Dunkin' Donuts facts for kids
Logo used as of October 6, 2022
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Food and beverage Coffeehouse Franchising |
| Founded | 1948 (as Open Kettle) 1950 (as Dunkin' Donuts) |
| Founder | Bill Rosenberg |
| Headquarters |
Canton, MA
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United States
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Number of locations
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14,000+ (2024) |
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Key people
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Paul J. Brown |
| Products |
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| Parent | Inspire Brands |
Dunkin' is a very popular American company known for its coffee and doughnuts. It was first called Dunkin' Donuts. The company also serves as a quick service restaurant, meaning it offers fast food.
Dunkin' was started by Bill Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts, in 1950. Over the years, it grew into a huge chain. In 1990, it became part of Allied Lyons, which also owned Baskin-Robbins. This helped Dunkin' grow even more, especially in North America.
Later, Dunkin' and Baskin-Robbins became part of a company called Dunkin' Brands. In 2020, Inspire Brands bought Dunkin' Brands. In 2019, the company changed its name to just "Dunkin'" to show it sells more than just doughnuts, focusing a lot on drinks. Some people in New England still call it “Dunkie's.”
Today, Dunkin' has over 14,000 locations in 39 countries. It is one of the biggest coffee and doughnut shop chains in the world. Besides coffee and doughnuts, they sell bagels, breakfast sandwiches, muffins, and small doughnut holes called Munchkins.
Contents
History of Dunkin'
How Dunkin' Started (1948–1963)
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Bill Rosenberg opened a restaurant called Open Kettle in 1948. It sold doughnuts and coffee in Quincy, Massachusetts, near Boston. In 1950, he changed the name to Dunkin' Donuts. He got the idea because he noticed that doughnuts and coffee were very popular when he sold food at factories and construction sites.
The company created its first logo in 1953 and a mascot named Dunkie in 1954. The restaurant was very successful. Rosenberg started selling franchises in 1955, which meant other people could open their own Dunkin' Donuts stores. Around this time, someone suggested making a doughnut with a handle, perfect for dipping into coffee.
Dunkin' Grows with Bob Rosenberg (1963–1998)
In 1963, Bill Rosenberg's son, Bob, became the CEO when he was 25 years old. That same year, the 100th Dunkin' Donuts store opened. At first, Dunkin' Donuts was part of a larger group of food businesses. Some Dunkin' stores sold full breakfasts, while others only sold doughnuts and coffee.
Over time, the other businesses were sold, and the company became known only as Dunkin' Donuts. They made the menu and store look the same everywhere. They also added new items. In the early 1980s, customers started serving themselves, and paper cups replaced ceramic ones. By 1998, there were 2,500 Dunkin' locations around the world.
Dunkin' Donuts grew even more in the 1990s by buying two other doughnut chains: Mister Donut and Dawn Donuts.
Dunkin' Today (1998–Present)
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The special "Dunkin' Donut" with a handle was stopped in 2003 because it was made by hand and cost too much compared to machine-made doughnuts.
In 2004, the company's main office moved to Canton, Massachusetts. In 2005, Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robbins were sold to a group of companies for a lot of money.
In 2013, Dunkin' Donuts showed off a new store design. In 2016, they started testing curbside pickup, where you can pick up your order without going inside.
In 2018, Dunkin' started opening new concept stores. These stores had a modern look, cold drinks on tap, and special lines for picking up mobile orders. This was part of their plan to become more of a "beverage-led" company. They also started trying out signs that just said "Dunkin'" instead of "Dunkin' Donuts."
In 2018, Dunkin' announced they would stop using foam cups by 2020 to help the environment. They also added new espresso machines and drinks to all their stores.
In 2019, Dunkin' teamed up with Grubhub for delivery. They also worked with Beyond Meat to offer a meatless breakfast sandwich.
In October 2020, Inspire Brands bought Dunkin' Brands for $11.3 billion. This deal was completed in December 2020. Dunkin' and Baskin-Robbins became part of Inspire Brands.
In 2020, actor Ben Affleck was seen with Dunkin' products, and the image became very popular online. In 2022, two people from Scituate were interviewed while looking for an open Dunkin' during a big snowstorm. In 2025, the first Dunkin' location in Quincy, Massachusetts, celebrated its 75th anniversary.
Dunkin' Marketing and Slogans
Dunkin' Donuts had a famous ad campaign called "It's Worth the Trip." It featured a sleepy baker named "Fred the Baker" who would say, "Time to make the donuts.” Actor Michael Vale played Fred for 16 years.
In 2006, Dunkin' Donuts changed its slogan to "America Runs on Dunkin’.” They used songs by the band They Might Be Giants in some ads. They also made funny commercials that made fun of fancy coffee shops, where customers tried to order in a made-up language called "Fritalian." The joke was that at Dunkin', you could just order in English.
Rachael Ray appeared in Dunkin' commercials starting in 2007. In 2018, Dunkin' Donuts worked with the shoe company Saucony to create a running shoe that looked like a strawberry-frosted doughnut. The shoes even came in a doughnut box!
Many famous people like Dunkin'. Ben Affleck and his wife Jennifer Lopez started appearing in Dunkin' commercials in 2023. They were even in a Super Bowl ad with Affleck's friend Matt Damon and former NFL star Tom Brady. Dunkin' even added Affleck's favorite drink order to their menu for a short time.
Dunkin' Logos
Dunkin' has had several logos over the years. In 1955, they registered a script version of "Dunkin' Donuts." Later, they used a logo with a figure that had a doughnut for a head and a coffee cup body.
In 1966, the company started using a hot pink color. In 1980, bright orange was added to the pink. The logo used for many years had "Dunkin'" in orange and "Donuts" in pink, with a coffee cup design.
In September 2018, the company announced it would shorten its name to just "Dunkin'." This change started in January 2019. The company knew that many customers already called it "Dunkin'." This change also showed that the company was focusing more on drinks, as people were choosing healthier options and eating fewer doughnuts.
Dunkin' Partnerships
Dunkin' has strong ties with sports teams, especially in Boston, like the Boston Red Sox and the New England Patriots. They also sponsor other teams like the Dallas Cowboys and New York Yankees.
In 2001, Dunkin' Donuts bought the naming rights for a sports arena in Providence, Rhode Island, which became the Dunkin' Donuts Center. It's often called "The Dunk" by locals.
Dunkin' also partnered with the National Women's Hockey League in 2015 and became the official coffee and breakfast partner of the National Hockey League in 2016.
Dunkin' Locations Around the World
United States Locations
Dunkin's main office is in Canton, Massachusetts. Its first headquarters was in Quincy, Massachusetts.
In 2013, Dunkin' announced it would open stores in California again, starting in 2015. They had stores there before 2002. The first combined Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin-Robbins store in Southern California opened in Ramona in 2014. Since then, many more locations have opened across California.
Dunkin' also returned to Minnesota in 2014 after being away for almost ten years.
In the United States, many Dunkin' stores are combined with Baskin-Robbins ice cream shops. They usually have separate counters, but sometimes you can buy products from both at one counter.
As of 2017, all Dunkin' locations are owned and run by franchisees. You can find Dunkin' shops in gas stations, supermarkets, malls, airports, and Walmart stores. In 2013, Dunkin' opened its 500th store in New York City.
In 2020, Dunkin' Brands announced they would close 800 stores in the US. This was partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic affecting sales.
In early 2025, Dunkin' announced that they would no longer charge extra for milk alternatives in their drinks.
International Locations
By 2014, South Korea was Dunkin' Donuts' biggest international market, with over 900 stores. It even has Dunkin' Donuts' only coffee roasting plant outside the U.S. The company also sees China as a big opportunity.
Dunkin' Donuts opened in Australia in the 1980s but left the market later. Baskin-Robbins still operates there.
In Brazil, Dunkin' Donuts opened its first store in 1980. In Colombia, Dunkin' Donuts opened in 1983 and now has over 150 stores.
Dunkin' relaunched in England in 2014 after being gone for 20 years. In December 2014, Dunkin' opened its first store in the Nordic region in Sweden, but all Swedish locations closed in 2018. Stores also opened in Denmark and Poland.
In 2016, Dunkin' Brands planned to open many stores in South Africa, but most of them closed by 2019 due to financial issues. Dunkin' also opened stores in Switzerland in 2016. In 2024, Dunkin' operations in Belgium and the Netherlands faced financial difficulties, but the locations remained open.
Dunkin' in India
In 2011, Dunkin' Donuts partnered with an Indian company to open stores in India. The first store opened in New Delhi in 2012. By 2019, there were 32 Dunkin' Donuts stores in 10 Indian cities.
Dunkin' in Spain
In Spain, the name "Donuts" was already taken by another company. So, Dunkin' Donuts partnered with a Spanish company and called their stores "Dunkin' Coffee." In 2007, the stores were fully rebranded to "Dunkin' Coffee." Most of the 59 locations are in Barcelona, Madrid, and Málaga. Their slogan means "Together is better."
Dunkin' in the United Kingdom
As of 2025, Dunkin' has 22 locations in the United Kingdom, all in England. The company has been expanding quickly due to good sales.
Dunkin' in Canada
Dunkin' Donuts used to have hundreds of stores in Canada, but most disappeared by the early 2000s. The last few stores were in Quebec. One big reason for Dunkin's decline in Canada was strong competition from Tim Hortons. In September 2018, after 57 years, Dunkin' Donuts officially stopped doing business in Canada. All remaining Canadian stores either closed or became independent businesses.
However, Baskin-Robbins, which is also part of Inspire Brands, still has stores across Canada.
Dunkin' in Lebanon
Dunkin' opened its first store in Lebanon in 1998. It has become very popular there, with many branches across the country. In 2020, Dunkin' Lebanon started selling its products in supermarkets.
Dunkin' in Japan
The first Dunkin' Donuts store in Japan opened around 1969 in Tokyo, making it the first Asian country to have Dunkin' Donuts. After 28 years, Dunkin' Donuts stopped business in Japan in 1998 because sales were dropping. Most stores closed or became Mister Donut locations. Dunkin' still has stores on U.S. military bases in Japan, but only military personnel can use them.
Dunkin' in Malaysia
Dunkin' started in Malaysia in 1987. It now has over 100 stores in shopping malls, airports, and cities. In 2024, Dunkin' opened its 100th store at Kota Kinabalu International Airport, which is the largest Dunkin' location in Malaysia.
Dunkin' in South Korea
Dunkin' Donuts Korea has even created fun-shaped doughnuts, like ones that look like fried chicken legs, by working with a South Korean chicken company.
Dunkin' in the Philippines
The first Dunkin' Donuts store in the Philippines opened in Makati in 1981. It later expanded to other cities like Cebu City and Cagayan de Oro. In 2021, its first drive-thru store opened in Quezon City. In 2023, Dunkin' opened its 800th store in the Philippines, making it the largest coffee operator in the country.
Dunkin' in Singapore
The first Dunkin' Donuts store in Singapore opened in 1983.
Dunkin' in Saudi Arabia
Dunkin' Donuts opened its first store in Saudi Arabia in 1986. As of October 2022, it has over 500 stores and planned to have more than 600 by the end of 2022 because coffee is so popular there.
Dunkin' in Israel
Dunkin' Donuts Israel opened its first store in 1996 in Tel Aviv. It was very popular at first, selling millions of doughnuts in the first few months. However, Dunkin' Donuts Israel closed in 2001 due to financial problems and a decrease in tourism. At its peak, it had 9 stores in Israel.
Dunkin' in New Zealand
The first New Zealand store opened in Auckland in 2001. By 2022, it had 15 stores in Auckland and three in other cities.
Dunkin' in Costa Rica
In August 2024, the first Dunkin' location opened in Heredia, Costa Rica. Currently, there are 8 locations in Costa Rica.
Famous People Who Endorse Dunkin'
- Ben Affleck
- Will Arnett
- Tom Brady
- Charli D'Amelio
- Matt Damon
- Dingdong Dantes
- Meghan Duggan
- Janno Gibbs
- Rob Gronkowski
- Kim Soo-hyun
- Joey de Leon
- Eli Manning
- Jennylyn Mercado
- David Ortiz
- Piolo Pascual
- Derek Ramsay
- SB19
- Donny Pangilinan
- Belle Mariano
- Ice Spice
- Yoon Shi-yoon
- Kori King
- Sabrina Carpenter
News and Concerns
In 1997, a website was created by a customer for people to share complaints about Dunkin' Donuts. The company later bought this website in 1999.
Dunkin' has faced some criticism from store owners. Some owners said the company pushed them to sell their stores for less money if they had small problems.
In 2010, Dunkin' was criticized for advertising a "Free Iced Coffee Day" on Facebook that only happened in a few cities. Many customers were upset when they couldn't get free coffee.
In 2013, a Dunkin' Donuts ad in Thailand showed a woman in black face-paint to promote a chocolate doughnut. This ad was criticized for being offensive, and the company in the United States apologized.
In 2014, a woman started a petition asking Dunkin' Donuts to donate unsold food to local shelters. She noticed that her local store threw away a lot of food because employees were not allowed to take it home, and there was no official policy for donating it.
In January 2025, a company that makes donuts recalled 2 million donuts due to a possible contamination. Some of these donuts were sold by Dunkin' Donuts. There were no reports of anyone getting sick from these products.
See also
In Spanish: Dunkin' para niños
- Coffee wars
- Dunkin' Park – A baseball stadium in Hartford, Connecticut
- List of coffeehouse chains
- List of doughnut shops
