We recently discovered The Voodoo Doughnut Burger at the Original diner in Portland—it’s a juicy cheeseburger served on a glazed doughnut that’s been halved like a bun, buttered and then toasted to perfection. Talk about sinful.
What sparked this invention? Creativity. Curiosity. Perhaps a tired cook playing with leftovers in the kitchen one night.
Whatever the case may be, and irrespective of whether you order it with fries, soup or a salad (yes, you can have it with a salad... although we feel that greatly diminishes the "You did what?" response after you tell people what you ate), we like this invention. Why?:
It’s new & different. True to the name of their diner, the Original folks came up with an original idea, and they’re getting credit for it. We advise every inventor to make sure his or her product offers meaningful, differentiated benefits… and it’s nice to recognize those who do so. It’s tasty. Really. Just like salty and sweet work well in Thai food and chocolate-covered pretzels, this combination hits the spot. New & different matters, but an invention also needs to deliver on its primary benefit. The timing is right. With plans to grill on July 4th (aka: the day the U.S. was invented), we might just have to make our own doughnut burger. After all, not every one of us can build a robot or mag-lev vehicle, but we sure can stop at the Krispy Kreme on the way home from the butcher shop. And what better way to celebrate a new product and the birth of a nation!
The founder fathers would likely be proud… after a very big “Ye did what?”
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