Dunkin' Donuts To Close 800 U.S. Locations

[klkla]

They have a reliable model to provide lousy but passable food and pretty good drinks, at reasonable prices. Cleanliness and service are not strong points, but efficiency is a strong point and so is value.

That just about sums up my opinion of them, as well. Terrible donuts. I don't know why anyone would go there if there was a Krispy Kreme nearby. Admittedly I am not a big donut eater (maybe once or twice a year) and I don't drink coffee, either, so I'm sure I'm not their target customer.

[storewanderer]

That just about sums up my opinion of them, as well. Terrible donuts. I don't know why anyone would go there if there was a Krispy Kreme nearby. Admittedly I am not a big donut eater (maybe once or twice a year) and I don't drink coffee, either, so I'm sure I'm not their target customer.

I think Dunkin's historical target customer is a cold busy commuter on the east coast who is cold and wants a quick hot drink in cold weather and to get on their way quickly. Something they don't have to cross the street for but is right there for them. When they went to those terrible quality donuts and stopped the scratch prep in store/frying the donuts, and pushed the drinks more and more (which are obviously higher margin) it was clear they were focusing on a different customer than the one who was looking for a special really good donut.

Dunkin has a perfectly good iced tea. It is about on the level of a brewed iced tea from a McDonalds or a gas station that has brewed iced tea (Quik Trip, Maverik, some larger AZ Circle Ks). Dunkin has various very artificial tasting fruit flavor shots (sweet or unsweet- peach, blueberry, raspberry, and more) to put into the iced tea too again very much like a gas station with a brewed iced tea program has. That is the whole problem with Dunkin- their offering is on the quality level of what you'd expect from a gas station. Their atmosphere and service is about on that level too, at best. So it cannot command Starbucks prices. It can command prices somewhere between a gas station and a Starbucks, for convenience reasons primarily.

Krispy Kreme seems like it was building large high rent stores similar to the newer Dunkin Stores and many of them went out of business in NorCal then some reopened under a new franchisee and that new franchisee has continued to develop additional locations (including one coming soon in Sparks) so it appears they have figured out a way to operate successfully. Krispy Kreme does not have nearly the drink focus of Dunkin but it would be a great enhancement; their donut product is sure better- especially the original glazed, blueberry cake, and chocolate cake.

[BillyGr]

That just about sums up my opinion of them, as well. Terrible donuts. I don't know why anyone would go there if there was a Krispy Kreme nearby. Admittedly I am not a big donut eater (maybe once or twice a year) and I don't drink coffee, either, so I'm sure I'm not their target customer.

That may be the reason they do better in their original areas (starting from New England), as most of those don't have Krispy Kreme (they opened a few scattered stores but most closed up quite quickly). Dunkin also bought out some smaller chains in those areas (and others, like Tim Hortons did as well, and then also closed up most of the stores), so there just aren't as many options in most spots, compared to the number of Dunkin locations.