Dunkin' Is Permanently Closing 800 of Its Locations—Here's Why (2024)

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Dunkin' Is Permanently Closing 800 of Its Locations—Here's Why (1)

ByKrista Garcia

Taste of Home's Editorial Process

Updated: Nov. 10, 2023

    Dunkin' Is Permanently Closing 800 of Its Locations—Here's Why (2)JStone/Shutterstock

    800 Dunkin' locations are getting the boot by the end of the year—here's what we know.

    Prepare to say goodbye to a daily Boston Kreme, because Dunkin’ will be closing up shop on 800 locations by the end of 2020. This might be the biggest news since Dunkin’ dropped the Donuts part of its name.

    This means Dunkin’ will be have slimmed-down ranks like Starbucks and McDonald’s, which recently shuttered a number of locations.

    Don’t worry, though—there will still be plenty of stores Dunkin’ that stay open.

    Why Is Dunkin’ Closing Stores?

    During the first round of closures, the only locations in danger of getting the boot were located inside of Speedway gas stations (which are primarily on the East Coast) and are smaller than usual Dunkin’ locations, with limited menus. This news was originally reported back in February, but Dunkin’ has recently confirmed the closures. According to Dunkin’s chief financial officer Kate Jaspon, these locations represented less than 0.5% of the chain’s U.S. sales in 2019.

    The major change we’ll see in the chain comes after Dunkin’s second quarter earning results, which determined 350more locations will be permanently closing their doors, though there’s no confirmation of where. The combined total means 800 stores will close in the US by the end of 2020. It’s not all bad news, though—96% of Dunkin’ locations have opened up shop as of July 25, and sales have slowly risen ever since.

    In short, these Dunkin’ locations inside of gas stations were underperforming even before the global pandemic hit.

    The World Runs on Dunkin’

    Even though there are nine states where Dunkin’ doesn’t do business, they still manage the be the #1 doughnut retailer in the United States and claims to sell more than 2.9 billion doughnuts and 2 billion cups of coffee each year. That’s a lot of doughnuts!

    If you haven’t checked out the Dunkin’ menu at locations around the world, you’re in for a treat. Sure, you might find glazed and old-fashioned doughnuts, but you’ll also discover unexpected ingredients like Parmesan cheese and dates!

    These Dunkin’ copycat recipes show you how to recreate all of your favorites, from Coolattas to breakfast sandwiches.

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    Originally Published: August 03, 2020

    Author

    Krista Garcia

    Krista is a writer, blogger and content creator specializing in food and travel, plus digital commerce and the retail industry. A self-proclaimed cat lady and lover of unnaturally colored food, she’s now based in Portland, Oregon, after a long time in NYC.

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    Dunkin' Is Permanently Closing 800 of Its Locations—Here's Why (23)

    Dunkin' Is Permanently Closing 800 of Its Locations—Here's Why (2024)

    FAQs

    Dunkin' Is Permanently Closing 800 of Its Locations—Here's Why? ›

    Dunkin' described the closures as “real estate portfolio rationalization” and said the affected locations are in “low-volume sales locations” that only represent 2% of its US sales as of 2019. More than half of the closures are in Speedway convenience stores, a change it previously announced in February.

    Is Dunkin closing 800 locations? ›

    Dunkin' plans to close 800 locations across the US in 2020. All 450 locations within Speedway shops will close by the end of the year. Dunkin' expects massive closures of local coffee shops, something that the chain says creates new opportunities for Dunkin' to open more locations in the future.

    Who has more stores Dunkin or Starbucks? ›

    Of course, Starbucks is the much larger of the two, with a 2021 report noting that there are more than 14,000 Starbucks locations across the nation compared to just over 9,000 Dunkin' locations.

    Why do so many Indians work in Dunkin? ›

    The dominance of South Asians in the Dunkin' Donuts franchise industry in the American Midwest can be explained with reference to many of the classic theories of niche formation—the desire of immigrants for self-employment, contribution of family members, access to cheap labour and informal funding, and group ...

    Who has the most Dunkin Donuts locations? ›

    The Number of Dunkin's by State
    StateNumber of Dunkin' Locations
    New York1426
    Massachusetts1045
    Florida901
    New Jersey875
    47 more rows
    May 6, 2024

    Why is Dunkin no longer Dunkin Donuts? ›

    Why did Dunkin' Donuts change its name? Dunkin' made the decision to change its name back in 2018, but promised customers the actual donuts weren't going anywhere. After 68 years of "Dunkin' Donuts" the chain said it wanted people to think of its stores as a destination for coffee.

    Who bought Dunkin? ›

    On October 30, 2020, Dunkin' Brands announced that it would be acquired by Arby's owner Inspire Brands in a transaction valued at $11.3 billion, including the assumption of Dunkin' Brands' debt. The deal closed on December 15, 2020.

    Which state loves Dunkin Donuts the most? ›

    As of April, 2024, there are 9151 Dunkin Donuts coffee shops in the United States. These coffee shops are located in 45 states and territories and 3138 cities. The state with the most Dunkin Donuts locations is New York, with 1339 coffee shops.

    Who is Dunkin Donuts' main competitor? ›

    Dunkin' Donuts main competitors are Community Coffee, Caribou Coffee, and Papa Murphy's. Competitor Summary. See how Dunkin' Donuts compares to its main competitors: KFC has the most employees (820,000).

    Why do people prefer Dunkin over Starbucks? ›

    A lot of people prefer going to Dunkin' over Starbucks for their coffee fix because it's cheaper in comparison. Additionally, Dunkin' has a more generous rewards system that gives customers better deals than your typical Starbucks dealsand rewards.

    What is a Dunkin Donuts employee called? ›

    Crew Members are generally responsible for delivering great and friendly guest experiences. They prepare products according to operational and quality standards and serve them with enthusiasm in a clean, fast paced environment.

    Why are people protesting Dunkin Donuts? ›

    (KLKN) – Consumers across the U.S. are protesting at various Dunkin' Donuts locations over the company's failure to keep its 2015 promise of sourcing all eggs from cage-free hens.

    Where is the busiest Dunkin Donuts in the United States? ›

    Although, the Dunkin' Donuts website doesn't list the information on its website, the DD location at 755 Main St., South Weymouth, Mass. is often cited as the busiest Dunkin' Donuts in the United States, if not the world. Fun Facts: The first Dunkin' Donuts was founded in Quincy, Mass.

    What state has the least amount of Dunkin Donuts? ›

    Utah and Wyoming are tied for the fewest locations with one each.

    What is Dunkin most famous for? ›

    With America's favorite coffee, innovative beverage strategies, and mouth-watering snacks, Dunkin' has become the brand everyone knows nationally and loves locally. Bring the top name in coffee and beverages – #1 in customer loyalty for over 15 consecutive years – to your community.

    What is Dunkin Donuts top selling item? ›

    These days, the most popular item on this breakfast chain's menu isn't the donuts; it's their coffee, according to Eat This Not That. Not only is coffee their most popular menu item, Dunkin's actually has the highest-rated coffee of any chain in the country.

    How many locations does Dunkin Donuts have? ›

    Dunkin', founded in 1950, is the largest coffee and donuts brand in the United States, with more than 13,200 restaurants in nearly 40 global markets. Dunkin' is part of the Inspire Brands family of restaurants.

    What franchise owns Dunkin? ›

    1950 (as Dunkin' Donuts) in Quincy, Massachusetts, U.S. Dunkin' and Baskin-Robbins eventually became subsidiaries of Dunkin' Brands, headquartered in Canton, Massachusetts, in 2004, until being purchased by Inspire Brands on December 15, 2020.

    Who is Dunkins main competitor? ›

    Dunkin' Donuts main competitors are Community Coffee, Caribou Coffee, and Papa Murphy's. Competitor Summary. See how Dunkin' Donuts compares to its main competitors: KFC has the most employees (820,000).

    How many locations does Dunkin Donuts have in California? ›

    Download Table Data
    StateDunkin Donuts Locations
    Texas196
    Rhode Island160
    Maine159
    California134
    40 more rows

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