More Than 70 Standalone Dunkin’ Donuts Planned for Southern California over Next Several Years; Company Continues to Recruit Qualified Operators for Growth in Golden State
Dunkin’ Donuts, America’s all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods, and one of the fastest-growing quick service restaurant (QSR) brands based on unit growth, announced the signing of a multi-store development agreement with existing franchisees, Harry Patel and Parag Patel, to develop 18 new standalone restaurants in North Orange County and the Central Inland Empire. The first restaurant from their agreement is expected to open in 2015. New franchisees Jeff Shady and Jordon DiBiase will develop eight new standalone restaurants in the North Inland Empire, with their first restaurant also opening in 2015.
The Patels currently own 11 Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin-Robbins combination units in Baltimore, Maryland, in addition to three Baskin-Robbins shops in Orange County, California. Most recently, the team was awarded the prestigious Combo Franchisee of the Year award presented by Dunkin’ Brands at the company’s annual franchisee and enterprise awards ceremony.
Shady and DiBiase are Little Caesar’s franchisees with five restaurants in New Mexico, Colorado and Seattle. They also own Coastal Business Group Inc., a telecommunications company based in Irvine, Calif.
“We are delighted that Harry and Parag have chosen to grow with us in Southern California. They have been outstanding business partners for more than 25 years, and we look forward to the opening of their new restaurants in the years to come,” said Grant Benson, vice president of franchising and business development, Dunkin’ Brands. “We are also excited to welcome Jeff and Jordon to the Dunkin’ Donuts brand. Between their franchise and California business experience, we are confident they will cultivate lasting customer relationships, and become a wonderful addition to the North Island Empire community.”
Additionally, Embassy Suites San Diego has signed a franchising agreement with Dunkin’ Brands to open a Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin-Robbins combination unit on the premises. The location is expected to open next year. In January, Dunkin’ Donuts began recruiting multi-unit operators for Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, San Bernardino, Ventura and Orange counties, and announced in July it had executed its first development agreements in Southern California with four franchise groups totaling 45 new restaurants.
In an effort to keep the brand fresh and competitive, Dunkin’ Donuts offers franchisees flexible design concepts including free-standing stores, end caps, in-line sites, kiosks and gas stations, as well as other retail environments. In addition to traditional restaurants, the company is actively identifying franchisees to open a wide range of non-traditional venues, including colleges, universities, casinos, military bases, supermarkets, airports and travel centers.
Dunkin’ Donuts’ new look includes four distinct restaurant design options for franchisees, each featuring variations in layout, color schemes, graphics, textures, furniture and/or lighting. The designs enhance the current restaurant appearance, environment and layout to serve people all day long. Unlike other quick-service restaurants, Dunkin’ Donuts allows franchisees to select individual elements from any of the four options, creating a restaurant design that reflects their personal tastes and preferences, and best serves their specific restaurant size and location.
Since the 1950s, Dunkin’ Donuts has been a daily ritual for millions of people. For more than 60 years, Dunkin’ Donuts has offered delicious food, beverages, and friendly service at a great value. To best serve its guests, Dunkin’ Donuts offers an all-day menu including iced coffee, flavored coffees, lattes, Dunkin’ Donuts K-Cup Packs, Coolatta frozen drinks, muffins, bagels, breakfast sandwiches, and a DDSMART menu featuring better-for-you items.
To learn more about Dunkin’ Donuts, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com or follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/DunkinDonuts) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/DunkinDonuts).
Founded in 1950, Dunkin’ Donuts is America’s favorite all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods. Dunkin’ Donuts is a market leader in the hot regular/decaf/flavored coffee, iced coffee, donut, bagel and muffin categories. Dunkin’ Donuts has earned the No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for seven years running. The company has more than 10,500 restaurants in 31 countries worldwide. For the full-year 2012, Dunkin’ Donuts’ restaurants had global franchisee-reported sales of approximately $6.9 billion. Based in Canton, Mass., Dunkin’ Donuts is part of the Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: DNKN) family of companies. For more information, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com.
