DALTON, Ga. - The opening of a new doughnut shop is a big event in this small town.
More than 100 people gathered Monday night in anticipation of the opening at 6 a.m. Tuesday morning of the city's first Krispy Kreme.
Some set up tents and planned to spend the night, undeterred by drizzle and temperatures in the mid-50s.
Why?
"Free doughnuts for year. A year," said Jose Bibiano, a senior at Southeast Whitfield County High School, who planned to sleep at the new Krispy Kreme overnight and take his free doughnuts to school Tuesday morning.
For its grand opening in Dalton, Krispy Kreme is offering a year's worth of free doughnuts to the first 100 people in line. The first person in line gets one dozen glazed doughnuts for free every week for a year; the next 99 people in line get one dozen glazed doughnuts for free every month for a year. The next 50 guests get a free T-shirt.
Timothy Hooper was first in line, arriving at 6:30 p.m. Sunday. He spent the night with friends Austin Lancing, Jayson Smith and Brannon Smith. They slept in a tent and cooked pancakes and sausage for breakfast Monday morning.
Lancing is technically the No. 2 customer, but the friends plan to pool their free doughnuts.
"We couldn't decide who would get the weekly doughnuts, so we decided to put our doughnuts together, and we'll get five dozen a month," Hooper said. "Pretty good."
The Smith brothers are No. 3 and No. 4 in line.
The doughnut fans gathered at Krispy Kreme got live music and a table of hats and props for fun photos.
"We wanted it to be fun for everybody," said Krispy Kreme employee Jennifer Alejo, adding that she's thrilled to have secured a job at the new doughnut store.
Enrique Govea arrived at 3:30 p.m. Monday and claimed a spot in the 50s.
"Usually, I pay to go camping," he said. "This time, they're giving me something for free to camp. Free doughnuts don't hurt."
In addition to those planning to spend the night on the concrete sidewalk in front of the store (the newly planted sod was too wet and muddy), were friends and family members who just came to lend moral support to the campers.
"I just came to socialize," said Alexis Billings of Dalton. "I have a ton of friends camping and I brought coffee. ... I'm not even gonna try come (Tuesday). It'll be crazy."