "light and airy" treats that "just dissolve" upon a bite, and that first D-FW location sold 800 dozen doughnuts in its first two hours, the Arlington Morning News reported.

Despite that early enthusiasm, the chain's rapid expansion across North Texas was followed by a succession of store closings, which mirrored a national "slim down" during Krispy Kreme's tenure as a publicly held company from 2000-2016. Private German firm JAB Holdings purchased the company in 2016.

There are currently 10 locations in D-FW. Find one near you.

H/t: WFAA

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