Talk Like a Pirate Day reportedly started as an inside joke between two friends in 1995 but gained national popularity with Dave Berry’s Coverage of the holiday in 2002. While the holiday is still striving to be internationally recognized, it is gaining momentum on the state level. This June, Michigan passed a resolution to celebrate talk like a pirate day in an effort as a Great Lakes state to support “worthy maritime initiatives.”
Krispy Kreme, founded in 1937 in Winston-Salem, N.C., only began celebrating International Talk Like a Pirate Day last year. “People love doughnuts, they just need another reason to enjoy and share it,” says Lafeea Watson, Krispy Kreme’s PR and media manager. “So we look for new and interesting ways to create those moments of joy.”
Last year, average customer count on September 19 was up 61% over prior year at all Krispy Kreme locations.
This year, more than 8,000 people registered as “attending” on Krispy Kreme’s Facebook event page “Talk Like a Pirate Day – U.S. & Canada.” The event was careful to specify what defined a pirate costume: at least three qualifying items, such as an eye patch, pirate hook or peg leg.
Show up in your pirate gear or talking like a pirate and Long John Silver’s will give you a free piece of their classic whitefish! Find a location near you and see if they are participating, then grab some free food!
