An apple fritter is a very specific type of donut, made a very specific way. I really enjoy them. (Even more so, I enjoy the peach versions that my local donut shop makes.)

Sometimes I don’t want to make my breakfast at home on a work day, so I’ll put in an order with Dunkin, because it’s on the way to the office. I’ll order a bagel sandwich (for the protein) and an apple fritter (for my midmorning snack). The app clearly shows an apple fritter. 

But that’s not what I get. 

It doesn’t matter if it’s the Dunkin closer to my house or the one closer to the office; neither one seems to know what an apple fritter is anymore. Most often I get a very large apple-and-cinnamon-filled yeasted donut. It still tastes great, but it’s not what I specifically asked for. 

I was recently in Ohio and stopped at a Dunkin; when I ordered the apple fritter, they said on the speaker (I didn’t preorder) they didn’t carry those. Okay, fine; I ordered something else. And, honestly, if the app showed an apple-filled donut instead of an apple fritter, I’d probably still order it. But if you’re going to let me purchase an apple fritter, that’s what I want. That’s what I’m expecting. That’s what you should give me. 

When I order subs from Publix, if they’re out of something, they’ll call me to check on substitutions. I’m not saying that’s what Dunkin has to do — and they probably wouldn’t, to be honest — but there should be some sort of mechanism for stores to change what donuts are available so people like me don’t order apple fritters and get disappointed. 

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going back to eating my apple-and-cinnamon-filled donut that is most definitely not an apple fritter.