I know this might seem like a stupid question .... but I have just returned from Boston and noticed that there are SO many Dunkin Donuts in the city. Nearly on every block downtown. Most of them are open very early (5.00-7.00) and close late (9.00 - 11.00). I was sitting in one and could see 2 others from that store.

What is Boston's obsession with Dunkin Donuts?

(NB - not that I'm complaining .. they are nice ;) )

Dunkies is based just outside Boston in Randolph.

I have one (of the few) in Houston close to me but it's not the same..... they don't understand what ordering a "medium regular" means.

Boston is also obsessed (understandably) with Dunkie's coffee, which might explain why their presence in Boston might be compared to Starbucks elsewhere in the US. I'll take the medium regular over Starbucks coffee any day though, thank you.

After moving from Boston to D.C., I went through Dunkin' Donuts withdrawal as they are difficult to find around here and I used to have several within walking distance of where I lived. I have never liked Starbucks coffee and I refuse to order a "grande" when I want a medium.

Dunkies is based just outside Boston in Randolph.

more on their ownership:

Dunkin' Donuts was founded in Quincy in 1950 and was owned by Dunkin' Brands Inc. which was a component of Allied Domecq. It was just sold (I believ on 3/1 the sale was completed) to three private equity firms: Bain Capital Partners, the Carlyle Group and Thomas H. Lee Partners. Bain and Lee are both Boston based.

What is Boston's obsession with Dunkin Donuts?

It's not just Boston - anywhere in NE! :D

In RI (and maybe elsewhere), a Dunkin Donuts counter is in many locations of Stop & Shop (supermarket). Many times, there is an actual Dunkin Donuts shop within sight of the Stop & Shop! At times, it may even be in the same shopping plaza! :eek:

I love visiting Boston and the NE area for the Dunkin Donuts!! I'm not a coffee drinker except for theirs :) and the munchkins let me get a quick sweet fix to go with it.

I was recently in Chiang Mai Thailand and flipped out when I saw the Dunkin Donuts!! My Thai friends thought I was losing it...

Oddy, the donuts tasted EXACTLY the same, but the coffee did not.

I was recently in Chiang Mai Thailand and flipped out when I saw the Dunkin Donuts!! My Thai friends thought I was losing it...

Oddy, the donuts tasted EXACTLY the same, but the coffee did not.
Probably the water ... I try to avoid western franchises when I'm overseas but might have stopped to check that one out, too.

Probably the water ... I try to avoid western franchises when I'm overseas but might have stopped to check that one out, too.

Same here, but after 8 days of noodles I just really needed some FROSTING if you know what I mean...

I love visiting Boston and the NE area for the Dunkin Donuts!! I'm not a coffee drinker except for theirs :) and the munchkins let me get a quick sweet fix to go with it.

There is a Dunkin Donuts in Fairfax I believe.

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Dunkin Donuts in New England is kinda like 7-11 in Thailand. ;)

There is a Dunkin Donuts in Fairfax I believe.

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Dunkin Donuts in New England is kinda like 7-11 in Thailand. ;)
Yup but I'm not ...
There is also one in chantilly that's closer to me but still not convenient.

FYI .. just did a search on the DD site .. there are 185 DD stores within 10 miles of central Boston! I wasn't making it up! They DO like their DD in Boston!

Dunkin Donuts clearly has the best coffee + sweetner/cream mix imo between the traditional coffee franchises.

FYI .. just did a search on the DD site .. there are 185 DD stores within 10 miles of central Boston! I wasn't making it up! They DO like their DD in Boston!

There are 9 of them in my town (about 30 miles outside of Boston). While I love to travel, the one thing I miss about home is my DD coffee. The other amazing thing about those 9 DDs is that all 9 of them are constantly busy in the morning. Almost all of them have lines in the drivethrough and the parking lots are full -- so much so as to be a traffic hazard sometimes -- whenever they build a new one they have to change the traffic patterns in the area...

Its kinda weird, there is a definite chasm between those who like DD coffee (like me) and those that claim to like "real" coffee (like Starbucks) - which I really can't stand.

Its kinda weird, there is a definite chasm between those who like DD coffee (like me) and those that claim to like "real" coffee (like Starbucks) - which I really can't stand.

not to mention the difference in price

I have two within 1/4 mile of my apartment on chicago's north side. one is even open 24 hours.

not to mention the difference in price

really? What is the price of a medium coffee at Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts, respectively? Last I checked they were pretty similar.

Having grown up in New England, it's still in my blood. I'm 65 miles away from the nearest DD, but when I use ATL, it's on the way home. I always stop for a dozen and an iced decaf. The flavor of the coffee in unique. And KK donuts can't hold a candle to DD's.

Dunkin Donuts are so thick and fast on the ground here in MA that we use them as reference points when giving people directions. Of course, the more there are, the more problematic this becomes. I live out in the burbs, not even in the city, and could walk to 4 different Dunkin Donuts.

I live just outside of Boston, and there are 23 Dunkin Donuts within 5 miles of my house. I'm not a huge coffee drinker, but I love their donuts and breakfast sandwiches.

I just threw my address in and found out there are 101 DD's within a 5 mile radius. Yikes

nice to hear about a touch of home and if i may, 2 things......

why haven't i simply heard it referrred to as "dunk's" or was that a "my generation thing".

second-a tip of the hat to goalie-dad as the coffee that you all enjoy was his idea and recommened flavor combo when he worked at dunk's corporate in randolph, ma as vp of r & d. the goal was to get a coffee that everyone would like and as he put it "from joe the truck driver to cecille the snob" (with no offense to the joes 'n cecilles of the world). my family and friends got to perfrom an "organoleptic analysis" with the various coffee flavors dad brought home and give him the results. the whole process took over a year but as we can all see, it was well worth it.

why haven't i simply heard it referrred to as "dunk's" or was that a "my generation thing".

In Providence, RI, the civic center's naming rights were purchased by Dunkin Donuts. The nickname of it is now "The Dunk"! :D

Goalie,

Which Nighthawks fans are everywhere? The New Haven Nighthawks???

Goes farther than DD, there seems to be a very regional issue to having stand alone donut shops (prevalent in the NE not in other parts of the country). When I visit a client site for a first visit I used to try to grab donuts to take with me, nice ice breaker. Being from the northeast my entire life I just assumed every city had a donut shop (or 50), this isnt the case. In the midwest particularly you seem to have to go into an overgrown grocery store to get donuts in the morning, they dont have separate shops for them, and that is JUST WRONG!

I can tell you that DD was a very big saver after having irregular ops in BOS. The DD in BOS (Term. D, IIRC) is open 24 hours a day--so it was a nice to have at least a semi meal after my airline could't get me out on time and didn't offer me meal vouchers.

In Providence, RI, the civic center's naming rights were purchased by Dunkin Donuts. The nickname of it is now "The Dunk"! :D
Aah. You beat me to it. I have seen several events at the Dunk, though. As you might expect it's very easy to get a coffee there.

My Alma Mater, Berklee College of Music on the corner of Masachusetts ave and Boylston street has not one...not two...but three DnD's on the same block. One can order a coffee at the first one and not have even been able to take the first sip because it's still too hot by the time the third one has been passed. I guess they're just doing that much business. Also, there's a Starbucks in the building next to one of the DnD's. Plus the 7/11 between them has half way decent coffee. Those musicians do stay up late, ya know!

I always looked at a medium regular as candy. When I want some real rocket fuel I'm looking for a Starbucks.

I always looked at a medium regular as candy.

As my tastes changed, I got to ordering a medium regular, easy on the sugar. That puts it jusssst right.

While many of my co-workers and friends prefer their DD, I still find their coffee bitter. I go for Honey Dew first and Starbucks next.

Goalie,

Which Nighthawks fans are everywhere? The New Haven Nighthawks???these nighthawks ;)
http://thenighthawks.com/index.htm

Does any bakery have better donuts (not the cream/jelly filled kind) than DD in Boston? I'd be willing to drive miles to buy a worthy competitor.

I was on coastal Maine last week visiting my mom and very happy to see new DDs springing up along Route 1, some stand-alones with drive-thrus, some in mini-malls... Freeport, Brunswick, Bath, Wiscasset... DD rocks. And the coffee is better than Starbucks.