The Cop and The Donut Stereotype

The Cop and The Donut Stereotype

We’ve all been exposed to it. Whether you’ve seen it on TV or just heard it from your friends, cops love donuts.

You probably can’t name a single other profession that is associated with a specific food, unless they work with that food. So where did this popular rumor of cops’ obsession with donuts come from?

Where It All Began

As you likely know, there are cops working at every hour of the day; there is never a time when cops are not out looking to help people and stop crime.

Working such late shifts and weird hours doesn’t leave many options for the cops to eat.

Cops originally started becoming associated with donuts around this time in the 1950’s because they were one of the only restaurants open during their late shifts, or while they were preparing for a morning rush.

The delicious and convenient sweet treats were usually the favorite alternative to packing their own lunch. With little other options, a donut shop provided police officers a place to get a quick and tasty bite to eat, fill out paperwork, take calls, or take a break. If the officer was needed and called on duty it was quick to exit the donut shop and take the food on-the-go, whereas a late night diner would hold the officer up while he waits to pay his bill.

The Relationship

Donut shops and police officers began to build strong relationships.

Not only were these police officers providing great business for the donut shops, but they were also providing a sense of security. Working late night shifts can leave yourself vulnerable to late night shenanigans and mischief, so having police officers constantly in and out of shop can take those worries and fears away.

Some donut shops and other donut serving locations became so attached to the idea of having the police officers in their establishment that they offered the police officers free coffee and donuts.

Though this is a nice gesture, police departments had to step in and stop the tokens of appreciation because it undermines the police officers’ roles as impartial law enforcement. Police officers should at no point have favoritism or bias towards any person or business, they act under the assumption that justice is justice, and laws are laws.

Cops Today

Nowadays there are many fast food restaurants open throughout the night, but that doesn’t mean that donut shops are not still a hotspot for police officers and other late nighters.

Whether you’re studying, preparing for and getting an early start on your morning, or just prefer being out at night, donut shops are one of the most comfortable and welcoming places to spend your time.

Coffee and donuts are the perfect combination to provide that energizing and sugary sweet rush to keep you motivated and focused, while also satisfying your cravings. If police officers ran on it for years, it must be a reliable source of fuel.

These great characteristics of coffee and donuts have caused them to increase in popularity. Due to the benefits that these products offer, you can find people in donut shops any time of the day. Whether they are enjoying the serene environment, getting a boost of energy from the coffee, or satisfying a sweet tooth, there is guaranteed joy in a coffee and donut shop.