Dunkin’ Donuts, America’s all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods, recently unveiled a new store design, the brand’s first in nearly seven years. The contemporary new look provides an exciting update to Dunkin’ Donuts’ current restaurant appearance and layout, reflecting the company’s evolution from a morning destination into a brand that serves people all day long.
While Dunkin’ Donuts’ updated restaurant layout maintains the brand’s focus on helping people get in and get on their way with great food and beverages served in a fast, friendly environment, the modernized design incorporates many new features to create a warm environment for guests who seek a longer, more relaxed visit to Dunkin’ Donuts as part of their day. Inviting seating areas include updated furniture and lighting, as well as convenient electrical outlets and bar top areas for smartphones and computers. While most Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants offer free Wi-Fi for surfing the Web, some will also feature flat-panel televisions, satellite music and soft seating. New interactive, digital menu boards that use video will add more color and excitement for ordering at the counter, while redesigned signage and canopies give the drive-thru a more modern look, reflecting the restaurant’s overall new architectural elements and colors. The new design also includes an optional glass bakery display case at the front counter featuring signature items and a refrigerated Grab N’ Go cooler.
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 are called: Original Blend, Cappuccino Blend, Dark Roast and Jazz Brew. 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. To make this process as easy as possible, Dunkin’ Donuts created a special online application that allows franchisees to explore all of the available design elements and build a virtual restaurant via an iPad.
According to John Costello, President, Global Marketing and Innovation at Dunkin’ Brands, the new design reinforces Dunkin’ Donuts’ position as the brand best meeting customers’ changing needs and expectations for more all-day options. “In our highly competitive industry, innovation is the key to success and growth, and it extends into all areas of our business. Just as we’ve broadened our menu to meet our guests’ demand for more food and beverage choices they can enjoy any time of day, our new and innovative store design and atmosphere is just as ideal for people looking to sit down for a break or to relax with friends as it is for people rushing through a busy day,” he said.
In an effort to incorporate sustainable building and energy solutions that reduce costs for franchisees while benefiting the environment, the new store design also includes LED light fixtures, no VOC paints, and wall tile with 35% pre-consumer recycled materials.
New and remodeled Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants with the new design began to roll out throughout the country in April, but it will be many years before the majority of Dunkin’ Donuts locations feature the new look and layout. “Our brand already has a very modern restaurant base, with the average image age being less than five years. And, our franchisees have completed more than 1,800 remodels in just the past four years,” said John Costello.
Dunkin’ Donuts has been strategically expanding in contiguous markets across the country with a long-term goal of having more than 15,000 Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in the United States alone. In addition, Dunkin’ Donuts opened 291 net new locations in the United States in 2012, a net new unit growth rate of 4 percent. In 2013, Dunkin’ Donuts revealed plans to expand to Southern California. The company also announced plans to open 330 to 360 net new restaurants in the United States, with growth coming from both new and existing markets, representing an increase of 4.5 percent to 5 percent.
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.
