Daylight Donuts (Rem.)
Tulsa, OK
Photo courtesy Charles Brock

One of the great roadside signs along Tulsa's stretch of Route 66 belongs to Daylight Donuts. With its bold yellow and red color scheme, sweeping Googie angles, and shooting star accents, the towering marquee looks more like a classic 1950s motel sign than the headquarters of an international donut company.

Founded in Tulsa in 1954 by Tommy and Lucille Day, Daylight Donuts grew from a small operation selling donut mix from the trunk of a car into one of the world's largest independently owned donut chains. Today, the company's headquarters and baking mix facility remain in Tulsa, supplying hundreds of Daylight Donuts locations across the United States and beyond.

For many years, the sign carried an endearing mistake that became part of its legend, spelling the product as "DOUNUTS" instead of "DONUTS." Rather than rushing to fix the error, the company left it in place for decades, making the quirky typo almost as famous as the sign itself.

UPDATE: The Daylight Donuts closed at this location sometime after 2023 and became a Livi Lee & Co. Coffee & Donuts. 06-26

Donutland (Gone)
Iowa City, IA
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

The giant rooftop sign at Donutland has been turning heads in Iowa City for decades. While opinions on the coffee and donuts may vary, there's little debate about the marquee itself. With its oversized lettering and unmistakable roadside presence, it's the kind of sign that catches your eye long before you reach the parking lot.

Donutland was founded in Cedar Rapids in 1971 and quickly expanded into one of the Midwest's best-known regional donut chains, at one point operating more than 60 locations. An earlier Donutland served Iowa City for many years before eventually closing, taking this classic sign out of service. In 2018, new ownership revived the brand, and Donutland returned to Iowa City in 2022 at a different location, continuing the chain's long Iowa tradition.

Like many neighborhood donut shops, Donutland became an early-morning gathering place for commuters, students, and anyone looking for a quick breakfast before work. Its bold roadside sign was designed to do exactly what good roadside advertising should—grab the attention of hungry motorists and lure them in for a dozen donuts.

UPDATE: The original Donutland location pictured here is gone, and its distinctive vintage sign no longer stands. However, the Donutland name lives on with a revived Iowa City location that opened in 2022, introducing a new generation to this longtime Iowa favorite. 06-26

Paradise Donuts
Tulsa, OK
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The vintage sign at Paradise Donuts is an easy one to spot while exploring Tulsa's collection of classic roadside architecture. Its colorful mid-century styling looks right at home among the many surviving signs scattered along and around historic Route 66.

The Paradise Donuts story began in the late 1950s with the development of its signature donut mix before evolving into a regional franchise in 1967. From its Tulsa roots, the company expanded across Oklahoma and neighboring states while remaining far more of a hometown favorite than a national chain.

One of the brand's best-known Tulsa locations sits just south of Route 66 near the University of Tulsa. In addition to fresh donuts and pastries, the shop became something of a local institution by serving burgers, fries, onion rings, and other diner favorites alongside its baked goods—a combination that kept generations of students, commuters, and neighborhood regulars coming through the doors.

UPDATE: Paradise Donuts continues to operate locations throughout the Tulsa area, carrying on a hometown tradition that stretches back nearly seven decades. While some stores have changed ownership or branding over the years, the classic roadside sign photographed here remains a reminder of Tulsa's rich donut history and its enduring roadside character. 06-26