Dunkin' Donuts bows to competitive pressure?

Dunkin' Dounuts is a national chain and each franchise buys their boxes, bags, coffee cups, etc.. through the national HQ just like all of the other franchise businesses. They get what the National HQ makes available.

I don't know that the change was or wasn't due to the Krispy Creme issue or not but DD'd Marketing team has to look at the whole picture nationally, not just when K/C is opening a store in/around Boston.

Hi Fishin'
It probably was a national change, and I know their parent company is international, the same one that owns Baskin Robbins Ice Cream, etc.

I didn't realize the shape of the box was related to Krispy Kreme, the colleague who responded when I mentioned the change said that Krispy Kreme's boxes are like that, thus she hinted the change was made to compete with them. Cocidentally, Krispy Kreme broke ground building their first Boston area store, and had a promotional/mobile store open for publicity, etc.

Dunkin' Donuts was originally founded here in Boston, actually Quincy and its US corporate headquarters were in Randolph, Mass. Although this could have all changed recenty with how fast the corporate world moves, etc.

Brand identity is important though so I'm surprised they did this. Consumers are usually attached and loyal to a brand's packaging, etc. and generally as a rule don't like 1. Sudden change 2. Change copying a competiter. That's about all I got out of my marketing class in grad school (it was an elective, I was a PR/Communications major). We did a case study on Broch and Brach Candies...

Are the Dunkin Donuts boxes still pink?

More like orange on white...

What I wouldn't give for a Starbuck where dunkies is near work... Oh well, new boss provides free coffee. That's what I call a perk!

very punny. how do you manage to be droll with an exclamation point?

brief sidebar, here -- i am immensely underwhelmed with the quality of the krispy kreme product. what (please tell me, anyone) is the big deal with these insubstantial, oversweetened donuts? (god, what i wouldn't give for a good old-fashioned los angeles vietnamese donut shop on the corner.)

ding ding ding

i agree, patiodog. krispy kreme just entered the canajun market, and the things are naaaaaaaasty - heavy, greasy, too sweet. blechhhh.

give me a nice dry, plain timmy's or a pastry from a chinese or vietnamese bakery any day.

actually, i'm talking about a straight-up american donut. it's a southern california phenomenon that a lot of vietnamese immigrants came and opened up donut shops, usually with a name that includes "yum" or "yummy." and the donuts are excellent.

since it's come up -- used to go to this place in california called the crepe place (lots of wonderful specialty crepes, and 5-stool bar that you could monopolize with a few friends if the timing was right) that made the most wonderful tunisian donut -- pan fried, sprinkled with powedered sugar, about six inches in diameter and served on it's own plate. you could add maple syrup, i think. wonderful.

There's a similar thing here, patiodog - the donut franchises owned by South Asians - very good. The other bit, though, is the donuts made for the Vietnamese bakeries. They are really amazing.

Hi all -- I haven't tasted Krispy Kreme yet, but I plan to try them once just for the heck of it.
Dunkin's are okay, but not as good as I remember them growing up, I still love their coffee though...My favorite donuts are from a local bakery, old fashioned jellies, they are great, but I don't have them often because they just sit in your tummy.

roger -- Thanks for the welcome, it's great being here.

patiodog & ehBeth -- Those donuts you both describe sound lovely.

Joanne -- They went to pink and orange lettering, but right now are using a whole holiday theme box and on their cups, sort of an offshoot of "Candyland" with their product names incorporated. The box has a blue and white pattern background -- Sort of evoking snow at night...

To buy a Dunkin Donuts, you need 600K in liquid assets. Seems like you might need to bake and sell many, many donuts to compensate your cost in starting up in the donut business.

Sounds like Beth and patiodog might like the new orleans beignets (right spelling?).

I don't understand the Krippy Kreme thing either. I so prefer dunkin donuts.

Krispy Kreme is also breaking ground in Cranston R.I.
They had the mobile Donut kitchen (described above) here for only a couple of days and I missed it.

As a long-time donut addict I am looking forward to trying their product. I see that not everyone on this thread likes them but they
have a sensational reputation. They sound like just my kind of donut: sticky, sweet, totally unhealthy.

I have no sympathy for Dunkin Donuts if they are hurt.

I have observed their predatory M.O. for years.

They used to find a Mom and Pop donut shop with a great business and build RIGHT BESIDE THEM or across the street or as close as they could. Then offer special deals that the Mom and Pop couldn't afford to offer. I have seen it over and over. A thriving little business destroyed by the corporate giant sometimes in as little as a few months.

I have yet to try KK but, Im not all that thrilled with going out to try it either. I very very rarely will get a donut to begin with at DD's. I however bow to the croissant sandwiches for hangover relief so, I for one like having DD's on every single corner.

Krispy Kreme is big here in the south. But, Dunkin Donuts is big, too. (DD's coffee is the best!)

KK though, even with their stores, are also vendors to the grocery stores, convenience stores (not 7-11) and Walmart.

I'm not a doughnut person, but KK is famous for extremely light, fluffy and yes, WAY sweet doughnuts.

Light?!?! I never thought of them as light. Hmmm.

I prefer the smaller, locally owned donut shops meself.

Funny..DD's is big in the Home Depots and Grocery stores here...must be a northern thing.
donuts..light??? That would be different.

well, the glazed fluffy DD donuts (can't remember what they're called, just glazed?) are fairly light.

Krispy cream has opened up in Medford Mass.

Why not at Harvard Square?

Well, the KK doughnuts down here are light ~ melt in your mouth light.

DD in Home Depot? What the.....!