Chinese Food and Donuts: A Classic Bay Area Combo

The prevalence of California donut shops that also serve Chinese food stems from a combination of immigrant entrepreneurship and economic necessity. Following the rise of the Khmer Rouge, Cambodian refugee Ted Ngoy established a massive donut shop network across California, sponsoring hundreds of families and teaching them the trade. While many of these shops focus exclusively on donuts, urban business owners like Jolly Chan in San Francisco’s Mission District incorporate Chinese food to generate consistent revenue throughout the day. High operating costs and rent in metropolitan areas necessitate this diversification to remain competitive against artisanal bakeries and large chains. This business model allows immigrant-owned, mom-and-pop shops to adapt to changing local demographics and survive in an increasingly expensive real estate market.