After learning about Top Pot Doughnuts’ availability in QFC grocery stores (see our previous review of Top Pot Doughnuts), we had to go check it out! Despite our love of doughnuts, we rarely purchase grocery store doughnuts which were an exciting treat when we were children, but since have been haunted by memories of mysteriously damp and flaccid doughnuts. How will Top Pot Doughnuts at QFC fare? Will we finally be rid of our dread of grocery store doughnuts?

We found ourselves at the Wallingford QFC at night; already not a great time for fresh doughnuts. The mostly barren bakery case only had older doughnuts and prepackaged cookies. Typically a dozen of these doughnuts at QFC costs $10.99 which is lower than at Top Pot Doughnut stores which cost $19.99-$21.99 depending on location and how you order. At least our dozen QFC’s Top Pot doughnuts were half price and will fulfill our hankering for doughnuts at a fraction of typical Top Pot prices! We’re not sure we have ever gotten a dozen full-sized doughnuts for $5.49 since beginning our race to find the best doughnuts.

The doughnuts indeed were reminiscent of Top Pot Doughnuts, but not as fresh or as crisp on the outside. How much of this was due to the time of day we bought these versus quality differences between Top Pot and QFC? One cream-filled doughnut in particular was squished (pictured below) but the others were intact and tasty.

Another trip to QFC, this time in the Northgate neighborhood, the doughnut case was prominently emblazoned with the Top Pot logo. No ghost brands here!

Regardless, these were the best grocery store donuts we have tried so far which is not stiff competition in our books. It’s worth the price if you’re craving doughnuts in a pinch. QFC’s are open for longer than Top Pot Doughnuts outposts. However, would our opinion change with a fresher dozen donuts from QFC?