A lot has changed since Bill Rosenberg opened the first Dunkin’ Donuts in 1950. Today, they are the nation’s leading baked-goods-and-coffee chain restaurant, serving more than 3 million customers each day. Their mission states everything they do is for the customer, and that “we strive to keep you at your best, and we remain loyal to you, your tastes and your time. That’s what America runs on.”
If they’re so loyal, how can they change their name on us?
A Donut by Any Other Name Is Just as Sweet
Until 2015, only two Dunkin’ Donuts existed in California, but that doesn’t mean people love the chain any less than customers in other states. Californians love the donut chain so much they’re willing to wait hours for a chance to get a coffee and some Munchkins.
Dunkin’ Donuts has been quickly building new shops in California for the last few years, and now they are going to treat their West Coast customers to another treat: testing out a possible name change.
The company is thinking about rebranding and dropping “donut” from its name. This seems sacrilegious for a place that has over 70 varieties of donuts available. A spokesperson for the restaurant says they want to move in a direction that showcases their drinks, not just their tasty treats.
“While we remain the number one retailer of donuts in the country, as part of our efforts to reinforce that Dunkin’ Donuts is a beverage-led brand and coffee leader, we will be testing signage in a few locations that refer to the brand simply as ‘Dunkin’.”
Everybody Stay Calm
The donuts aren’t going anywhere. While some people are freaking out over the name change, Dunkin’ Donuts doesn’t appear to be worried. Their tagline “America
This name change is just one part of a large redesign project of the chain. The company is changing the layout of their stores and creating a more streamlined menu and feel. Dunkin’ wants to become more efficient and known as a beverage-on-the-go brand.
They Aren’t The First To Mix Things Up
It’s not completely out of the ordinary for companies to change their names or styles. Some of the most famous and successful businesses have gone through major rebranding at one point or another—and their original names were almost always terrible.
Did you know Google didn’t always go by that name? When Larry Page and Sergey Brin started collaborating back in 1996, they had no idea their creation would become the most used search engine in the world. That was apparent through the name they initially chose: BackRub.
BackRub was only around for about a year before Page and Brin came up with the now infamous Google title. Can you imagine using BackRub.com to look up recipes or to find the nearest Dunkin’ Donuts? Neither can we.
Anyway, soon, you might have to search for “Dunkin'” when you’re looking for a cup of coffee in a new town. The full name might be history.
