In honor of National Donut Day, we are getting the story behind one of the sweetest jobs here at Dunkin’. Rick Golden is the Manager of Donut Excellence and for the past forty years, he has been dedicated to baking, creating, innovating, and finishing the perfect donut.

We sat down with Rick to get an inside look at his job, and how a donut goes from just an idea to thousands of Dunkin’ Donuts locations across the country.
How did you get your start at Dunkin’?
My career began at the original Dunkin’ Donuts location in Quincy MA, where I worked as a baker. Over the last forty years, I’ve worked as a store manager, a research and development technologist, an operations manager, and now, the Manager of Donut Excellence.
What does this magical job entail?
I have the best job in the world, where I get to develop new donuts every day. That means everything from creating different donut fillings and flavors, trying out fun donut toppings, and experimenting with new innovations such as the Croissant Donut.
How does a donut go from an idea to thousands of Dunkin’ Donuts locations?
It usually takes 18 months to create a new donut, and it all starts with our guests. We listen to consumer feedback, look at trends and research and go out into the marketplace ourselves to see what our guests like and want next. Our team of chefs, food scientists and bakers experiment with hundreds of different donut flavor profiles and builds in the Dunkin’ Test Kitchen. The best ideas are often tested in focus groups or market tests, before being rolled out to our thousands of Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants nationwide.
What is the best part of your job?
The best part of my job is seeing how much happiness our donuts bring to people. Throughout the donut innovation process, my goal is to capture exactly what our consumers are looking for. It’s really gratifying to see our guests enjoying my donut creations and we are able to bond over the mutual passion for the brand.
How will you be celebrating National Donut Day?
I’ll be decorating and enjoying donuts all day, of course!
You can join in on the celebration at Dunkin’ Donuts nationwide! Stop by and grab a free classic donut of your choice with the purchase of any beverage.
How are you celebrating National Donut Day with Dunkin’? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!
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Photo Credit- @cheatdayeats