Winchell’s Donut House

Winchell’s Donut House is a regional bakery-café chain known for donuts, baked goods, and coffee, with a long-established presence in Southern California and a footprint that extends into several Western states and select international locations. As of May 2024, the brand operates more than 170 locations across six U.S. states, including California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, along with units in Guam and Saipan. Stores typically function as neighborhood donut shops that serve made-daily donuts and pastries, along with sandwiches and beverages that support breakfast, daytime snacking, and all-day traffic.

The company’s story began in 1948, when founder Verne Winchell opened the first Winchell’s Donut House in Temple City, California. The concept struck a chord with consumers, and the chain expanded rapidly across the Western United States through the 1960s and 1970s, becoming one of the country’s largest donut operators. A notable turning point came in 1998, when Colorado-based Wenco Food Systems, then the largest Winchell’s franchisee, acquired the Winchell’s chain. In 2004, Yum Yum Donut Shops, through a related ownership structure, acquired the Winchell’s operating company. Since then, Winchell’s and Yum Yum have been managed together under common ownership while continuing to operate as distinct brands in the eyes of customers.

Today, Winchell’s operates as a familiar, value-focused neighborhood donut and coffee shop that fits naturally into everyday retail environments. The concept appears in inline strip centers, small freestanding pads, and other convenience-oriented locations that benefit from strong morning and daytime traffic. Many units run extended or 24-hour schedules, which allows them to capture commuter business, workforce visits, and late-night demand. The chain overlaps with national coffee and donut competitors but remains rooted in its West Coast heritage, with a base of loyal repeat customers built over decades.

Over roughly the last five years, Winchell’s has focused on maintaining and refreshing its core base of more than 170 locations while working through franchisees and licensees such as Wenco Foods to support ongoing development. The brand’s growth has emphasized infill and replacement stores in existing Western markets rather than aggressive moves into new regions. That approach has kept expansion measured and targeted, concentrating on trade areas where the concept is already known and where all-day donut and coffee traffic can support neighborhood centers and commuter corridors. Internationally, the company continues to back licensed operations in Guam, Saipan, and select Asian markets under related brand structures, reinforcing its presence outside the continental U.S.

For landlords, brokers, and developers, Winchell’s offers a recognizable legacy banner, a simple operating model, and an all-day use that can keep parking lots active beyond the traditional breakfast rush. The chain’s preference for visible, easy-in/easy-out sites along commuter routes and within neighborhood and convenience-oriented centers makes it a practical, repeat-traffic tenant in Western markets. Looking ahead, Winchell’s is expected to continue a steady program of infill and replacement locations, using its franchise network to selectively add units while preserving a primarily Western footprint.