For years, Dunkin\u2019 Donuts has been expanding its presence across the United States, akin to Starbucks, as a coffee shop and bakery offering locals a convenient spot to satisfy their caffeine cravings on every street corner. In New England, Dunkin\u2019 Donuts outlets are nearly ubiquitous, with multiple locations often within close proximity.\n\n\n\n

However, Dunkin\u2019 recently unveiled plans to close down 450 establishments located within Speedway stores along the east coast. This means that individuals accustomed to grabbing donuts or coffee while refueling their vehicles might have to make do with lower-quality gas station coffee and prepackaged donuts instead of Dunkin\u2019s signature offerings.\n\n\n\n

The Dunkin\u2019 branches situated within gas stations have contributed only minimally to the company\u2019s revenue, accounting for \u201cless than 0.5 percent of Dunkin\u2019s domestic sales in 2019,\u201d according to Scott Murphy, the president of Dunkin\u2019 Americas. In light of this, Kate Japson, the chief financial officer, made the strategic decision to shut down these locations and redirect the resources into more profitable outlets.\n\n\n\n

Japson stated, \u201cBy discontinuing these sites, with minimal financial repercussions, we anticipate positioning ourselves better to serve these trade areas in the future with new Dunkin\u2019 NextGen restaurants that offer an expanded menu.\u201d\n\n\n\n

She further explained, \u201cWe will be closing 450 limited-menu Dunkin\u2019 Speedway owned and operated locations throughout 2020, as part of a termination agreement with Speedway. These limited-menu sites represent lower volume units, collectively making up less than 0.5 percent of Dunkin\u2019s U.S. annual systemwide sales.\u201d\n\n\n\n

Presently, Dunkin\u2019 operates a total of 9,600 locations across its chain, providing ample opportunities for customers to enjoy their coffee and refuel their vehicles.\n\n\n\n

However, the decision to close down these outlets might pose challenges for Dunkin\u2019 amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As store closures and economic uncertainties impact consumer behavior, individuals are scaling back on non-essential expenses like coffee, which is often considered a luxury item, and instead opting to purchase their morning brew from grocery stores.\n\n\n\n

Despite this, Dunkin\u2019 Brands\u2019 CEO, Dave Hoffman, highlighted the company\u2019s commitment to enhancing customer experiences through various avenues such as drive-thru locations, mobile ordering, and delivery partnerships with platforms like GrubHub.\n\n\n\n

Given the shifting landscape brought about by the virus, where people have fewer opportunities to venture outside their homes, Dunkin\u2019 aims to remain a source of comfort for individuals in their times of need.\n\n\n\n

Hoffman emphasized, \u201cFor over 70 years, Dunkin\u2019 has been an integral part of the communities we serve, keeping America running and taking care of our guests. Amidst the uncertainty, we\u2019re continuing to be there for people by taking additional measures to offer comfort during these challenging times.\u201d\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"