Winchell's Donut House is an international doughnut company and coffeehouse chain founded by Verne Winchell in 1948, in Temple City, California. In 1999, when the company was owned by Canadian company Shato Holdings, there were 293 Winchell's locations in the Western United States; by 2004, when it was bought by competing chain Yum Yum Donut Shops, Inc., the chain had been reduced to nearly 200 locations; by 2025, this had been further reduced to Winchell's 100 locations in six states, plus locations in Guam and Saipan. In the past, there have also been franchise locations in Japan, Korea, New Zealand and Saudi Arabia, though information on these operations needs to be updated as of October 2025.
History
Verne Winchell founded the company on October 8, 1948, in Temple City, California.[1]
In 1999, then owned by Canadian company Shato Holdings, there were 293 Winchell's locations in the United States.[1] That same year, in response to the arrival of Krispy Kreme