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Thursday, June 18, 2009

Rumors of Dunkin' Donuts Coming to L.A. Have Been Greatly Exaggerated



The Orange County Register's Fast Food Maven blog teased readers today with this headine: Is Dunkin’ Donuts headed to Southern California?

The answer, as regular Franklin Avenue readers know, is no. At least for the forseeable future. And after the Fast Food Maven gets our hopes up... she tells us the same thing:

My co-worker Jon Lansner recently spotted this “Tweet” from Dunkin’ Donuts: “Calif is our No.1 asked/answered Q on the social media. A) We’re coming; when, tbd.”

What?!!

I immediately followed up with Dunkin’ Donuts, an 8,000-unit chain with no brand presence in California. Is Dunkin’ Donuts really coming?

Turns out, we shouldn’t hold our breath. A marketing rep for Dunkin’ Brands, parent company of the doughnut chain and Baskin-Robbins, sent me this statement:

“We get these kinds of tweets, emails and blog posts all the time about Dunkin’ opening in California. Dunkin’ Donuts will eventually be in California, but there is no date set yet. We will, of course, let you know if we get more specific news on the California market. “


Dunkin' Donuts owner Bain Capital has been rapidly expanding the chain, including in the Southwest. We wrote last year:

According to NPR, the "nine new stores in Phoenix is just a start. Dunkin' Donuts has plans for 150 in this (Arizona) area. And 10,000 new stores in the next decade, starting in the Southwest, and then moving toward Starbucks' home territory in the Northwest."

So yes, the plan appears to be an eventual return for Dunkin' Donuts in Southern California -- which it abandoned about 14 years ago -- but when that will finally happen is still a secret.

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