Diversity Does Damage at Dunkin Donuts

I can understand that versatility is about as useful a trait as you can get. But applying human concepts to businesses doesn't always work out as well as one might expect. In this case, I want to highlight the last decade or so at Dunkin Donuts.

The very name of the place implies a -singular- product, albeit of varying flavors. The product itself, doughnuts, tends to be accessorized by coffee, tea, cocoa, and miscellaneous hot and cold beverages, which is perfectly sensible.

In recent years they seem to have run into all sorts of confusion with their business model. The 'Doughnut Hole' idea was an excellent way to start things off, rendering similar variety in miniature to the general public, while appearing to both cut costs and retain the purity of their brand and their stock. And it was good.

Next, they attempted to market their coffee, in an effort to boost sales and distinguish it as something other than a generic sidekick to their product of choice. Considering the long and friendly history between coffee and doughnuts, it came as no real surprise. However, it was also in response to the rising popularity of Starbucks, which had been sweeping off the west coast and across the country. (I still remember the first time I saw one of those. I thought "Oh, fuck. We're doomed". And while it seems that the needless, shameless extravagance that gave birth to the chain was a sign of the times, it's here to stay.) Dunkin' Donuts coffee came into its own, and served well on its own in tandem with the doughnuts.

This is where the chain starts to run into problems, as I've seen it. Following the successful marketing of its coffee as an individual product, the next step was to vary the coffee, again in competition with Starbucks. The myriad variants that popped up, some stuck and some didn't. Iced coffee was a logical step in summertime, and flavored syrups were at least reasonable. But stepping away from doughnuts is a serious problem.

The chain was and still is making an attempt to combat the breakfast (plus all-day) menus of McDonalds and Burger King. Its core concept doesn't have the variety to do it, so they try lateral marketing techniques. Attempting to market breakfast sandwiches, flatbreads/pseudo-panini, etc. however, is merely drawing attention away from the singular thing that made them a nationwide success.

And that's not even taking into account the hideously overhyped 'healthy eating' craze that has staggered mainstream foodservice. How does a doughnut shop fit healthy eating into their image? Not only does it sound false, but it also eats away at the establishment's credibility from both ends, causing doubts about their healthy offerings and worries about decreased quality of their product of choice.

"Time to make the doughnuts" was good. Now it's "America Runs on Dunkin", because the core of the company is out of fashion. I just hope they hang on long enough to return to basics, and start giving me the best doughnuts money can buy... again.