Krispy Kreme's Quirky 'Pirate' Promotion Lures Hungry Buccaneers Krispy Kreme's celebration of Talk Like a Pirate Day is attracting traffic both online and in the franchise's stores.

By Kate Taylor

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

vacuumingthelawn.blogspot.com

There are many ways businesses can drive customers into stores, but it's not every day that asking customers to talk like pirates will do the trick.

Today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day, a quirky holiday that came about in the '90s and has become a bit of a marketing peg for some businesses.

Krispy Kreme is perhaps the biggest business getting in on the pirate action. The company is offering one free doughnut today to customers who order in pirate speak – you know, using 'argh' and such. Dressing like a pirate will net you a dozen for no charge – no plundering necessary.

Krispy Kreme, founded in 1937 in Winston-Salem, N.C., only began celebrating International Talk Like a Pirate Day last year. "People love doughnuts, they just need another reason to enjoy and share it," says Lafeea Watson, Krispy Kreme's PR and media manager. "So we look for new and interesting ways to create those moments of joy."

Last year, average customer count on September 19 was up 61% over prior year at all Krispy Kreme locations.

This year, more than 8,000 people registered as "attending" on Krispy Kreme's Facebook event page "Talk Like a Pirate Day – U.S. & Canada." The event was careful to specify what defined a pirate costume: at least three qualifying items, such as an eye patch, pirate hook or peg leg.

Talk Like a Pirate Day reportedly started as an inside joke between two friends in 1995 but gained national popularity with Dave Barry's coverage of the holiday in 2002. While the holiday is still striving to be internationally recognized, it is gaining momentum on the state level. This June, Michigan passed a resolution to officially recognize Talk Like a Pirate Day, in an effort as a Great Lakes state to support "worthy maritime initiatives."

Online social networks have been key to spreading the word and making Talk Like a Pirate Day a national success for Krispy Kreme. #TalkLikeAPirateDay is trending on Twitter, with companies as diverse as Dunkin' Donuts, Oxford Dictionaries and HarperCollins Children's Books getting in on the action. Krispy Kreme's Twitter has unsurprisingly been the most active, with retweets and Instragram pictures of customers excited to celebrate.

The Krispy Kreme Facebook page is flooded with users speaking as pirates and posting pictures of themselves in nautical garb. One user summed up the general sentiment of the page, writing, "Free doughnuts and I get to dress like a pirate! This is a no brainer, mateys!"

As thousands show up at participating Krispy Kreme locations to grab free doughnuts, maybe more franchises will consider promoting underrated holidays. September 24th's National Punctuation Day and September 27th's Hug A Vegetarian Day could soon be ripe opportunities for celebration.

Kate Taylor

Reporter

Kate Taylor is a reporter at Business Insider. She was previously a reporter at Entrepreneur. Get in touch with tips and feedback on Twitter at @Kate_H_Taylor. 

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

Uber's CEO Says Drivers Have About 10 Years Left Before They Will Be Replaced

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi says the jobs of human drivers are safe for the next decade, but after that, another type of driver will take over.

Business News

'Everyone Can Profit From It': What Is DeepSeek? China's 'Cheap' to Make AI Chatbot Climbs to the Top of Apple, Google U.S. App Stores

DeepSeek researchers claim it was developed for less than $6 million, a contrast to the $100 million it takes U.S. tech startups to create AI.

Business News

'I Love Doing Product Reviews': Bill Gates Stepped Down from Microsoft in 2020, But Admits He Still Spends 15% of His Time Working at the Company

In a new interview with the Wall Street Journal, Gates also said he is still close with Microsoft's CEO Satya Nadella.

Branding

How to Build a Strong Brand Identity for Your Early-Stage Startup

Branding might not be your first priority, but neglecting it can hurt your startup. A strong brand identity early on sets the stage for marketing success.

Business News

Elon Musk's DOGE Is Hiring People Eager to 'Work Long Hours' to Eliminate 'Waste, Fraud and Abuse' in the Government. Here's How to Apply.

The Department of Government Efficiency is hiring U.S. citizens to help cut spending and headcounts in the federal government.