Dunkin' Donuts

[C. Fontaine]

There are so many Dunkin Donuts its not even worth counting.  I read a stat somewhere that said every day there are 5 new Dunkin Donuts opening.  In Bourne, Cape Cod it is completely out of hand.  Right before you get to the Bourne Bridge ther is a small rotary.  Surrounding this rotary is FOUR Dunkin Donuts, which you can plainly see from each other, we're talking feet apart.  Then there is a small Honey Dew in a gas station, completely out of hand.

To make any money out of a franchise like this you need to be a multi-unit owner.  The corporation will push you to open more locations regardless of proximity so they can saturate the market with their brand, while killing business even for their own franchisees.  They want people to be able to walk to Dunkin Donuts rather than jump in a car and drive, giving them the advantage of convenience over competitors.  DD and Subway are the only franchised chains I have ever seen have to compete against themselves.

Down the street from me, on Rt. 44 here in Providence, there is a prototype store where they test all their ideas.  You wouldn't believe the stuff they sell here; hot dogs, grinders, steak and cheese subs, pizza, soup, etc...

[NJxxJon]

Seaside NJ has one RIGHT ON THE BOARDWALK....in the middle too. Its friggin weird. :bigsmile:

[Marc82]

GHIO has gotten approval to build another DD is Southington, CT. This one will be located on West Street (Route 229) next to the popular Kizl's Luncheonette, a popular local place for breakfast and lunch. This location is about a one minute drive from the ESPN World HQ.

[XISMZERO]

SWANZEY, N.H. on RT. 12 on the KEENE line.

It was recently remodeled into the 2007 concept. The interior is still older, adherent to the mid-1990s look.

Every time I come here their coffee here is kind of on the watery side...

[XISMZERO]

KEENE, N.H.; West Street. Taken November 10, 2007.

[XISMZERO]

KEENE, N.H.; West Street. Taken November 10, 2007. The road sign.

[XISMZERO]

KEENE, N.H.; Winchester St. Taken November 10, 2007.

Was probably the original one in town, near Keene State College and outskirts the Wal-Mart plaza.

[XISMZERO]

ENFIELD, CT on Hazard Ave in Brookside Plaza. Taken July 1, 2007.

This store has an old-school shingled roof. It was repainted from brown.

[XISMZERO]

ENFIELD, CT on Hazard Ave. Taken July 1, 2007.

These shingled roof types are rare nowadays. They started showing up in the mid-late 70s, early 80s. Most of them have been repainted white.

[XISMZERO]

VERNON-ROCKVILLE on Rt. 83 near Tri-City Plaza.

It has an old-school shingled roof which was repainted gray in accordance with the early 1990's tones. Has a barstool counter inside (facing the window) though it's remodeled inside.

[XISMZERO]

VERNON-ROCKVILLE on Rt. 83 near Tri-City Plaza.

The sign.

[XISMZERO]

EAST HARTFORD on Main Street next to Good Ol' Tom's.

This was one of the original Dunkin' Donuts in Connecticut and has been here since the 1960s! Hasn't been remodeled since the mid-late 1980s, I presume.

[XISMZERO]

EAST HARTFORD on Burnside Ave.

What a weird and cheap tarp-like remodel in-a-box.

[XISMZERO]

NORWICH, CT on Church St. & Main Street. It's currently vacant. Taken on 11-4-2007.

It's been here since the 1960s, probably remodeled last in the late 70s, roof was repainted probably sometime in the 90s. It's a tiny store!

[XISMZERO]

NORWICH, CT on Church St. & Main Street. It's currently vacant. Taken on 11-4-2007.

[XISMZERO]

NORWICH, CT on Church St. & Main Street. It's currently vacant. Taken on 11-4-2007.

[XISMZERO]

NORWICH, CT on Salem Turnpike in the former Ames plaza. Taken on 11-4-2007.

It's one of the new 2007 concept stores.

[XISMZERO]

NORWICHTOWN, CT on Town Street. Taken on 11-4-2007.

[XISMZERO]

MARLBORO, CT on South Main St.

I used to work for the franchise owner of this store.

[XISMZERO]

EAST HAMPTON, CT on Rt. 66, in the Rite Aid plaza.

[Marc82]

After shopping at AJ Wright today my buddy Jeff and I went to the Dunkin Donuts in the New Brite Plaza in New Britain, Connecticut. It was one of the most interesting DD's I had ever been too. They're open 24/7 yet do not have a drive-thru. When you first walk in there is a take out window where you can get stuff after hours. Inside there's not many seats, but there is  a counter where you can stand and enjoy your treats while watching shoppers walk by. I forgot my camera in the car so I didn't get to snag any pictures. The only turn off about this place to me is the fact that they have a sign up that says "20 Min Time Limit" for seating for DD Customers. In my opinion that kind of sucks. It doesn't leave much time for friends to socialize. My dad used to go to a Bess Eaton, get a donut and a coffee and socialize with his friends for an hour or so once a week. That's where I get the socializing from.

And by the way I took the back roads from Southington  to downtown New Britain today and saw way too many DDs.

1. Corner of Queen Street and Aircraft Road Southington
2. Corner of East Street and New Britain Ave Plainville
3. Corner of Cooke Street and New Britain Ave Plainville (inside Citgo Station)
4. Corner of West Main Street and Stanwood Drive New Britain (In front of Former Shaws. Formerly Bess Eaton)
5. Just before the corner of West Main Street and Corbin Avenue. New Britain.
6. Corner of Corbin Avenue and West Main Street inside Super Stop and Shop New Britain.
7. New Brite Plaza (Corner of East Main and Main) in Downtown New Britain.

[XISMZERO]

Originally posted by Marc82
The only turn off about this place to me is the fact that they have a sign up that says "20 Min Time Limit" for seating for DD Customers.

Middle St. & Pine Street in Bristol has that up too -- it's not enforced at all. It's really just a courtesy message. This because there's limited amounts of seating at many DD stores -- many of which have clung to the 1990's versions of the store.

It's a grand shame seeing as DD was *the place* to go socialize  -- like a diner. Now, that clientele has changed into Starbucks "types." But about the time the company turned around, getting new ownership (Allied Dominque?) and did radical remodels, the outline called for limited seating, and a discontinuation of counter seating and the diner climate it always had.

Of course, you could factor in the smoking ban. Once the smoking ban started creeping into banning in public places (though not restaurants until around the millennium swing) DD realized their grab-n-go specialty and as a result their remodeled store designs saw no place for excessive seating.

I get frustrated today whenever I want to go meet up with friends and want to have a coffee -- it's very *cold* to sit in a DD today. It's arranged in such a way that the climate promoted doesn't invite for one to want to stick around.

[silverrose43]

Originally posted by Marc82


And by the way I took the back roads from Southington  to downtown New Britain today and saw way too many DDs.

1. Corner of Queen Street and Aircraft Road Southington
2. Corner of East Street and New Britain Ave Plainville
3. Corner of Cooke Street and New Britain Ave Plainville (inside Citgo Station)
4. Corner of West Main Street and Stanwood Drive New Britain (In front of Former Shaws. Formerly Bess Eaton)
5. Just before the corner of West Main Street and Corbin Avenue. New Britain.
6. Corner of Corbin Avenue and West Main Street inside Super Stop and Shop New Britain.
7. New Brite Plaza (Corner of East Main and Main) in Downtown New Britain.

Norwich, CT has way too many too:
2 on West Main Street
1 Downtown next to the library
1 on West Town Street
1 in Stop and Shop
1 in Walmart
1 in Big Y-which is RIGHT NEXT TO WALMART!!!
And they are in at least 5 gas stations in Norwich. I think thats a little bit excessive. The two on west main are only about a mile apart.

[XISMZERO]

Originally posted by silverrose43
Norwich, CT has way too many too:

1 Downtown next to the library

Is this one still vacant? I came here in November 2007, it was empty. The company is knocking down some very old ones to make way for new stores... wondering if this might become a new one.

[silverrose43]

Originally posted by XISMZERO

Originally posted by silverrose43
Norwich, CT has way too many too:

1 Downtown next to the library

Is this one still vacant? I came here in November 2007, it was empty. The company is knocking down some very old ones to make way for new stores... wondering if this might become a new one.

they moved from the one you photographed and built a new storefront a little deeper into downtown next to the library. its small but nice. they're making the old one into a coffee shop or something, the progress is slow but the inside looks awesome. i should see if i can get some pictures.

[Marc82]

Guys, figure this one out. I was reading in The Meriden Record-Journal last night that a Mr. Batista that owns a DD on East Main Street in Meriden, CT wants to open another DD on East Main Street directly across from his existing location and he wants to keep both locations open.

http://myrecordjournal.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=19385125&BRD=2755&PAG=461&dept_id=592754&rfi=8 (scroll Down)

[XISMZERO]

Check this out: a vintage Dunkin' Donuts road sign in Brighton, Mass.!

This 1957 gem has gotten a ton of local publicity, and the venture has gone as far as locals hoping to preserve it! Since I was in the area yesterday, I made tracks to see it before it gets torn down.

[Marc82]

A new DD is supposedly gonna be built on Queen Street in Southington near Agave Mexican Restaurant and the RED CARPET INN (that was once a Howard Johnson and later Red Roof Inn and Travel Lodge). The site was most recently home to Mitchel's Used Car Superstore.

[Lastdaysofrain]

Originally posted by XISMZERO
Check this out: a vintage Dunkin' Donuts road sign in Brighton, Mass.!

This 1957 gem has gotten a ton of local publicity, and the venture has gone as far as locals hoping to preserve it! Since I was in the area yesterday, I made tracks to see it before it gets torn down.

sadly this one has been torn down (the sign, not the location)

[NJxxJon]

There is a wacky! wacky one here in Washington NJ that has Blue and gold lettinging, no drivethru and ......well.............in a complex sort of......