Columbus just got a new late-night sugar fix. Jeff's Donuts has opened its first Ohio shop at 5717 N. Hamilton Road in northeast Columbus, bringing its oversized, scratch-made donuts and a 24-hour menu to the Gahanna and New Albany corridor. The Indiana-born chain is pitching the spot as a home base for both early commuters grabbing breakfast on the go and night owls rolling in after odd-hour shifts.
According to ABC6/WSYX, the doors officially opened Wednesday morning at the North Hamilton Road address, and the shop plans to run service around the clock. The station's coverage showed off the storefront and described the location as sitting between Gahanna and New Albany.
Soft opening, training and freebies
In the days leading up to opening, local TV reports highlighted that the franchisees were running training shifts and handing out a limited number of free donuts before the big debut. Co-owner Shelia Runke said staff were still in training and that the freebies were strictly first-come, first-served. NBC4/WCMH quoted Runke saying, "My husband and I are very honored to bring our donut shop to Columbus."
Where the brand comes from
Jeff's Donuts started in Indiana in 2004 and has since moved into neighboring states with a reputation for big, hand-crafted donuts and all-hours service. When the Columbus expansion was first announced, Columbus Business First reported that the move would mark the chain's first step into the Ohio market.
What locals are saying
Online reaction came fast on neighborhood boards and Reddit, where some commenters raved about the donuts while others vented about confusion during the training days, especially when freebies ran out or times were unclear. A popular thread on Reddit captured both enthusiastic reviews and complaints about the crowds during the pre-opening period, along with plenty of back-and-forth on which menu items are worth trying first.
How to get donuts
The new Hamilton Road shop is set to offer dozens of donut varieties and will serve customers via in-store pickup and catering, with plans to link up with delivery platforms once those services are active in the area. Existing listings for the chain in other markets show Jeff's Donuts operating with extended hours and offering delivery through services such as DoorDash where available.
