The Downfall of Dunkin

Published 1 year ago -


By Tyler Cullen, Copy Editor

          It is no surprise to most students by now that Dunkin has been replaced by a Caribou coffee.  Being the Dunkin loyalist that every good New Englander is, to me, this was devastating.  In fact, I was so disappointed to the point where I made it a point to avoid the new Caribou coffee shop for three weeks.  For some reason the thought of Dunkin being on campus was somewhat comforting because even as Assumption became a University the familiarity of Dunkin coffee remained, at least until now.  For many students, including myself, Dunkin was always a safe bet for coffee, snacks and much more.  It was old reliable and each customer knew what to expect from Dunkin because the products remained the same and were consistent at just about every location.

            Now eventually my petty Caribou boycott came to an end for a multitude of reasons.  Firstly, as much as I am a Dunkin diehard, like most college students the need for caffeine comes first.  Especially with all the hustle and bustle associated with campus life, sometimes you just do not have the luxury to pick and choose where you get your coffee.  Secondly, I had discovered the fact that Caribou allows students to use points whereas in the past Dunkin did not.  This information was music to my ears, but I also quickly came to the realization of how dangerous this dynamic was for my dining dollar balance.  Finally, one of the last aspects of the new coffee shop that pushed me to try it was the fact that it seems extremely popular.  Everytime I have walked by to observe over the past few weeks there has always been a massive line.  Now this could just be because service is slow, but at the same time I also see many students with Caribou coffee and other menu items.  

          Now I understand I am for sure biased towards Dunkin, and I always will be.  Dunkin was where I had my first coffee ever and I have been drinking it most of my adult life so keep that in mind.  However, when I tried Caribou for the first time ever it was not that bad.  In fact, I ordered it a second time the day after to try a different coffee order.  One was a mocha, the other was a latte and both looked okay and tasted fine.  Now of course Caribou is not Dunkin, but at the same time I am trying to give them the benefit of the doubt.  Also, the food seemed solid and actually tasted pretty good.  On the other hand, even though everything was great the prices and sizes were not the most college friendly.  Unfortunately, Caribou costs more than Dunkin and their largest iced coffee size looks about the same as a Dunkin medium iced coffee.  The size and price of the product is just one concern that I have with Caribou.

         Moving on, some other concerns would be the size of the line, as well as the overall service.  Due to the fact that Caribou is new on campus it’s employees will have to get used to the environment and make adjustments based on the demand for their product. I started writing this article originally with the intent to really tear into Caribou.  Now while I would still prefer Dunkin I think Caribou could become a much welcomed change.  Perhaps if it continues the success it has had it may even become an Assumption staple.  Overall, even though I was skeptical at first I am willing to give Caribou a try for now even though losing Dunkin has been tough.

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