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It all started in the Northeast—but Dunkin' Donuts is near world domination thanks to its addictive donuts and creative coffee flavors. This chain has become an a.m. icon, and is now part of more than 5 million people's daily morning ritual. And while you might consider yourself a DD superfan, there are a lot of little-known facts hidden behind its hot pink and orange logo.
1. It was originally known as "Open Kettle."
We're not quite sure what exactly what founder Bill Rosenberg was going for with his original name for Dunkin' Donuts back in 1948, but his Quincy, MA donut shop has obviously withstood the test of time.
2. There are over 11,500 locations.
That means the company sells more than 1.8 billion cups of hot and iced coffee in 40 countries every single year—in places like Aruba, Germany, India, New Zealand, Spain, Thailand, the U.K., and Chile. On an average day, DD serves more than 5 million customers all over the world.
3. All your favorite items arrived in the '90s.
A truly defining decade for Dunks, the 1990s brought the brand what are arguably the best menu items of all time—including hazelnut and french vanilla coffees in1995, freshly baked bagels in 1996, and Coffee Coolatta slush drinks in 1997. Honestly, how were people getting by before that?
4. DD will deliver right to your door.
If you're in the right location, that is. After a successful test run in Portland, ME and Dallas, TX, the brand extended its delivery service—via a new on-the-go ordering app—to Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. And there's a nationwide roll-out in the works.
5. It's been around longer than any other leading coffee chain.
With more than 65 years under its belt, DD has a lot of history under its belt. Which is more than likely helpful when battling well-known competitors. (Looking at you, Starbucks.)
6. The coffee is guaranteed to be super fresh.
If not used within 18 minutes, Dunkin' Donuts coffee is discarded and a new carafe is freshly brewed. So you don't have to worry about getting a stale cup. Ever.
7. The loyalty program is *actually* money-saving.
With DD Perks every dollar racks up five points, which means you only have to spend $40 before redeeming a freebie. (Compare this to Starbucks' new rewards program that requires you to spend $62.50 before you earn a free drink.) Plus, there are often easy opportunities to earn bonus and double points—like every time you buy a breakfast sandwich during a week-long period.
8. Dunkin' Donuts created its own croissant-donut hybrid.
Taking a page from madcap pastry chef Dominique Ansel's book, the coffee company baked up a sweet treat that's half flaky croissant and half pillowy donut. And then it totally ran with the idea, adding fudge filling, strawberry cream, and even Snickerdoodle.
9. Its international specialties are insanely delicious.
From pistachio frosting to pork floss to pandan filling to mango pudding, the DD offerings available around the world are some of the best donuts we've ever seen. So as much as it seems counter-intuitive to pop into Dunkin' Donuts while you're abroad, it's actually a really great idea to try local delicacies in donut form.
10. The new menu is a bacon lover's dream.
After rolling out a highly sought-after maple-bacon donut, the coffee chain decided to add more salty and savory items to its all-day breakfast menu—including a black-peppered bacon breakfast sandwich and another with sausage made from (yep, you guessed it) more bacon.
11. Its holiday cups are *always* festive.
After a red-cup controversy bombarded social media last season, it was more evident than ever that Dunkin' Donuts is almost always in touch with its customers. By offering a festive wreath-emblazoned edition, the coffee chain debuted a cup with perfect timing to go head-to-head against Starbucks' plain ruby version.
12. Your location could be overcharging you.
There's no way to tell just yet, but a pending lawsuit claims that some franchisees have been tacking on an extra 7 percent to items like ground coffee and water. This came as a total shock to corporate, which expressed concern and promised to investigate and remedy the situation as soon as possible.
13. The macchiato means there'll be more espresso in the future.
After launching the exotic-sounding macchiato—which boasts a double shot of espresso—in September, the company known for basic drip coffee and yeast donuts vowed to expand its espresso offerings. Though we've yet to see this bold roast take center stage, we have a feeling it's coming soon. And it could continue with cold-brew coffee, according to Jeff Miller, Dunkin' Donuts' executive chef, who said he's been tinkering with its brewing and blending for about five years.
13. It created a donut breakfast sandwich.
Yes, you read that right. When you can't choose between having a savory or sweet breakfast, Dunkin's got you covered. After cutting a plain glazed donut in half, the sandwich is layered with a fried egg and smoked bacon. Because everything's better with bacon, even the new breakfast burrito that was obviously designed to take down Taco Bell.
14. There are more than 15,000 ways you can order your coffee at Dunks.
With flavors like cinnamon, coconut, raspberry, mocha, blueberry, toasted almond, and now pistachio—plus syrups like chocolate and caramel—the possibilities seem endless. So you should probably have fun with that the next time you're there.
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