POLL: Would You Welcome an Extra Dunkin' Donuts in Arlington?
Arlington loves talking about coffee. With Starbucks prices hiking and Dunkin' Donuts expanding, would you welcome another DD store in town?
Arlington loves coffee.
That much became clear when we asked you if Starbucks' price hike would change your coffee-drinking habits and received 283 responses in just a few hours.
About 43 percent of responders said, "I've had enough of these incremental price hikes everywhere I look; I'm drawing the line and switching to a cheaper brew."
But could that new brew be one of Arlington's three Dunkin' Donuts locations? Now we're not so sure.
When Arlington Patch first reported that Dunkin Donuts will be doubling its locations in the United States over the next 20 years, we received a few negative responses via Facebook.
The question was: "Would you welcome more Dunkin' Donuts locations in Arlington?"
"NO!!! We have enough!!" wrote Jennifer Smith.
Timothea Sugrue Frost also said no. "But a good donut shop would be nice, along the line of Verna's," she added.
"Well, it's nice that I have 3 of them within walking distance of my house, but wouldn't it be nicer to have one across the street?" Shannon Dillon wrote. "I could just shout my order from my bedroom window."
"Still not sure why a McDonald's isn't acceptable to the citizenry, but Dunkin' Donuts is," Susan Ruderman added. "In any case, 3 DDs and 2 *bux in a town of 5 square miles seems like enough."
According to Los Angeles-based industry research firm IBISWorld, Dunkin' Donuts has roughly 23% of the coffee and snack-shop market. Starbucks is a 32.6-percent of the market share.
In Arlington, Dunkin' Donuts has three locations: 101 Broadway, 21 Summer St. and 1234 Massachusetts Ave.
What are your thoughts? Would you welcome more Dunkin' Donuts locations in Arlington? Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
Mary T
6:18 am on Friday, January 6, 2012
Why not! How many pizza joints and Asian restaurants are there? You can never get enough Dunks coffee. I wish it would bump Starbucks out of the Heights.
Roslyn Smith
7:25 am on Friday, January 6, 2012
There are atually four stores - you forgot 369 Mass Ave
S L L
8:01 am on Friday, January 6, 2012
No. Dunkin donuts coffee is horrible. It's weak and watery. Starbucks isn't wonderful, but at least I know e I'm drinking coffee. Plus, if you just buy a regular coffee and not all those high calorie fat-laden specialty coffees, the price is the same. That being said, I'd pay more for a Starbucks coffee than be forced to drink a Dunkins.
Ed White
11:29 am on Friday, January 6, 2012
Well stated.
inthegloaming
2:56 pm on Friday, January 6, 2012
Agreed. But when I want a fast breakfast sandwich, Dunkies taste better than Starbux. So I have them put a "turbo shot" (strong espresso) in their usual weak/watery, and the taste improves to almost Starbux level. And so does the price. :-)
Christine Carney
10:02 am on Friday, January 6, 2012
I like Dunkin's, but 4 is enough for a town this size.
Ed White
11:28 am on Friday, January 6, 2012
We have 4 DDs now. Do we need 5 Dunkin's shops all selling, in my opinion, week coffee and junk food? With 2 Starbucks both frequently with long lines, I don't think another of those should open either. We have enough chain restaurants sucking money out of the community...
inthegloaming
2:57 pm on Friday, January 6, 2012
They couldn't "suck money out of the community" if the community votes with their dollars/feet and doesn't frequent them. It's not like we don't have a choice.
inthegloaming
2:59 pm on Friday, January 6, 2012
Another Dunkies? I don't care either way. If people are frequenting them -- that is, voting with their feet/dollars by buying their stuff -- then I'd say the market will decide if another one is "needed." Or even welcome. I happen to prefer Starbux myself: you can choose the strength and the flavor of your coffee, without having to put sugar syrup in to change the taste.
Kevin
8:14 pm on Tuesday, January 17, 2012
NO!! Angelinas Pastry is much better and they are locally owned and operated!