Runnin' on Dunkin

Figure One

As I walk in the smell of fresh brewed coffee hits me like a ton of bricks and the display of the 15 plus donuts already has my mouth watering.(Figure One) As I walk to the counter undecided on what I want to get the crew member with a smile on her face asking "What can I get for you to today?" I decided to get my regular, caramel iced latte with an extra shot of caramel and a Boston Kreme donut, for a perfect duo that's always satisfying. The sweet caramel paired with the bitter espresso mixed with skim milk, its one of my favorite Dunkin drinks along with the donut. The soft yeast donut with the angel cream piled in the middle topped with thick, rich chocolate frosting.  Unlike the Boston Kreme donut which normally has the Bavarian yellow pudding in the middle, this Dunkin has it backwards to give it a unique touch. As I sit down at one of the golden wooden booths with the black and green granite table top, I dig right in.

Figure Two

     You can't have a Dunkin without donuts. "This Dunkin is unique compared to your average Dunkin because we frost and fill all our donuts, while most other Dunkin's get their donuts delivered from their main bakery." Says the manager Abby, who manages five other Dunkin's. Donuts come in twice a day, everyday, to insure the freshest donuts and also to replace the donuts that have been gobbled up already by customers. The delivery process starts with the dozens of donuts arriving at the store bright and early at 4:30am, while the second delivery happens at 12:30pm. Now this Dunkin doesn't bake their donuts...yet. In the near future they are going to start baking all their donuts, making them the freshest donuts in the area.  Soon after the donuts arrive they are counted and then divided up and are ready to be filled with the five different fillings (figure 2) and frosted with the vibrant blue, yellow, and purple frosting's, and you can never forget the pink and orange sprinkles that go along perfectly with the Dunkin Donuts logo.
    This particular Dunkin Donuts was originally called Mister Donut, which was a competitor with Dunkin Donuts back in the 1990s. Dunkin Donuts was soon winning that competition with their amazing coffee and baked goods that all Mister Donut shops had a chance to change their name to Dunkin Donuts. Now Dunkin Donuts is paired with Baskin-Robbins, and with some franchises you can get a cup of coffee and an ice cream cone! The dynamic duo clash together making seasonal coffee flavors inspired by the some of the Baskin-Robbins' ice cream flavors, like rocky road, butter pecan, and cookie dough, that were a hit.
   As you sit in the dining room you hear the loud humming of the coffee bean grinders completing the first step of brewing the perfect cup of coffee. Weighing out every coffee filter filled with grinds to guarantee the richest and strongest coffee. The stream of coffee runs from the brewer to the coffee urn to keep it hot and fresh.  The only thing left to do is wait for the customer to personally design their own perfect cup of coffee, with the numerous different flavors, some including french vanilla and which seems to be the most popular flavor pumpkin spice. Workers brew over a dozen urns of coffee in just one, five hour shift. Which always guarantees a steaming hot cup of coffee, that comes in not only regular coffee but also decaf and dark roast, which a stronger blend of coffee that is a popular hit with the customers. Coffee is almost as crucial as donuts when it comes to running a coffee shop.

Workers scramble to get
customer's orders.

   The 80s music playing on the radio over the dining room mixed with the chatter from the wide variety of customers, gives this Dunkin a friendly and comfortable atmosphere which invites new and old customers. Every night the same group of men start milling in around 7 pm to get their usual coffees with cream or their order of crispy hash browns. They joke around with the workers and make themselves at home while they enjoy their normal coffee. As you sit and listen to the sounds of the dining room your attention is quickly grabbed when you hear yelling from behind the counter "We need that medium iced coffee cream and sugar" the workers racing against the drive-thru timer, sometimes making up to 3 coffees at once.
   On a normal day Dunkin experiences what they call "rushes." The worst rush is normally in the morning when the drive-thru line is blocking the alley way, and the line inside is no longer inside. "Every day there is a different rush, some rushes cause your day to go down hill, and others are smooth and the crew seems to work well together making things left and right." Says Abby. The workers are frantically making coffees and breakfast sandwiches, selling donuts by the dozen. But as the donuts dwindle down and the line is no longer out the door the "rushes" only come in spurts. After noon people either come all at once or the restaurant is completely dead. Never a constant flow. This gives the workers time to help make donuts, clean, or other important jobs that need to be completed before the end of the shift. But as soon as they hear the ding from a car pulling up to the speaker ready to order or the door bell ringing as a hungry customer walks in, the chaos begins again.
   "Every restaurant experiences the 'unforgiving customers'" as Abby calls them. "One accidental extra sugar in their coffee and its the end of the world." Workers deal with difficult customers day in and day out when it comes to this type of restaurant. "They're the best and the worst part. Some customers will give you a hefty tips just for giving them a smile and their coffee. While others will get upset if you don't make their coffees in 15 seconds." says crew member Andria. Although they push through the occasional "unforgiving customers" they continue on their day brewing countless urns of coffee and boxing up dozens of donuts.
    "America Runs on Dunkin" is the slogan that millions know and love. The fresh brewed coffee and donuts make Dunkin Donuts a popular hang out for all types of people and you're almost always guaranteed a positive experience whenever you walk through those double glass doors, greeted by a friendly "Hi, are you getting your usual today?" makes the experience personal and enjoyable. Knowing that the workers know your order by heart makes you feel at home sipping a cup of coffee at the kitchen table, only you're with a couple of strangers. Go enjoy the freshest coffee and donuts, while having a casual conversation with one of the regulars at Dunkin Donuts.