The Most Popular Bakery in America, Ranked

Choose the bakery you think is the most popular!

Author: Gregor Krambs
Updated on May 6, 2024 06:29
Choosing the right bakery can be a delightful challenge, as every city boasts its own unique selection of pastry shops and artisanal bakers. The diversity and quality vary widely, making it helpful to have a community-curated guide to the top spots according to avid bakery-goers. Such a ranking not only simplifies the decision for newcomers and locals but also shines a spotlight on exceptional craftsmen. On this site, fans of flaky pastries, rustic breads, and gourmet confections contribute their opinions and experiences to create a dynamic list of the best bakeries across the country. Users like you have the power to vote and influence the rankings, ensuring that the list always reflects the current public preference. This collective input makes the ranking a reliable resource for discovering top-tier baked goods wherever you are.

What Is the Most Popular Bakery in America?

  1. 1
    74
    votes
    Panera Bread
    Miosotis Jade · CC BY-SA 4.0
    With over 2,100 locations in the United States, Panera Bread is one of the most popular bakery chains in the country. Known for its fresh bread, baked goods, and sandwiches, Panera Bread has become a go-to spot for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
    Panera Bread is a popular bakery-cafe chain in America that focuses on providing freshly baked goods, sandwiches, soups, salads, and coffee in a warm and inviting atmosphere. With an emphasis on high-quality ingredients and healthy options, Panera Bread has gained a reputation for its artisan bread, delicious pastries, and comforting food offerings.
    • Locations: Over 2,000 locations across the United States.
    • Menu Variety: Offers a diverse menu including sandwiches, salads, soups, bakery items, breakfast options, and coffee beverages.
    • Fresh Ingredients: Uses high-quality, fresh ingredients in their menu items.
    • Bakery Expertise: Known for their artisan bread, bagels, croissants, and pastries.
    • Healthy Options: Provides a range of healthy choices with transparent nutritional information.
    Panera Bread in other rankings
  2. 2
    38
    votes
    Dunkin' Donuts
    Michael Rivera · CC BY-SA 4.0

    Dunkin' Donuts

    William Rosenberg
    With over 9,000 locations in the United States, Dunkin' Donuts is one of the most recognizable bakery chains in the country. Famous for its donuts, coffee, and breakfast sandwiches, Dunkin' Donuts has been a staple in American culture since 1950.
    Dunkin' Donuts is a popular drive-thru restaurant chain that specializes in serving coffee and baked goods. With over 11,000 locations worldwide, it has become a household name for many coffee and donut enthusiasts. The menu includes a variety of donut flavors, bagels, muffins, sandwiches, and an extensive selection of hot and cold beverages.
    • Founded: 1950
    • Headquarters: Canton, Massachusetts, USA
    • Number of locations: 11,000+
    • Signature product: Original Blend coffee
    • Menu items: Donuts, bagels, muffins, sandwiches, coffee, tea, and more
    Dunkin' Donuts in other rankings
  3. 3
    28
    votes
    Known for its cinnamon rolls, Cinnabon has become a popular bakery chain with over 1,200 locations worldwide. The company is also famous for its coffee, beverages, and baked goods.
    Cinnabon is a popular bakery chain in America known for its signature cinnamon rolls. These sweet, warm pastries are typically topped with rich cream cheese frosting, making them a mouthwatering treat for cinnamon lovers.
    • First Store Opening: 1985
    • Number of Locations: over 1,200
    • Roll Size: Classic: 880-1,120 calories
    • Cinnamon Roll Ingredients: cinnamon, brown sugar, margarine
    • Frosting Ingredients: cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla
  4. 4
    14
    votes
    Au Bon Pain
    Lyo at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0

    Au Bon Pain

    Louis Kane
    Founded in 1978, Au Bon Pain has become a popular bakery chain with over 300 locations worldwide. The company is known for its fresh bread, sandwiches, and baked goods.
    Au Bon Pain is a popular bakery and cafe chain in America, known for its freshly baked bread and pastries, as well as a selection of sandwiches, salads, and soups. With a warm and inviting atmosphere, Au Bon Pain is a favorite spot for breakfast, lunch, or a quick snack.
    • Year Founded: 1978
    • Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts
    • Number of Locations: over 200
    • Types of Products: bread, pastries, sandwiches, salads, soups
    • Freshness Guarantee: Freshly baked goods daily
    Au Bon Pain in other rankings
  5. 5
    20
    votes
    The Cheesecake Factory
    TriviaKing (talk)DWS · CC BY-SA 3.0

    The Cheesecake Factory

    David M. Overton
    Known for its delicious cheesecakes, The Cheesecake Factory has become a popular bakery chain with over 200 locations worldwide. The company also serves a variety of other baked goods, desserts, and entrees.
    The Cheesecake Factory is a popular American restaurant chain known for its extensive menu and wide variety of cheesecakes. It provides a lively and upscale dining experience, offering a combination of delicious food, generous portions, and a comfortable atmosphere.
    • Year Established: 1978
    • Headquarters: Calabasas Hills, California, United States
    • Number of Locations: 220+
    • Cuisine: American, International
    • Menu Size: 250+ dishes
    The Cheesecake Factory in other rankings
  6. 6
    14
    votes
    Krispy Kreme
    Chensiyuan · CC BY-SA 3.0

    Krispy Kreme

    Vernon Rudolph
    With over 350 locations worldwide, Krispy Kreme is known for its hot, fresh doughnuts. The company also serves coffee, baked goods, and other sweet treats.
    Krispy Kreme is a well-known American bakery chain that specializes in doughnuts. It is famous for its signature Original Glazed doughnut, which is a light and fluffy yeast-raised doughnut coated in a sweet glaze. Krispy Kreme has a cult-like following and is highly regarded for its fresh and delicious doughnuts.
    • Year Established: 1937
    • Headquarters: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
    • Number of Locations: Over 1,000 worldwide
    • Signature Product: Original Glazed doughnut
    • Menu Variety: Wide selection of doughnuts, including filled, cake, and specialty options
    Krispy Kreme in other rankings
  7. 7
    10
    votes
    Known for its ice cream cakes, Baskin-Robbins has become a popular bakery chain with over 8,000 locations worldwide. The company also serves a variety of other baked goods and desserts.
    Baskin-Robbins is an iconic American ice cream brand known for its wide variety of flavors and innovative creations. It was founded by a collaboration between Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins in 1945, and has since become one of the world's largest chains of ice cream specialty shops.
    • Number of flavors: Over 1,000
    • Signature flavor: Mint Chocolate Chip
    • Variety of frozen treats: Ice cream, frozen yogurt, sorbet, and sherbet
    • 31 Flavors concept: Offering a different ice cream flavor for each day of the month
    • Customized ice cream cakes: Available for special occasions
  8. 8
    3
    votes
    Tim Hortons
    Marek Åšlusarczyk (Tupungato) www.wyprawa.info · CC BY 2.5

    Tim Hortons

    Tim Horton and Ron Joyce
    With over 4,800 locations worldwide, Tim Hortons is a popular bakery and coffee chain in Canada and the United States. The company is known for its coffee, doughnuts, and baked goods.
    Tim Hortons is a renowned Canadian fast-food restaurant chain famous for its coffee and doughnuts. It has become an iconic staple of Canadian culture and has expanded globally.
    • Founded: 1964
    • Headquarters: Toronto, Canada
    • Number of Locations: over 4,800
    • Product Range: Coffee, doughnuts, baked goods, breakfast items, lunch options, and more
    • Drive-thru Availability: Available at most locations
    Tim Hortons in other rankings
  9. 9
    17
    votes
    Founded in 1976, Great Harvest Bread Co. has become a popular bakery chain with over 200 locations in the United States. The company is known for its fresh bread, sandwiches, and baked goods, all made from scratch daily.
    Great Harvest Bread Co. is a renowned bakery chain in America known for its delicious and freshly baked bread. The company was founded in 1976 by Pete Wakeman in Great Falls, Montana. Here are ten important specifications about Great Harvest Bread Co.:
    • Variety: Offers a wide variety of bread including classic whole wheat, honey whole wheat, cinnamon chip, High 5 fiber, and many more.
    • Freshly ground grains: Uses freshly ground grains to create wholesome and flavorful bread.
    • Made from scratch: Bakes bread from scratch, without using any preservatives or additives.
    • Local ingredients: Sources local ingredients whenever possible to support local farmers and provide the best quality.
    • Daily baking: Bakes bread every day to ensure customers get the freshest products.
  10. 10
    3
    votes

    Sprinkles Cupcakes

    Candace Nelson
    Founded in 2005, Sprinkles Cupcakes has become a popular bakery chain with locations across the United States. The company is known for its delicious cupcakes, cookies, ice cream, and other sweet treats.
    Sprinkles Cupcakes is a popular bakery chain in America known for its gourmet cupcakes. With its modern and elegant atmosphere, it offers a delightful experience for cupcake enthusiasts. Each cupcake is handcrafted with the finest ingredients and decorated with a signature dot on top, representing its brand identity. The bakery constantly introduces new flavors and designs to keep up with the latest trends in the cupcake world.
    • Year Founded: 2005
    • Headquarters: Beverly Hills, California
    • Number of Locations: 25+
    • First Cupcake ATM: Launched in 2012
    • Vegan and Gluten-Free Options: Available

Missing your favorite bakery?

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Discussion

Ranking factors for popular bakery

  1. Sales and revenue figures
    The overall sales and revenue generated by the bakery is an important factor to determine its popularity.
  2. Number of locations
    A bakery with more locations or franchises implies that it is widely popular across different regions in the country.
  3. Customer reviews and ratings
    High ratings and positive reviews from customers on websites such as Yelp and Google indicate customer satisfaction and serve as a measure of a bakery's popularity.
  4. Quality of products
    The quality and variety of baked goods and their consistency over time is a significant factor in determining how popular a bakery is.
  5. Social media presence and engagement
    A popular bakery is likely to have a strong social media presence with a large number of followers, likes, and shares, and a high level of engagement on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
  6. Awards and recognition
    If a bakery has received awards or been recognized by respected publications or lists, such as prestigious bakery competitions, this indicates its popularity.
  7. Brand reputation and visibility
    The level of public awareness and recognition of the bakery's brand, as well as its history and expertise in the industry, contribute to its popularity.
  8. Pricing
    Competitive pricing can impact the appeal of a bakery to a wider audience, thus influencing its popularity.
  9. Customer service
    An inviting atmosphere and friendly staff can make a bakery stand out and attract more customers.
  10. Unique offerings and innovation
    A bakery that continually offers new, inventive, or seasonal products can draw in customers and keep them coming back, boosting its popularity.

About this ranking

This is a community-based ranking of the most popular bakery in America. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or Bakery is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!

Statistics

  • 2073 views
  • 220 votes
  • 10 ranked items

Voting Rules

A participant may cast an up or down vote for each Bakery once every 24 hours. The rank of each Bakery is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.

More information on most popular bakery in america

Bakeries have been a staple of American culture for generations, providing freshly baked goods to satisfy our sweet tooth cravings. From classic donuts and croissants to artisanal bread and pastries, there's something for everyone at the local bakery. With so many options to choose from, it's no wonder that people often debate which bakery is the best. At StrawPoll, we've asked thousands of Americans to weigh in on the matter and the results are in! So, what is the most popular bakery in America? Let's dive in and find out!

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