21 things you didn’t know about Dunkin’

Let’s start off with an easy one that loyal fans likely noticed: Dunkin’ Donuts changed its name to Dunkin’ in 2019. But why drop the “Donuts”? It wasn’t just the fact that the chain actually sells more coffee than donuts — although 60% of their revenue does come from beverages — but also because they want to be thought of as a place to stop all day long, not just on your morning commute. 

Now that we’ve covered Dunkin’ Donuts vs. Dunkin’, did you know it also previously had another name? In 1948, when William Rosenberg first opened a shop that sold donuts for five cents and cups of coffee for 10 cents, he called it “Open Kettle.” Two years later, after consulting with his executives, Rosenberg changed the name to Dunkin’ Donuts, with a goal to “make and serve the freshest, most delicious coffee and donuts quickly and courteously in modern, well-merchandised stores.”

Residents of Massachusetts are renowned for their love of Dunkin’, and it’s no coincidence: The aforementioned Open Kettle was located in the Boston suburb of Quincy and Dunkin’ is currently headquartered in the nearby town of Canton. Aside from being the home of the original Dunkin’ (which is still in operation!), Quincy is also notable for being named after Col. John Quincy, the father of Abigail Adams, father-in-law of President John Adams, and grandfather of President John Quincy Adams.

Five years after Dunkin’ Donuts came into existence, the company welcomed its first franchise in 1955. Over the next eight years, Dunkin’ would add another 100 locations — an unprecedented growth rate for a coffee shop. This wasn’t the only milestone in 1963, as that was also the year William Rosenberg’s son, Bill, took over as CEO. He was just 25 years old at the time!

Dunkin’ is an American obsession, but the stores are not limited by U.S. borders. They have 11,300 locations around the world, including 3,200 international storefronts. With the U.S., that covers a total of 37 countries!

We know some fast baristas, but no single person could serve enough cups of Dunkin’ to satisfy the world’s demand. According to Dunkin’, they serve approximately 2 billion cups of coffee every year. That’s equivalent to 3,600 cups per hour or 60 cups every second!

Do you like your coffee black or regular? Maybe you like it light & sweet? Or perhaps you want a packet of Splenda, some skim milk, and a shot of vanilla syrup? Due to all the different types of sweeteners, syrups, shots, creamers, and milk/cream substitutes, Dunkin’ claims there are more than 15,000 ways to order your coffee. Despite the seemingly endless number of combinations, most people order theirs the same way every time.

It’s not just jelly, glazed, Boston creme, and other Dunkin’ donut standards at the international locations. Each country has a different menu that offers donuts specific to their cuisine and culture. For instance: Mochi donuts are available in Asia, wasabi cheese and seaweed cheese flavors are sold in Singapore, China produces a pork and seaweed specialty, Germany makes a plum butter beauty, and pistachio donuts can be purchased in Peru.

Outside of the U.S., the country with the most Dunkin’ locations is, somewhat surprisingly, South Korea. The East Asian country has 900+ locations, which is more than twice the number of McDonald’s restaurants that call Korea home. Of course, the nation of 52 million people still has nothing on Dunkin’s home state: Massachusetts has a population of 7 million people but still has nearly 1,100 Dunkin’ locations.

With 1,100 locations in the relatively small state of Massachusetts, you can’t go very far without passing a Dunkin’. People who have been to Boston will tell you there’s one every few blocks, but it’s the city of Revere that holds the distinction of having a Dunkin’ across the street from another Dunkin’. If you want to stop by and see this wonder of the world, the stores are located at 30 Squire Road (pictured) and 35 Squire Road.

When Dunkin’ Donuts first came to Florida in 1962, they tried a slightly different concept. Instead of an easy-in, easy-out experience, customers were treated to a full-service, sit-down restaurant. In addition to the usual donut and coffee offerings, these Dunkin’ diners also served items like fresh-cooked hash browns, grilled fish, grits, and sandwiches. Sadly, the last diner transitioned to a regular Dunkin’ in 2015, but in a nod to its past, the location still offers its coffee in ceramic mugs.

You might already be aware that Dunkin’ and Baskin Robbins are owned by the same parent company, as these two brands often share a space with one another. But did you know that the same parent company (called Inspire Brands) also owns Arby’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Jimmy John’s, Mister Donut, and Sonic? The conglomerate first came to be in 2018, when Arby’s acquired Buffalo Wild Wings, and it has continued growing ever since, with the acquisition of Dunkin’ occuring in December 2020 for a reported $11.3 billion.

Dunkin’ was founded in America and is now owned by an American holding company, but their owners haven’t always been based in the U.S. In 1990, Dunkin’ Donuts was purchased by Allied Lyons, a British company that also owned Baskin Robbins. Allied Lyons became Allied Domecq when it merged with the Spanish company Pedro Domecq in 1994, and the whole thing was bought by the French spirits company Pernod Ricard in 2005. Later that year, Pernod Ricard sold Dunkin’ to a trio of private equity firms, which returned the brand to American ownership for the first time in 15 years.

The Inspire Brands chain that’s least recognizable to Americans is probably Mister Donut. However, prior to both companies coming under the umbrella of Allied Lyons in 1990, they were fierce competitors. Not only did Mister Donut have hundreds of stores across North America, but they were founded in 1955 when businessman Harry Winokur ended his partnership with Dunkin’ founder William Rosenberg — who also happened to be Winokur’s brother-in-law. Mister Donut only has a single location left in the U.S., but they rule the international donut market with some 10,000 stores elsewhere in the world.

Fred the Baker — he of the famous “Time to make the donuts” catchphrase — was played by actor Michael Vale, who was one of 300 people to audition for the role. Fred/Vale became a beloved spokesperson over the next 15 years. When the character was retired in 1997, Dunkin’ Donuts honored Vale with a parade in Boston and free donuts at locations across the country.

Dunkin’ has had some famous employees over the years, and I’m not just talking about yours truly. (Yes, this writer worked at Dunkin’ as a teenager in the early 2000s.) Journalist Maria Menounos worked there from ages 13 to 19, as did Madonna when she first arrived in New York City in the late ‘70s. The Material Girl was fired after only one week for not taking the job seriously due to antics like playing with the jelly machine.

Different generations will be surprised about this fact for different reasons. Many younger folks are completely unaware that Dunkin’ used to sell a “Dunkin’ Donut” that came with a built-in handle to make dunking the donut in coffee easier. Our older readers likely remember this item as a signature offering, and may be shocked to find out that it was discontinued in the U.S. in 2003 because, unlike the other donuts, it had to be cut by hand. However, variations still exist at international locations!

Dunkin’ made a major change to its donuts in 2018 when the company announced it would remove artificial dyes and colors from its ingredient list by the end of the year. Dunkin’ accomplished this goal in record time, eliminating the artificial ingredients in the very first month of 2018! There was no change to the appearance or taste of these treats, so most customers didn’t even notice the switch.

In 2018, Dunkin’ also pledged to replace all of their styrofoam — a.k.a. polystyrene — cups with recyclable paper ones over the next two years. In May 2020, the company announced they had achieved their sustainability goal. This new rule didn’t just apply to Dunkin’ locations in the U.S., but every store worldwide!

In honor of the 122nd Boston Marathon in March 2018, Dunkin’ teamed with Massachusetts-based shoe designer Saucony to release a limited-edition sneaker. Not only did the Saucony x Dunkin' Kinvara 9 feature a strawberry-frosted aesthetic complete with rainbow sprinkles, but it came in a donut box-themed Dunkin’ shoebox. 

We always like to highlight the charitable causes supported by fast food chains, and Dunkin’ is no exception. Their charity, the Joy in Childhood Foundation, has a mission to “provide the simple joys of childhood to kids battling hunger or illness,” which they achieve through local grants, programs that bring resident dogs and teen proms to hospitals, and other efforts. Since 2006, the foundation has raised more than $30 million!