For years, Dunkin’ Donuts has been making its way across the United States. Just like Starbucks, Dunkin’ is a coffee shop and bakery that offers local a place to get their caffeine fix on every corner. And in New England, Dunkin’ Donuts is almost available on every single corner. Sometimes there are even two locations within a short walk of each other.
However, Dunkin’ has just announced that they will be shutting down 450 locations inside Speedway stores across the east coast. That means that people who like to pick up donuts or a coffee while filling up their gas tank might have to settle for a cheap gas station coffee and packaged donut instead of the good stuff that Dunkin’ can sell them.
The Dunkin’ locations that are in the gas station do not make the corporation much money. They only take in about “less than 0.5 percent of Dunkin’ domestic sales in 2019,” the president of Dunkin’ Americas, Scott Murphy said.
Kate Japson, chief financial officer, made the decision to shut down those locations and shovel all the upkeep money into locations that are more profitable.
“By exiting these sites, with minimal financial impact, we’re confident we’ll be better positioned to serve many of these trade areas in the coming years with new Dunkin’ NextGen restaurants that offer a broader menu,” Japson said.
She added, “We will be exiting 450 limited-menu Dunkin’ Speedway owned and operated locations throughout 2020, closing under a termination agreement entered into with Speedway. These limited-menu locations are lower volume units, in total representing less than 0.5 percent of Dunkin’ U.S. annual systemwide sales.
Dunkin’ currently has 9,600 locations across the entire chain. That’s a lot of places for people to get their coffee and fuel up.
However, Dunkin’s may regret having made the decision to shut down so many locations. Because the COVID-19 pandemic is already shutting down stores, people are holding off on spending money on items like coffee, which are often considered luxury items, and instead of grabbing their morning Joe from the grocery store.
Nevertheless, the CEO of Dunkin’s Brands, Dave Hoffman, said, “We’re focused on making your experience as frictionless as possible, whether through our 5,300+ drive-thru locations, On-the-Go ordering and curbside pickup through the Dunkin’ app, or delivery through GrubHub and other providers. Rest assured, we are committed to providing a safe, secure experience at Dunkin’– offering you something familiar and welcoming amid so much change. “
Because the virus is changing the landscape of America, people no longer have a place to go outside of their homes. This has put a lot of strain on families. Some families enjoy the extra time together. Others feel that it is just too much to bear.
But Dunkin’ hopes to be there for you in your time of need.
Hoffman said, “For more than 70 years, Dunkin’ has been at the heart of the communities we serve, keeping America running and taking care of our guests. We are grateful for the dedication of our franchisees and crew members who make our brand stand tall every day. We’re continuing our legacy of being there when people need us most by taking these additional steps to be your place of comfort during all of this uncertainty.”