20 Fun Facts About Dunkin’

Whether you swear by pink‑sprinkle doughnuts or survive mornings on a Large Iced Extra‑Extra, Dunkin’ (the “Donuts” is mostly silent now) fuels commutes, cram sessions, and little‑league snack days across the globe. Grab a Munchkin—or twelve—and dig into these twenty sugar‑glazed nuggets explaining how a humble Quincy storefront morphed into a 13‑billion‑dollar, coffee‑first powerhouse.

1. It All Began as “Open Kettle”

In 1948, Massachusetts entrepreneur Bill Rosenberg opened a coffee‑and‑doughnut shop named Open Kettle in Quincy. Two years later he rebranded to Dunkin’ Donuts after employees noted customers loved “dunking” pastries in coffee.

2. Coffee Cost 10 Cents, Doughnuts 5 Cents

Rosenberg’s original menu featured 10‑cent cups of coffee and five‑cent doughnuts. With prices like that, morning commuters made his 100‑square‑foot stand an instant hit.

3. 100+ Doughnut Varieties—Because Competition Hates Boredom

By the mid‑1950s, Dunkin’ boasted more than a hundred flavors (lemon chiffon, anyone?) to outrun local copycats. Today, U.S. shops keep about two dozen core varieties on rotation, while global menus flex unique regional spins.

4. First Franchise Signed in 1955

Rosenberg unveiled his franchise model just five years after rebranding. That second store opened in Worcester, pioneering an expansion strategy that snowballed into 13,200+ locations in 45 countries.

5. America Really Does Run on Dunkin’

Roughly 60 percent of all U.S. coffee sold before 10 a.m. passes through QSR windows—Dunkin’ claims nearly a quarter of that share, trailing only Starbucks.

6. “Time to Make the Donuts” Became an ’80s Mantra

Ad icon Fred the Baker (actor Michael Vale) shuffled bleary‑eyed through commercials mumbling “Time to make the donuts.” The catchphrase ran from 1982–1997, embedding itself in pop‑culture lexicon and doubling brand awareness.

7. Munchkins Were an Accidental Invention

To reduce waste, bakers once repurposed doughnut centers as bite‑size treats. In 1972 the company boxed them as Munchkins®; today, the munchable holes make up ~7 % of pastry sales—and inspire most family road‑trip bribes.

8. The Dunks Lingo Playbook

Order a “Regular” in Boston, and staff automatically add cream and sugar. Ask for “Extra‑Extra” and they’ll pour twice that. Mastering local lingo turns a 30‑second transaction into a hometown handshake.

9. Cup Design Has a Structural Patent

That signature orange‑and‑pink foam cup (now mostly retired for eco‑friendly paper) once held a U.S. patent for its insulating walls and sip‑lids engineered to preserve 190‑degree coffee on a snowy New England drive.

10. Cold Brew and Iced Coffee Outsell Hot Drinks in Summer

Dunkin’ introduced Cold Brew in 2016; within two years, chilled coffee beat hot drip sales every June through August. Their New England birthplace has iced‑coffee devotees sipping through blizzards—mitten not included.

11. Dropping “Donuts” Was About Beverage Bragging Rights

In 2018, corporate trimmed the name to Dunkin’ on new signage, signaling a beverage‑centric identity. Doughnuts still headline, but drinks now drive over half of U.S. revenue.

12. Beyond Sausage Sparked Flexitarian Buzz

The 2019 Beyond Sausage Breakfast Sandwich marked the first nationwide plant‑based meat option among major U.S. coffee chains. Though later scaled back regionally, it showcased Dunkin’s nimble menu testing pipeline.

13. Dunkin’ Runs on Speed: 60‑Second Drive‑Thru Goal

Corporate sets a 60‑second target for drive‑thru orders and 30 seconds for counter service. Many stores smash the benchmark thanks to dual‑lane ordering, barcode scans, and espresso machines calibrated like pit crews.

14. Free Wi‑Fi Since 2005—Before It Was Cool

Dunkin’ offered complimentary Wi‑Fi two years ahead of Starbucks’ unlimited model, luring laptop warriors and turning corner shops into impromptu co‑working hubs.

15. DD Perks: A Digital Wallet Loaded With Billions

Launched in 2014, the DD Perks app surpassed 6 million members within 18 months. Stored gift‑card balances routinely exceed US $150 million—enough to fund multiple Mars rover missions if NASA took Dunkin’ Dollars.

16. Global Menu Surprises

In South Korea you can snag a Kimchi‑Stuffed Donut; India whips up Kesar Badam (saffron‑almond) Rings; and Australia once offered a limited Mango Passionfruit Coolatta topped with popping pearls.

17. “Dunkin’ University” Trains Franchisees in Coffee Chemistry

Situated in Braintree, Massachusetts, Dunkin’ U teaches roasting science, espresso extraction, and even dough‑flipping. Graduates earn pink‑and‑orange diplomas and bragging rights in franchising circles.

18. From Policemen to NASA—Coffee in Extreme Places

Dunkin’ runs mobile espresso carts at East Coast NASA facilities and once fueled a high‑altitude research balloon mission, proving even stratospheric scientists need caffeine.

19. Dunkin’ + Baskin‑Robbins, a Dessert Dynasty

Parent company Inspire Brands owns both chains, making certain combo shops the ultimate “coffee + thirty‑one flavors” destination. That synergy boosts average ticket size by up to 40 percent.

20. A Doughnut You Can Wear—Sort Of

Limited‑edition “Dunkin’ x Nike SB” sneakers (2005) sported frosting‑pink panels and coffee‑brown Swooshes. Pairs now fetch four‑figure sums on resale sites—proof pastry couture has legs.

Final Sip

Dunkin’s journey melds blue‑collar hustle with relentless reinvention: a thousand‑dollar start‑up that morphed into an iced‑coffee juggernaut selling 3 billion doughnuts and 2 billion cups of joe each year. Whether you’re ordering an Old‑Fashioned glazed at dawn, grabbing a power‑hour Cold Brew, or hoarding Holiday Cookie‑flavored Munchkins, you’re tasting more than sugar and caffeine—you’re chomping into a legacy of efficiency, community, and unapologetic New England grit. So tomorrow at sunrise, when that coral‑and‑tangerine sign flickers to life, remember these twenty facts—and know that the phrase “Time to make the donuts” lives on in every fresh‑baked batch sliding off the rack.

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