See the place Dunkin’ ranks when our forty fifth Annual Franchise 500 checklist is launched on January 16, 2024.
Began Franchising: 1955 | Complete Models: 12,957 | Value to Open: $437.5K-$1.8M
Dunkin’ executives had been nervous when the pandemic halted the morning commute, however the firm’s drive-thru capabilities saved the day. Now, virtually three years on, Dunkin’ is setting information. U.S. gross sales topped $10 billion in 2021 and Dunkin’ was on monitor to open 300 new eating places in 2022, all styled within the model’s new “Subsequent Gen” picture. The reworked eating places concentrate on cell ordering, which has already generated $1 billion in gross sales.
After falling to No. 11 final yr, these improvements propelled Dunkin’ again into the High 10 — for the fifteenth time in 20 years. However that is not its most spectacular streak: It’s certainly one of solely three franchises that has ranked in each single Franchise 500 within the checklist’s 44-year existence.
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Meals and social media are actually Dunkin’s prime precedence. Doughnuts have been relocated to the entrance of the Subsequent Gen shops and iced espresso is on faucet on the counter to boost effectivity and high quality management. Dunkin’ has doubled down on its iced drinks market, increasing a summer season staple right into a year-round menu merchandise. It additionally launched new menu objects like avocado toast — a much less indulgent different to a doughnut or a hearty breakfast sandwich. Dunkin’ needed to achieve a brand new buyer base who’re in search of a fast chew to pair with their espresso. All of those modifications nonetheless make for simple to-go and drive-thru orders — the spine of Dunkin’s expertise — throughout a time when folks nonetheless do not need to get out of their vehicles.
“If you concentrate on that next- era shopper, they’re ingesting iced drinks greater than sizzling they usually’re a bit youthful, a bit extra feminine, a bit extra various,” says Scott Murphy, Dunkin’s model president. These customers, he says, are in search of iced drinks like Dunkin’ Refreshers which can be brightly coloured and Instagram-ready.
Maybe nobody represents this shopper base higher than TikTok influencer and Dunkin’ fanatic Charli D’Amelio. The corporate named a drink after her and partnered along with her to host an occasion for the Dunkin’ crew. Together with her 148 million followers on TikTok and 49 million on Instagram, D’Amelio has been an enormous asset to Dunkin’. “We’re one of many most-followed restaurant manufacturers on TikTok and it is partly due to her,” says Murphy.
Associated: How Dunkin’ Pivoted to Serve the House-Workplace Crowd
Now, the corporate — which has been principally East Coast-based — is eyeing an enlargement westward. Armed with mum or dad firm Encourage Manufacturers’ $1 billion-plus advert fund, Murphy says Dunkin’ will quickly populate the whole nation.
