Randy's Donuts shops coming to San Diego

Randy’s Donuts shops coming to San Diego

The original Randy’s Donuts shop in Los Angeles. A San Diego entrepreneur plans to open as many as 10 Randy’s outlets locally beginning in January 2023.

(Courtesy of Randy’s Donuts)

Randy’s Donuts, the Los Angeles-based chain known for the gigantic doughnut sculpture on its shop rooftops, will expand into San Diego next year with the first of 10 locations owned by San Diego restaurateur Emilio Tamez.

By Pam Kragen

Nov. 21, 2022 2:01 PM PT

Randy’s Donuts, the Los Angeles-based chain known for the gigantic doughnut sculpture on its shop rooftops, will expand into San Diego next year with the first of 10 locations owned by San Diego restaurateur Emilio Tamez.

The first location will open around January at 3425 Murphy Canyon Road in Serra Mesa. As in Los Angeles, not every location will have a big doughnut on its roof.

Founded in 1952 at 805 W. Manchester Blvd. in Inglewood, Randy’s Donuts has 21 locations in Los Angeles, Orange, Kern and Riverside counties, as well as a 24-hour drive-thru shop in Las Vegas. Randy’s Donuts owner Mark Kelegian, who purchased the company in 2015, announced plans in 2019 to begin selling franchise rights nationwide.

Although Randy’s is best known for its shops’ appearances in numerous films, TV shows and music videos, its menu features more than 60 moderately priced, never-frozen classic and contemporary doughnut varieties. Raised, cake and filled options share the menu with premium varieties with toppings that include matcha tea, Nutella spread, churros, bacon and breakfast cereals. Visit randysdonuts.com.

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Pam Kragen

Pam Kragen is the arts and entertainment editor, as well as the chief theater, dining and opera critic, for the San Diego Union-Tribune. She joined the Union-Tribune staff in October 2012 after 27 years at the North County Times, where she served as the Arts & Features Editor, as well as the paper’s longtime arts writer and theater and opera critic. She is the co-founder of the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in journalism from San Diego State University and completed fellowships in theater criticism at the University of Southern California and opera-classical music criticism at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. And in 2022, she was chosen as one of the fellows in the prestigious National Critics Institute, run by the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in Waterf, Conn.