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Working The Graveyard Shift At Federal Donuts

Posted by Jason Sheehan on August 13th, 2012

Ever wonder how they make the donuts at Michael Solomonov’s Federal Donuts? Ever wonder why there’s never enough chicken to meet demand? Well, a couple weeks ago, Yoni Nimrod–COOK lackey and occasional Foobooz photographer–spent a night hanging out with Zack Engel , the head donut-and-fried-chicken man at FedNuts, in order to answer those questions.

We open up and, without wasting any time, Zack went straight to work. In case you’ve never been to Federal Donuts, it’s a known fact that they run out of their fried chicken in lightning speed, sometimes within only an hour or two of opening.  Zack says that people come to him all the time and ask him why can’t he just make more of it?  The answer is simple–there is simply no room in the fridge to make more.

Yoni’s post over the the COOK blog is mostly a photo essay–full of batter and mohawks and porn shots of donuts and fried chicken in various stages of construction. Check it out if you have a minute.

The Graveyard Shift at FedNuts [COOK]


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    This entry was posted on Monday, August 13th, 2012 at 3:47 pm and is filed under Food Nerd News, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

    • Michael G

      The storefront for the new CC location is tiny. They are listing the hours as 7 to 7 but i hope they won’t have the same issues of running out of product like in Pennsport. Oh well I guess i’m just destined to never try the stuff.

    • The Fan

      I don’t understand how there’s “simply no room” is any kind of excuse for running out of product. Get a bigger fridge, get more deliveries through the day, buy your neighboring building and expand, JUST DO SOMETHING. I’m not talking as a fried chicken fan, but as fan of not making lame excuses?

    • Jessica M

      I went for the first time on a Saturday at 12:15 this weekend and had absolutely no problem getting everything I wanted. I’m surprised at the reports.

    • danielle

      @The Fan I’m sure you’ve heard of the Supply and Demand concept? When the supply is up, the demand is low. I’d rather have a lower supply and a higher demand personally. Think about it from a small business owners perspective.

    • foodiesupreme

      It was an ill conceived project. If they make the same mistake at the Center City location it will really reflect badly on them. We have a seasoned restauranteur here, not a first time mon and pop startup. Space considerations, etc. should all have been taken into consideration.

      At the new location, they can’t say that they didn’t know there would be so much demand for their product. That has already been established and Center City certainly will have more foot traffic and customers. I hope they get it right this time. If they don’t, it will just confirm that they don’t know what they are doing.

    • Jacques

      Sorry, Danielle, but that’s simply not the way to think about it. There is a large body of Operations Management research precisely focused on this type of issue. See this for a starter: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newsboy_model

      Since most restaurant entrepreneurs do not have an MBA, this type of thinking is unfortunately foreign to them. If Federal wants to barter some of that savory chicken, I would gladly apply my qualified services to the problem.

    • Jacques

      By the way, Danielle, I suggest you read an introductory microeconomics book. You don’t seem to understand the concept of supply and demand. There is no inverse relationship to the level of supply and the level of demand. In fact, they are independent. It is the PRICE that should be determined by the intersection of supply and demand. You should read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supply_and_demand

      Perhaps I should teach a “MBA in a Nutshell” for restaurateurs. It seems that this knowledge could go to some good use.

    • sigh

      perhaps they really don’t need to feed the entire city on every given day…perhaps really it’s just a matter of making a product that once it sells out, then it’s done for the day. get over it, move on, and come back another day. really there is no need for debates about economics…i am sure they are doing just fine.

      and if it sours you to ever wanting to go, then so be it, there are plenty of other people that will make the effort

    • rory

      It’s not a bad concept if it’s selling out and making a profit. They’re expanding in their first year due to extremely high demand. In what world is that a bad model? It’s just not the model you want them to have because you want your chicken when you want it.

      As for gettting more deliveries–the chicken needs to sit. You can’t have more chicken than fridge space and you can only have so much fridge space in a small kitchen. Besides, they are expanding: into a second space!

      I was one of the haters of its original location decision, and I’ll admit I was dead wrong. This type of complaining about shortages and whatnot strikes me as far more ludicrous.

    • tijuana

      Nothing screams reliable information like a wiki link. Any of you guys ever hear of Sarcone’s bakery? You know what they do when they run out of bread? shut down and go home, that way everyone who made it out in time got a perfectly handled loaf of bread ( or chicken in this case ), buy the next door property? You going to pay for that the fan? And foodiesupreme, for an ill conceived project they actually seem to be doing ok, even without your approval.

    • diParma

      First, great article and photos. Second, enough about the limited quantities…it works! But would it hurt to venture out into some yeast doughnuts? The current rotation of cake-only donuts is good, but there is so much more experimentation to be had with yeast doughnut flavors. Please?

    • Marc Steel

      Oh Jacques and Foodiesupreme. They didn’t patent the concept. You can do it too!! And better!!!!

      In fact, Federal has been helping other startups in other cities. That may have been in that little New York Times article about them.

      It’s a good thing they have you guys around to show them how to be successful.

    • Jacques

      Tijuana, it’s OK to be skeptical of Wikipedia articles, but that article is just math, so it’s a simple fact. But nonetheless, I am sure you will dig right into this paper, Mr. Skeptic. http://opim.wharton.upenn.edu/~cachon/pdf/cachon_schweitzer_ms.pdf

      With the level of complacency demonstrated here, it’s no wonder so many ignorant restaurateurs go out of business. Do you hate knowledge? Do you hate sustainable businesses?

    • Marc Steel

      It’s fun watching people be horrible on the internet.

      The team not behind FD has not only been successful, for years, but actually, one of them even went to Wharton and FCI.

      Keep on commenting on the net though believing you know more though.

      http://cooknsolo.com/about/

    • Portal Princess

      Enough already with the armchair business experts…

      Is there a Best of Philadelphia category for Prep Cook? Zach should be that guy.

    • 3rd&Brown

      Wow. Jacques’ a douche. Did it ever occur to you that they don’t WANT to be open to the wee hours of the night supplying every person’s fancy? It’s a nice model. They sell out, they close, they make their money. They don’t have to worry about staffing multiple shifts, etc. It’s a nice, simple business model and it works.

    • Overhyped

      We get it, Foobooz loves the people who do PR for Federal Donuts (PublicProfile). Try not to be so obvious by overhyping something plain, it makes guest angry when they go there and it’s a let down.

    • Haters

      You people who don’t like Federal Donuts are assholes. You people complaining about selling out early aren’t really into getting their food because you would plan a lunch hour to go. Those people who really want their chicken get it. Those people don’t bitch because they know the planning and hike are worth it. They’re opening another location. And the PR team is called Profile not Public Profile. And they sure as shit don’t send chicken to anyone. They send donuts. If Foobooz gets chicken its because Art stands in line. So shut up.

    • http://philadelphia.foobooz.com Foobooz

      Actually Overhyped, it’s fried chicken that we love. And we don’t exactly hate doughnuts either.

    • Jacques

      Hi 3rd&Brown! I see you found yet another forum on which to be a total douchebag! How many is that now? I know of 5.

      And no, it did not occur to me that they want to be lazy. It PLAINLY SAYS in the article that they don’t stock more chicken because they don’t have refrigerator space. Or can’t you fucking read?

      Steven Cook might need to review the material from Christian Terwiesch’s OPIM class since I don’t think he got a refresher at the French Culinary Institute.

      That all being said, I was just trying to solve an elementary academic problem with the tools appropriate for the job. I don’t give a shit if they make fucking chicken or not or if 3rd & BrownNose sticks a wing up his ass. Cook obviously has a great knack for restaurants, and I am sure he will continue to be successful. As for the rest of you, well, you need all the help you can get. But keep acting like idiots on the internet, OK.

    • bobnewhart1

      @jacques i would love to meet up with you and talk more. name the time and place. seriously, i have anger issues that need to be resolved.

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