Dunkin’ Donuts opened a new location recently in Quincy sporting some of Dunkin’ Donuts’ “next generation concepts.”
The location is simply being called “Dunkin’” due to their parent company’s “plans to develop a new restaurant image [and] to put more emphasis on drinks,” according to CNN. Dunkin’ Brands, Inc., has stated plans to open 30 of these “next generation concept” stores, but this Quincy location is the first look at what these stores will look like.
Dunkin’ is home to a number of new features, chief among which is their tap system. Simpler drinks, such as the Dunkin’ Decaf, Green Tea, and Dunkin’s Cold Brew, have been hooked up to their new tap system along with another drink special to Dunkin’ chains: The Nitro.
The Nitro is a more advanced cold brew drink that gets its name from the nitrogen bubbles used to chill the drink. The result is a “smooth, frothy cold brew, with a cool cascading visual effect to it,” says James Callahan, a current junior at Eastern Nazarene College. However, this drink is only offered in a small size due to how the nitrogen causes the caffeine heavy cold brew to pack a bigger punch than your typical espresso.
Dunkin’ Donuts’ new tap system, featured at the new Quincy location. (Credit: Toan Nguyen)
The Dunkin’ location also features outlets at every table. Callahan says, “The sleek and elegant design of the place makes it perfect for studying.” A fellow junior at ENC, Caleb Vatral, agrees, stating, “It’s unusually quiet for a Dunkin’ Donuts location.”
This new Dunkin’ is also specifically tailored to expediting people with the DD Perks app with an extra drive-thru lane specifically for DD Perks members. The interior also has a mobile pickup spot for those ordering through the app.
Even without the DD Perks app, it usually only takes a minute to get your coffee at this location. Andrew Snodderly, a senior at ENC, states “I’d order my coffee, turn around and they’d be handing it to me. Its way faster than any other Dunkin’ Donuts.”
Dunkin’ has other features not yet open to the public. The site is still renovating a side room that appears to be more of a lounge space. It contains a large sign that states “Fueled by Positive Energy” in the room’s center, a result from a partnership with Life Is Good Company who has provided Dunkin’ employees with new uniforms sporting similar slogans of positivity. A few lounge chairs are also visible in the unopened space; this leads one to believe that Dunkin’ is hoping to become more of a communal coffee place similar to the likes of Starbucks.
Some people are dissatisfied with these changes. One senior at Eastern Nazarene, Oksana DiCamillo, says, “I don’t like that. They’ re trying to be more like Starbucks. They’re known for donuts; they should stick with that.”
The site is also home to a relic for Dunkin’s fans. A photo of the original Dunkin’ Donuts location hangs above the main table in this establishment. But you don’t have to settle for a photo. If you travel straight from Eastern to this new Dunkin’, you pass the site of the original Dunkin’ Donuts on the way.