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Doughnuts: The little-known food of pirates

September 14, 2016

Mark your calendars, mateys — Monday is International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Naturally, that means doughnuts, right?  

Krispy Kreme apparently thinks so. The doughnut chain is again celebrating Talk Like a Pirate Day by giving a free treasure chest (OK, box) filled with a dozen glazed doughtnuts to every customer who comes to a Krispy Kreme outlet Monday dressed in full pirate regalia (that is, wearing at least three "pirate-related" items). Simply talking like a pirate (minus the regalia) earns the customer a free glazed doughnut, according to a press release about the campaign.

Krispy Kreme is also using the promotion to attract users for its technology and social media initiatives. Guests who use the Krispy Kreme Snapchat pirate filter to digitally ‘dress’ like a pirate and present their Snapchat image on Monday at a Krispy Kreme can also claim a dozen glazed doughnuts for free. 

"Talk Like a Pirate Day has become one of our guests favorite days of the year, and this year they will have the opportunity to take part in this day socially using our Snapchat filter," said Krispy Kreme Chief Marketing Officer Jackie Woodward. "As this day is all about fun, we see it as a natural extension of our offers to get free original glazed doughnuts."

The release said that this is the brand’s first national promotional push to include a social media component. The chain is also using the campaign to prompt the purchase of a pair of “pirate doughnuts,” available now. One doughnut in the pair features a pirate face and the other a skull-and-crossbones with chocolate and white icing and a piece of skull-shaped candy.