Dunkin’ Donuts Is Paring Down the Menu at 1,000 New England Locations

Dunkin Donuts coffee Photo by m01229 on Flickr/Creative Commons

It might be time to rethink your regular order at Dunkin’ Donuts. The mega-chain is simplifying the menu at 1,000 Massachusetts and Rhode Island locations this year, the Boston Globe reports.

No Boston-market shops will be affected at this point, but stores in Bristol County, the Providence area, and elsewhere will stop carrying a range of favorites.

“We are testing a streamlined menu emphasizing our signature beverages and food in a limited number of markets,” company spokesperson Michelle King said in a statement. The goal of taking some options off the table is to expedite service, she added. “The test is designed to gather valuable feedback from consumers, franchisees and their employees to help inform future menu decisions.”

Extensive consumer research showed the company that customers find Dunkin’ Donuts current menu to be “complex and confusing,” King told the Globe.

The changes will begin August 7, and by the end of October, affected locations could be out of afternoon sandwiches (Dunks makes afternoon sandwiches?), honey bran muffins, whole wheat bagels, flavor shots, smoothies, cookies, and more.

Obviously, this upsets some Dunks regulars, likely some of the same people who require an entirely non-biodegradable styrofoam cup to insulate their disposable plastic cup of iced coffee.

Change is hard. If you do need to refresh your coffee routine, other local chains and independent cafés have iced coffee upgrades aplenty. You can find fresh bagels at the Boston Public Market, Bagelsaurus, and beyond, and hearty sandwiches—essential, nostalgic, even vegetarian—are pretty much everywhere.

And rest assured: A crullah and an extra lahge will always be available.