Krispy Kreme Celebrates Ross Cheating on Rachel With New ‘Friends’ Themed Donuts

In the latest pop-culture milestone guaranteed to make you feel like you’re about to crumble into a pile of dust, Friends is turning 30 this year. Back in 2019, the 25th anniversary saw a bevy of celebratory PR stunts, including the relocation of the Central Perk couch to the top of the Empire State Building, and a tribute from the Blue Man Group, which gave us all a sense of what the show would have been like had it starred trio of sexless painted mimes.

So what celebrations are in store this year? 

Well, a new 4K Blu-ray box set is being released this fall, and this summer we’re getting a lineup of Friends-themed donuts from Krispy Kreme. 

Donuts, really? Did any of the Friends gang ever eat donuts? The only instance of donuts appearing on the show that I can think of is when “Fat Monica” eats them while dancing. But this is A) uncomfortably problematic, and B) set in a non-canonical parallel dimension that’s hardly worthy of a fast food tie-in.

Nonetheless, the chain is releasing several Friends donuts; one is simply called “Friends,” while the others include “How You Doin’?” which features an icing replica of the peephole frame, and “Trifle,” which is filled with strawberry and custard — but unlike Rachel’s notorious dessert, Krispy Kreme went with chocolate swirls instead of sauteed beef. Cowards.

Then there’s the “We Were on a Coffee Break” donut, which contains caffè latte-flavored icing, chocolate swirls and a subtle hint of Ross cheating on Rachel and stubbornly defending his shitty behavior until the bitter end. I mean, if we’re naming donuts after Ross’ worst moments, where’s the “Glazed Lying About Annulments” or the “Illegal Capuchin Monkey with Sprinkles”?

But this line of donuts is agitating Friends fans for reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with Ross. Despite the fact that the show obviously originated in the U.S., the donuts are only being sold in the U.K. Fans on Instagram quickly voiced their displeasure. “UK? Bruh why not NY,” one person posted. “Why wouldn’t this very American phenomenon be released in America @krispykreme … they hate us,” another wrote. 

Although Krispy Kreme has risked reigniting 1775-esque hostilities, it’s not all that surprising that the U.K. would be the home of this unnecessary promotion, since Friends is hugely popular there, topping streaming charts, and now serving as the permanent home for The Friends Experience. You know, the tourist attraction that allows you to step into the world of the show, but with more random strangers taking selfies and occasionally proposing. 

The donuts are only being sold until July 21st — so if you’re anywhere other than the U.K. and you’re just dying to experience Friends in fried dough form, it’s time to book a plane ticket.

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