Dunkin' Had A Completely Different Name When It First Started

Long before establishing its multinational coffee and donut empire, Dunkin' once operated under an entirely different name. The company was founded in 1948 by Bill Rosenberg, a shipyard worker born in Dorchester, Massachusetts. During WWII, Rosenberg noticed a lack of quality restaurants for blue-collar workers to eat lunch, and, taking advantage of the opportunity, opened a small food truck in nearby Quincy. The food truck was quite a success, allowing Rosenberg to open a proper restaurant nearby. This wouldn't be a carbon copy of the old location, though, as Rosenberg noticed that over 50% of his sales were from coffee and donuts. As such, his new restaurant, called Open Kettle, would only feature coffee and donuts, with a cup of coffee costing 10 cents and a donut priced at 5 cents.

In 1950, just two years after Open Kettle opened its doors, Rosenberg changed the restaurant's name to the now-iconic Dunkin' Donuts. This name change came after he noticed his customers frequently "dunking" their donuts into their coffee. Dunkin' opened its first franchise in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1955, and by 1963, the chain had opened over 100 locations. Some of Dunkin's most beloved menu items, including Munchkins and muffins, debuted in the '70s as the brand continued to grow rapidly. Dunkin's original Quincy location, once known as Open Kettle, can still be visited today, with orange and purple bar stools, donut-shaped tables, and a retro sign adorning the building's exterior.

In September 2018, Dunkin' Donuts announced it would be rebranding as Dunkin' beginning in January 2019. With new cups, a new logo, and a new menu, the rebranding was ironically done for the opposite reason as Open Kettle. While donuts remain a staple of Dunkin's menu, the chain hopes that the new name will reflect its modern consumers who have been craving healthier foods and on-the-go beverages and snacks. Also, by removing the "Donuts" from its name, Dunkin' hopes to emphasize its wide variety of coffee offerings, putting it more in line with its biggest competitor, Starbucks.

While the days of Open Kettle might be over, it's clear that the coffee giant isn't going anywhere soon. Today, the company boasts over 13,000 stores and a Dunkin' can be found in all but seven U.S. states. But despite having all those locations, Dunkin' still uses a rigorous process to ensure its coffee is top-notch no matter where in the world you go.