Who invented the first automatic doughnut machine in 1920?

Adolph Levitt invented the first automatic doughnut machine in 1920. A Russian immigrant in New York City, Levitt developed machinery that could automatically cut and fry doughnuts, transforming production from a largely manual process into a faster commercial operation.

The invention arrived when doughnuts were becoming increasingly popular in the United States, especially through theaters, shops, and wartime associations. Levitt’s machine helped businesses produce consistent quantities of doughnuts more efficiently, making the product easier to sell at scale. His work also helped turn doughnut-making equipment into a visible commercial spectacle.

Levitt later founded the Doughnut Corporation of America and opened the Mayflower doughnut shop in Times Square in 1931. His machines attracted public attention at the 1933–1934 Chicago World’s Fair, where automated doughnut production was promoted as a modern food innovation. The machine did not invent doughnuts themselves; it mechanized their production and helped establish the doughnut shop industry that later supported chains such as Krispy Kreme and Dunkin'.