Doh’Hut

About Doh’Hut

Doh’Hut is a British doughnut business opened in Leeds by Tom Stafford in 2020. Inspired by a road trip along the west coast of the United States and its street food culture, Stafford first sold freshly prepared doughnuts from a food truck at events before opening a permanent Leeds shop in January 2020.

The brand expanded into London in 2023, opening in Covent Garden and South Kensington. Both London shops closed in early 2025, leaving Leeds as the sole reported operating location. Doh’Hut has explored franchising through compact grab-and-go shops, larger premises with seating for up to 20 customers and smaller kiosks in travel hubs. Its proposed kiosk model would receive doughnuts from a nearby central kitchen. These formats offer different property requirements, but the availability of new franchise territories and the current expansion timetable need confirmation.

Why franchise with Doh’Hut

• ✓Join a Leeds-founded doughnut brand inspired by American west coast street food culture.
• ✓Explore compact grab-and-go stores or larger shops with seating for up to 20 customers.
• ✓Consider travel-hub kiosk formats supplied with doughnuts from a nearby central kitchen.
• ✓Build on a concept that began with freshly prepared doughnuts sold at events from a food truck.
• ✓Review a stated investment range of £121,253 to £462,381 for different potential sites.
• ✓Access a franchise proposal with a stated £25,000 initial fee and defined ongoing charges.

Investment breakdown

Minimum investment	£121,253
Maximum investment	£462,381
Franchise fee	£25,000
Management service fee	7%
Marketing contribution	1% marketing fee + 2% local marketing
Agreement term	On request

What's expected of a franchisee

Property requirements

Doh’Hut has considered several formats, including compact grab-and-go shops, larger premises with seating for up to 20 customers and kiosks in travel hubs. Its Covent Garden site was designed around a small footprint, while the proposed kiosk model would serve doughnuts prepared at a nearby central kitchen. The supplied profile does not specify minimum floor areas, extraction needs, frontage, utilities or lease requirements for franchise sites.

Training and support

Doh’Hut began by making doughnuts fresh at events and later explored both on-site retail and central-kitchen supply for smaller kiosks. However, the supplied franchise profile does not detail an initial training programme, opening assistance, operations manuals, marketing support or ongoing field visits. Prospective franchisees should request written confirmation of recipe training, production processes, food safety procedures and support arrangements before committing.

Operational requirements

Franchise operations would depend on the chosen format. A grab-and-go shop would focus on quick service, while larger sites could accommodate up to 20 seated customers. Proposed travel-hub kiosks would sell doughnuts supplied from a nearby central kitchen rather than preparing everything on site. Operators would need suitable food handling, staffing and stock controls. The supplied profile does not specify required opening hours, staffing levels or approved equipment.

Experience required

The supplied profile does not specify mandatory hospitality experience, minimum net worth or liquid capital requirements for Doh’Hut franchisees. Prospective operators should be able to manage a customer-facing food business, maintain product quality and food safety, and oversee staff and day-to-day operations. Applicants considering kiosks should also understand central-kitchen supply and stock planning. The franchisor should confirm its current selection criteria.