Good things come to those who wait – and one customer who camped overnight ahead of the opening of Northern Ireland’s first Krispy Kreme store was rewarded in style.
Francis Downey from Belfast waited 14 hours for the shop to open — and bagged a year’s supply of free doughnuts.
The US pastry branch opened its first local outlet in Victoria Square, with Ulster Rugby players Tom Stewart and Stewart Moore cutting the ribbon.
WATCH: Krispy Kreme arrives in Belfast
Hundreds were in the queue first thing yesterday morning for mouthwatering milkshakes, coffee and most importantly, doughnuts.
But Mr Downey went the extra mile, queuing from 6pm on Tuesday until the store opened the following morning.
For his efforts, he received a year’s supply of pastries in the form of a choose your own dozen box every month, worth £240 overall.
The next 50 customers also received limited-edition Krispy Kreme merch.
The Victoria Square outlet is the 14th branch to open on the island of Ireland, but first in Northern Ireland.
Sean McMullan, manager of the Belfast branch, said they made around 500 sales before lunchtime.
“I’m really excited about it. It has been a really busy morning,” he said.
“There have been lots of people, I’m feeling really good about it, very positive. It’s brilliant.
“From 6pm yesterday we had our first in the line customer. He camped out overnight and was first in the queue this morning. There was someone else who joined him at about 9pm last night.
“When I arrived this morning, the queue was all the way down in the mall and the shopping centre as well.
“There have probably been about 400 or 500 customers, probably more. I have been so busy I actually haven’t been able to keep track.
“Because we opened on a Wednesday too, we have got a lot of people who are trying to get it before school and during lunch time and everything. It has been steady the whole.”
While there are no solid plans to open another branch, Declan Foley, the country manager for the company, says it is a possibility.
“This is shop number 14, there are 13 shops down in the south, but this is shop number 14 on the island,” he said.
“There will be plans to open more, we don’t have any specific detail on that just yet. But once we do, we will certainly let the public know.
“Just for this store here, there will be 14 jobs in terms of retail and logistics, so we are very excited to do that as well.”
Also there with Krispy Kreme coffee in hand was west Belfast comedian Paddy McDonnell. He urged eager customers to tell their best doughnut joke, while encouraging passers-by to try out the tasty treats.
“I love doughnuts — I think you can tell looking at me. I’m going for the Santa Claus look this year,” Paddy laughed.
“It hasn’t been a big year for having the body as a temple. But I love a doughnut, since coming back from America it’s something you would have in the morning.
“My kids love them. I haven’t had Krispy Kremes in Belfast, obviously their shop just opened today. But I would be across the water to Scotland and England and the first thing I do getting on the plane is buy these to bring them home to my kids.
“It’s good craic for me to be here, I get to engage with all of the people standing in the queue. They asked me to be a part of that as a Belfast man, its great.”
Among the excited customers was Joanne Delaney.
She said: “I’m going to go in there and get a big box — I definitely will be coming back.”
The first Irish Krispy Kreme store opened in Dublin in September 2018.
The company is a household name in the USA with 351 shops.