News

Dunkin’ Donuts goes full IHop, announces name change. Fans are totally confused.

September 26, 2018 | | Print Article

Dunkin’ Donuts had barely made its name change announcement before fans far and wide unleashed a protest.

“After 68 years of America running on Dunkin’, we’re moving to a first-name basis,” the company declared Tuesday, signaling the decision to drop the name of its signature product.

The rebrand was announced Tuesday as the chain moves ahead with the official name Dunkin’ beginning in January, when “Donuts” will be dropped from ads, packages, social media accounts and and signs at new and remodeled stores.

“Dunkin’ Donuts has been on a first-name basis with its fans long before the introduction of its iconic tagline,” the company said in a news release Tuesday, citing the “America Runs on Dunkin’” campaign.

“Our new branding is one of many things we are doing as part of our blueprint for growth to modernize the Dunkin’ experience for our customers,” Dunkin’ Brands’ CEO and Dunkin’ U.S. President David Hoffmann said in a statement.

The familiar orange-and-pink color scheme that the company has used since 1973 will be retained and the logo will still bear the “DD” which seemed to confuse some fans.

And while donuts will not be touted in the name, noting that 60 percent of the chain’s sales are beverage-driven, the company promised that “as the #1 retailer of donuts in America, selling more than 2.9 billion donuts and MUNCHKINS® donut hole treats annually worldwide, each Dunkin’ restaurant is required to make the most popular donuts available every day.”

Beginning as a coffee restaurant in Quincy, Massachusetts called “Open Kettle” in 1948, founder William Rosenberg eventually renamed his restaurant “Dunkin’ Donuts” in 1950.  The chain now boasts more than 12,600 locations worldwide in 46 countries.

But its decision to refresh the brand with “a simplified menu, a greater emphasis on beverages” mobile ordering and  Dunkin’s next generation design concept, is not sitting well with loyal customers amid changes other companies have made recently.

Most notably, IHOP temporarily changing its name as a marketing gimmick to IHOb, for “International House of Burgers,” earned the pancake chain much backlash. Weight Watchers announced this week that it was now “WW,” claiming people want to focus on wellness, not just weight loss.

Dunkin’ seems pretty confident in its new strategy, planning to launch 1,000 new US stores by the end of 2020, executives told reporters Tuesday. It has already tested out a store using the new name in Pasadena, California and in Massachusetts.

But it’s going to take some convincing as some Dunkin’ Donuts fans have already declared they will “not comply.”

DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW

Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!

$10
$15
$25
$50
Other
$
Success! Thank you for donating. Please share BPR content to help combat the lies.
Frieda Powers
Latest posts by Frieda Powers (see all)

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

PLEASE JOIN OUR NEW COMMENT SYSTEM! We love hearing from our readers and invite you to join us for feedback and great conversation. If you've commented with us before, we'll need you to re-input your email address for this. The public will not see it and we do not share it.

Latest Articles