Shoppers keen to be among the first to experience US retail chain Krispy Kreme’s doughnut drive- thru experienced traffic gridlock and long delays at the weekend.
Traffic jams around the Blanchardstown Centre on Sunday were said to be “like Christmas” and were said to be caused by queues for Krispy Kreme’s doughnut drive-thru, a key feature of their first Irish retail outlet, which opened in the shopping centre last week.
AA Roadwatch reported traffic was heavy at the N3 exit from the M50, but was severely congested on the Snugborough Road and the N3 approach to the Blanchardstown Centre, as well as other roads in the centre vicinity.
AA Roadwatch’s Arwen Foley said “it was exceptionally busy around 4pm on Sunday. It seemed to come out of the blue.” Ms Foley said the AA could not say definitively what caused the jam but it appeared to be based around the shopping centre.
‘Like Christmas’
Swords-based chauffeur Ross McNally speaking to Dublin Live said he was sitting in traffic near the centre for 40 minutes on Sunday afternoon. “It was madness. It was like Christmas,” he said.
A spokeswoman for Krispy Kreme said the chain was very excited by the reception the new business had received and “more than 300 eager doughnut fans” had queued for the store opening at 7am on Wednesday last.
Pat Fitzgerald, Blanchardstown Centre operations manager, said the traffic was generated by interest in the new retail store. He said the level of interest was a “fantastic response” for the new outlet.
