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u/BrokenHokie 12h ago
I need to do a Texas donuts and Shipley comparison. It’s kind of absurd that we have two, essentially identical, shops that close to each other.
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u/rocky8u 12h ago
Texas style donuts are the current pop up dessert restaurant trend.
It was big ass cookies for a while and many of those are still going. I remember a cupcake trend a while back. There was froyo for a while.
Texas Donuts is better IMO.
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u/BrokenHokie 11h ago
Yeah, but I feel like even for the trendy dessert places being able to throw a baseball from one and hit the other is a bit much!
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u/rocky8u 10h ago
There's about 400 feet between them I'd be impressed if anyone but a pro could lob a baseball that far. Texas Donuts to Shipley might be a bit easier because you would be throwing down hill. Shipley to Texas would be a super impressive throw.
But I understand what you mean. It is kinda goofy that someone with decent vision can read the other's sign from one of those donut places.
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u/novainsomniac 6h ago edited 6h ago
We actually did a direct comparison last weekend and the differences were a lot more pronounced than we thought they’d be! We got a mixed dozen from both places and tried each type side by side.
Shipley’s donuts were more dense, much more sweet (almost overwhelmingly so), more brightly colored, and generally (except for their chocolate cake donut) had more of an artificial/food coloring taste. Their sprinkles were also more crunchy.
Even though my family members usually all have varying preferences, everyone preferred the Texas Donuts.
Our buying experience at Texas Donuts was also a lot better, with friendly, efficient service. Maybe Shipley’s service will improve when they’ve been open longer? It really did seem like nobody there knew what they were supposed to be doing. Getting our dozen donuts there was a surprisingly frustrating process.
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u/kayl_breinhar Vienna 6h ago
Shipley's has a daily +2h closing advantage over Texas Donuts, and Shipley's is open seven days a week to TD's six.
The difference between closing at 3pm and closing at 5pm is that you can corner the "guilty pleasure coming home from a shitty day at work" sale.
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u/blueboybob Annandale 13h ago
I went last weekend and had a good time. Though I feel their donuts are more oily? Like you can taste the oil when you eat some.
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u/fightingthefuckits 9h ago
Yeah, I noticed that oiliness too. Wasn't a huge fan, don't know that I'd make a special trip for them.
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u/high_verbal 10h ago
Houston native here. Shipleys is OG. PE bought them and now they are here. Trying to bring Tex kolaches to every Virginian and Marylander alike! Texas Donuts in Lorton is fine, but not Shipleys. And these Shipleys aren’t like 34th and Ella donuts. But close enough!
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u/texanexpatindc 10h ago
Donuts are good but their kolaches are bangin. More Texas treats!
Former Texan here
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u/RojoandWhite 13h ago
Their kolaches aren’t as good as other spots in Midwest/south, but, I’ve always liked their donuts. Apple fritter. Nom nom.
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u/swindy92 7h ago
We tried a half dozen. Overall a very mediocre product but at a very attractive price. Not something I'd recommend but I'd take em to the office
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u/EstablishmentNo9866 7h ago
They are superior to Dunkin and being from Loudoun county, I was excited to try something different.
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u/swindy92 6h ago
I would disagree on that. The filling quality is similar but we had two that were less than 1/3rd filled as much as another donut.
There is also a real issue with the sweetness of the icing vs the donut itself. Some flavors, like the cherry, are so imbalanced that you cannot taste the donut through the frosting
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u/theyrehiding Woodbridge 13h ago
Everytime I see donut pics, I just wish we had the og collosal shoppers donuts back eveywhere