Dunkin’ Closing 450 Locations By End Of 2020

If that headline sent you into a panic, calm down, take a deep breath, and relax - Dunkin isn't closing any of their stand-alone locations. They are, however, closing 450 of their locations that are part of Speedway gas stations by the end of 2020.

Dunkin (who dropped the "Donuts" from their brand name last year) made the announcement on The Today Show. Dunkin's Chief Financial Officer Kate Jaspon said

By exiting these sites, we are confident we will be better positioned to serve these trade areas with Dunkin’s newest Next Generation restaurant design that offers a broader menu and modern experience. We also remain committed to growing our presence in gas and convenience locations, as well as other non-traditional locations, including airports, universities, travel plazas and military installations.

That's a big long way of saying "the Dunkin locations inside gas stations are small, have a limited menu, and make quality control harder."

There are ten Speedway gas stations in Ocean and Monmouth Counties. None of those gas stations are part of my daily commute, but a quick check on Google Maps makes it look like only two of those ten spots still have a Dunkin. If you visit the Dunkin inside Speedway at the Jackson location on Bennetts Mills Road or the Silverton location on Hooper Avenue, you'll need to get your Dunkin fix elsewhere. There are about a million Dunkin locations in our area, so it might take an extra minute, but you won't have trouble getting your daily coffee and donut or sandwich.

While most of the 450 locations have not yet shut down donut operations, they will all be closed by the end of the year.