Is Dunkin Running Out Of Donuts? Shortages Hit Several US Stores

While America runs on Dunkin', it seems that it might be running out — of its lineup of donuts, that is. Last week, customers in towns across Nebraska were met with signs pasted on their local cafes' doors and drive-thru windows with messages informing them that the pastries weren't available due to a "manufacturing error." Fans based in Albuquerque, New Mexico and the surrounding suburbs have also been experiencing a similar doughnut drought, with some employees citing a supply chain issue while others claimed that delivery trucks arrived without donuts inside. In Omaha, Nebraska, one store manager said, via AP News, that it was a national issue and that Dunkin's corporate headquarters ordered her not to provide information about the cause of the shortage.

Jack D'Amato, a spokesperson for Inspire Brands, the restaurant company that owns Dunkin', offered AP News some explanation, telling them that there was an issue with a single supplier that affected stores in Nebraska and some other states. While D'Amato did not signal the other states impacted, he did note that it encompassed about 4% of Dunkin's total 9,500 locations. Investigations about what caused the issue with the supplier are still underway, but Bryce Bares, the owner of several Dunkin franchise stores in Nebraska, told the Omaha World-Herald that locations had received products that were not up to par. The problem, however, has since been corrected and some stores have already begun restocking their donut shelves.

Dunkin' Donuts announced in 2018 that it'd officially be dropping "donuts" from its name, but it did not suggest any impact on the actual donut's presence. In fact, the new store designs that came along with the rebrand only placed them closer to customers, moving them from the bins behind the register to glass cases.

In the time since, customers and fans have seen the chain transform into a more beverage-led retailer. But, if the public's response to the shortages tells Dunkin' anything, it's that customers aren't ready to let go of the chain's pastries. While Dunkin's corporate team might be focused more on the beverages, customers still expect to get them — and they've also noticed the quality inconsistencies that Bryce Bares claimed caused him to deny those from his stores' supplier. 

Other franchise owners, namely Amir Mohamed, have attempted to explain why Dunkin's donuts have become so inconsistent, stating on TikTok that they often depend on suppliers because the donuts are simply too popular to bake in-house each day. So, because store owners depend so much on their suppliers, Dunkin' is going to have to place some serious pressure on them to maintain the quantity and quality of its donuts. You still need something to "dunk in" to your coffee from Dunkin', after all.