Creepy!

Dunkin' Donuts is also tailoring the cash register ads to your specific purchase. If you buy a breakfast sandwich, you can expect an ad prompting you to return "for a coffee break in the afternoon" to "try an oven-toasted pizza." The system is already in place at two Buffalo, NY locations.

More creepiness from the WSJ:

In a separate test, Procter & Gamble is placing radio-frequency identification tags on products at a Metro Extra retail store in Germany so that when a customer pulls the product off the shelf, a digital screen at eye level changes its message. When a consumer picks out a shampoo for a particular type of hair, for instance, the screen recommends the most appropriate conditioner or other hair products, says John Paulson, president of G2 Interactive, a digital-marketing arm of WPP Group's G2 Network.

This comes as advertisers are spending more of their ad dollars on in-store marketing. Audience fragmentation and the waning power of television ads are forcing marketers to make their pitches and tout their brands when and where consumers are closer to making a purchase: in the store.

The WSJ says that the companies experimenting with this kind of technology "hope to ward off any potential privacy issues by not capturing and storing any personally identifiable information about consumers." What do you think? Is this an invasion of your privacy? Or would you rather see more relevant ads?

The Ad Changes With the Shopper In Front of It [WSJ]
(Photo: stirwise )

Sigh. How are you supposed to "collect the codes found on Dunkin' cold beverages and then enter them online for a chance to win great prizes instantly!?" The bastards.

CR says that an average cup of coffee has about 100mg of caffeine. While all decaf will have some caffeine, there are no laws that dictate how much caffeine is allowed in decaffeinated coffee.

Their results,

More than half of our decafs had less than 5 mg of caffeine, but some had quite a bit more. One of the six cups from Dunkin' Donuts had 32 mg; one from Seattle's Best had 29 mg; and one from Starbucks had 21 mg. Levels of caffeine in the decaffeinated coffees we tested varied within chains, but in our sample, McDonald's decaf consistently had less than 5 mg.

Our shoppers bought caffeinated coffee at the same chains, and we found a surprise there, too. Caffeine per cup ranged from 58 mg to 281 mg, providing less or more of a java jolt than you might expect.

We suppose it would be more correct to call the stuff "partially decaffeinated" coffee. If you are someone who is trying to avoid caffeine, you might want to limit yourself to one cup of decaf per day and not drink any before bed. Of course, most of our readers would probably prefer a caffeine IV if such a thing existed.

Is it really decaf? [Consumer Reports]

Carolyn writes:

I walked into the Dunkin' Donuts and there were three people ahead of me in line. The first two were two girls, who were together. One asked for a free iced coffee, and the guy behind the counter asked her for ID.

She asked why he needed it, and he responded that she had to be over 18 to receive the free coffee. She asked if he was serious, and said she didn't have any ID.

At that point, those of us behind her in line started saying that we'd never heard of that rule, and I said that I'm a high school teacher and many of my 14-year-old students today had gotten free iced coffee.

He replied that he didn't make the rules, and the girls left.

The woman ahead of me and I then pulled out our IDs to get our coffee, but he said he didn't need to see them, it was just that those girls looked so young to him.

How odd! Let's look at Dunkin' Donuts Brand Marketing Officer Frances Allen's description of free iced coffee day:

We look forward to treating everyone to a free cup of our delicious, freshly brewed iced coffee on May 15.

Not everyone who look over 18. Not everyone with ID. Everyone!

We called the Dunkin' Donuts on 2nd Avenue and said that we were 17 and in need of free iced coffee. They told us to get lost, adults only. For the hell of it, we called two more Dunkin' Donuts' down the block. Neither is carding customers, and one told us to "bring the kids."

According to the corporate office, free iced coffee day is for everyone. They're trying to track down the franchisee to work out a solution. Another free iced coffee day seems in order. Kids only.

(Photo: cheesebikini)

Dunkin' Donuts has sued other franchise owners 154 times since 2006. Over the same stretch of time, McDonald's was involved in five lawsuits. And Subway, a company that has four times the number of locations as Dunkin' Donuts, sued its franchises 12 times.

The consequences of this are real, personal and painful. The owners of these stores - who overwhelmingly tend to be immigrants - lose their entire life's work.
 
Maybe America runs on Dunkin', but Dunkin' itself is a corporate giant that runs on the sweat of franchisees large and small.
 
We small franchisees have just about been sweated out.

"Can I have some ice water?"
"No ice water, read the sign."
"Ok then, how about an empty cup?"
"No."
"Why not, it's not on the sign?"
"Get out! I call cops!"
"I'm coming back with my boxcutter, just as soon as my friend is done using it to hold up struggling musicians."
Door slams.
"Damn, we need to make a more comprehensive sign."

Annnd scene. Hey, at least they're celebrating earth day by reusing the buy 6 donuts get 6 free signs.

Free H20 In Any State, Won't Be Served At Dunkin' Donuts [ANIMAL]

Earlier you said to me, the media has made such a huge deal about all of Starbucks' competition. So tell us straight out what the story is here. Have you been hurt by the premium coffee sold at McDonald's (MCD) or by Dunkin' Donuts getting more aggressive?

"First off, I don't think there's premium coffee being sold at those fast-food places..."

"Second, this is not about the competition. Our customers are not buying a hamburger and fries and then going to get espresso. That's not the case. What is the case is that there's a downturn in the economy. As a result, people are coming in less often than they did a year ago. But we control our own destiny. And what we strongly believe is if we take care of our customers, produce the kind of product that is distinctive, and exceed their expectations, we're going to be in great shape. But we're going to couple that with relentless innovation that you'll begin to see in the marketplace in the months ahead. Uh-oh! That's not what Consumer Reports says! From Consumer Reports' fast food coffee taste test:

McDonald's, $1.35, was decent and moderately strong. Although it lacked the subtle top notes needed to make it rise and shine, it had no flaws.

Burger King, $1.40, looked like coffee but tasted more like hot water. It was a little sour, with an unusual hint of chocolate.

Dunkin' Donuts, $1.65, was weak, watery, and pricier than Starbucks. It was inoffensive, but it had no oomph. (If you brew with Dunkin' beans at home, you can make it stronger.)

Starbucks, $1.55, was strong, but burnt and bitter enough to make your eyes water instead of open.

CR's take. Try McDonald's, which was cheapest and best, or make your own coffee—just call it something special. The other three were all only OK, but for different reasons.

Howard Schultz on Reinventing Starbucks [BusinessWeek via Starbucks Gossip]
Starbucks wars [Consumer Reports]

(Photo: Seth W.)

Doughnuts cooked with cottonseed oil had a bad aftertaste. The 100 percent palm oil bled right through the pastry, leaving an oily mess on Dunkin's signature pink tray paper. Anyone daring enough to try one discovered a dry, yet waxy dough with a distinct flavor of palm. Nearby employees who were developing other products in the research lab would curse at them, LeClair recalled, yelling "Are you crazy?" after the team left out batches of the mystery doughnuts for them to try.

Dunkin's research and development manager, Rick Golden, one of the few people in the know, slept with his cellphone by his pillow every night during the trial, waiting for someone to call with a doughnut crisis. No one did.

Baking with the new oil blend, a deeper shade of brown than the old one, costs less than a penny more per doughnut. Dunkin' says it is not recommending a price increase, but the decision is up to franchisees.

"Whether a trans-fat-free doughnut is going to increase sales or not, it doesn't matter. If your competitors are making claims about trans fats, you just have to be on the right side of the issue. It's like keeping up with the Joneses," said Ron Paul, president of Technomic Inc., a food industry consulting group in Chicago.

The long, secret journey to a healthier donut [Boston Globe]
(Photo:Morton Fox)

"It's good news that they're dropping most, if not quite all, trans fat," said Jeff Cronin, spokesman for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a Washington-based nonprofit. "If Dunkin' Donuts can do that, anyone can."

But Cronin cautioned that when it comes to Dunkin's doughnuts, "we're still talking about a food that's mostly white flour, sugar, and fat."

Donuts may not be health food yet, but at least they are no longer such potent heart attack bait. Now if only they would tell us how calories they contain...

Dunkin' Donuts Going Free Of Trans Fat [AP]
(Photo: makelessnoise)

The result is hilarious. From NEW YORK STATE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION VS NEW YORK CITY BOARD OF HEALTH:

Dunkin' Donuts submitted a sample menu board in an attempt to demonstrate that calorie information would not fit along with price information. From that sample, the Department's director of graphics produced a replica of the menu board with comparable fonts and layout to demonstrate that calories could be listed easily and visibly, as shown in the illustrations below, and in Mr. Krueger's declaration.. These modifications, as well as the earlier examples, provide clear evidence that calorie listings required by the regulations are feasible to implement with basic graphic design techniques.

Dunkin' Donut's sample menu is on the left, NYC's on the right. We were initially skeptical of this regulation, but have to admit that the Subway menu looks really nice and doesn't seem weird or gross at all. And, since the regulation only applies to big restaurant chains who have already had their nutritional info calculated... We fail to see what the big deal is. For background on what the regulation is and who it applies to, click here.

New York State Restaurant Association VS New York Board of Heath, New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, (Legal Brief, PDF) [CSPI]

PREVIOUSLY: NYC Restaurant Group Sues Over Nutritional Info Regulation

From Time:

If it weren't for the pink door handle shaped like the letter D at the new Dunkin' Donuts shop in Sarasota, Fla., you might think you had stumbled into a Starbucks. Bags of beans and oversize coffee mugs near the door? Check. A waiting area for lattes and cappuccinos? Check. Heck, there's even free wi-fi and a rack of gift cards by the register.

This is the Dunkin' Donuts of the future, a chic space with soaring ceilings and earth-toned walls that will be the prototype for every new store the 57-year-old chain opens. "We're not a sleepy little New England company anymore," says Dunkin' Brands CEO Jon Luther, 63. Sure, they'll still have time to make the doughnuts for your morning commute, but Luther thinks the slightly musty chain is ready to take on the industry giants—Starbucks and McDonald's—on their turf. He started small, rolling out espresso drinks in 2003; they now account for 5% of sales. Next he plans to triple the number of U.S. stores, to 15,000, by 2020; expand the menu with pizza and flatbread sandwiches; and give the stores a much-needed makeover.

Where's Denis Leary when you need him? "You took the donut, you dunked it in the coffee, thus the #%@$% title of the place."—MEGHANN MARCO

Brand New Buzz [Time]
(Photo: Qfamily)

In other news, for those of your on the east coast: Rita's Italian Ice is giving away a free "Regular Italian Ice" at all of their locations. —MEGHANN MARCO

Rita's Italian Ice (Thanks, Steve!)
(Photo: Cmorran123)

On Wednesday, March 21, the official first day of spring, Dunkin' Donuts will host its first-ever all day, nationwide "Free Iced Coffee Day."

For 24 hours on March 21, customers can visit any participating Dunkin' Donuts restaurant in the country and receive a free 16 oz. cup of Dunkin' Donuts' premium iced coffee, which is double-brewed to ensure full flavor with every cup.

Dunkin' Donuts Puts Winter "On Ice" by Heralding First Day of Spring With First-Ever Nationwide "Free Iced Coffee Day" [Dunkin' Donuts]
(Photo: Maulleigh)

• More 24 hour locations.

• Extended hours at non-24 hour locations.

• Longer breakfast hours. Perhaps breakfast all day.

• McCafes that sell espressos and premium baked goods.

Other chains are getting in on the fun as well. Wendy's is testing a breakfast menu at 120 stores. Dunkin' Donuts plans to triple its stores and offer menus that include "breakfast pizza." The future of fast food depends on longer hours, more menu options, and more breakfast! —MEGHANN MARCO

McDonald's 24/7 [Business Week]

The Times goes on to give some examples of ads that have appeared on mobile phones in the past. "The ads have tended to involve simple banners or text messages, like those connected to the "American Idol" show, in which consumers are urged to send in a vote. Or they have offered digital coupons, like those that allow Dunkin' Donut customers to show a coupon on their phone at the counter to get a 99 cent latte."

Wow, a latte. So what is the future of cell phone advertising? "David Goodrich, director of digital for the West Coast region for OMD, an ad agency, said he did not believe mobile advertising could be particularly effective until marketers could regularly and easily buy space for video clips.

Advertisers "are crazed to get information" onto the phones, Mr. Goodrich said. But the effectiveness "will be really limited until you've enabled site[sic], sound and motion."

Fantastic, we can not properly express the rage we will feel if our cell phone ever plays a video clip that shills Dunkin' Donuts Lattes while we're just trying to check the weather. Sigh. Are we alone on this? —MEGHANN MARCO

Verizon to Allow Ads on Its Mobile Phones [New York Times]

From the Brand Autopsy blog: "Seems as though loyal Dunkin' customers didn't enjoy the atmosphere, didn't like all the laptop-using customers hogging the tables, didn't appreciate the tall/grande/venti lingo, and didn't understand why someone would pay $4 for a cup of coffee."

Despite all of this, though, Dunkin' Donuts has decided to ape Starbucks' pretensions, installing granite topped counters, playing jazz and classical music in-store, installing gleaming pastry cases and selling paninis under the far more appetizing pseudonym "stuffed melt."

We have to admit, we don't get it either. Coming from a small Boston suburb, our friends who preferred 'Dunkies' tended to be metal head stoners turned construction workers, or pool sharks looking for some coffee at 2am to squeeze one more game out of their fatigued, pot-bellied frame. Our friends who preferred Starbucks, on the other hand, tended to be doofus hipsters.

While we'd personally prefer to spend our coffee breaks in a ponderous armchair, winking at barrista chicas while lazily eyeballing a paperback copy of De Tocquesville, we certainly can understand why many people prefer a more utilitarian and down-to-earth experience when it comes to their coffee. Given Dunkin' Donuts' clientele, why they aren't accentuating the differences as opposed to trying to conform to them is an absolute mystery. Yet another reason to go to Krispy Kreme.

Hey Dunkin' ... Accentuate the Hate! [Brand Autopsy]

He was 83, or 6.9 dozen.

'Time to make the doughnuts' actor dies [CNN]