If you stopped by a Dunkin’ recently and noticed the shelves looking a bit bare, you were not alone. A temporary supply issue left some Dunkin’ locations across the U.S. without doughnuts last week, leaving customers disappointed. Let’s look at what caused the shortage, which stores were impacted, and what Dunkin’ is doing to fix it.
Why did Dunkin’ run out of doughnuts?
The doughnut shortage was caused by a manufacturing error with one of Dunkin’s suppliers. According to a Dunkin’ spokesperson, “A single-supplier issue temporarily impacted some locations in a handful of states.” While the problem was resolved in most places quickly, a few stores experienced delays in restocking.
The company assured customers in a statement that “less than one percent of Dunkin’ locations are currently still impacted, and we are actively working to restock those locations.”
Which Dunkin’ stores were affected?
Reports of doughnut shortages came from several states, including:
- Nebraska: Stores in Omaha, Lincoln, and Grand Island were hit hardest, with signs on their doors explaining the issue.
- New Mexico: Some branches across the state also reported running out of doughnuts.
- Colorado: A few locations, as reported by Denver’s KDVR, were also affected.
If you visited one of these locations, you may have seen signs at drive-thru kiosks or store entrances informing you of the shortage.
How long did the doughnut shortage last?
Thankfully, the shortage was temporary. Dunkin’ confirmed that the majority of locations had been restocked within a few days. By the time the issue was reported, most affected stores were already back to serving their usual selection of doughnuts.
For stores that were still waiting, Dunkin’ assured customers that inventory would be replenished soon.
Did other doughnut chains face similar issues?
If you were tempted to head to a competitor, you were in luck. Other major chains, such as Krispy Kreme, were not affected by similar supply issues.
Dave Skena, Chief Growth Officer at Krispy Kreme, shared in a statement, “At Krispy Kreme, we make our doughnuts fresh from scratch every day at shops all across the country. We do not rely on other manufacturers for the awesome doughnuts we serve our guests.”
This might explain why Krispy Kreme locations continued to serve their full menu without interruption.
What is Dunkin’ doing to prevent future shortages?
Dunkin’ has not specified what changes they will implement to ensure that this situation does not happen again, but it is highly likely that they will be looking into their supplier processes. What this means for the clients is that you can expect everything to go back to normal.
Whether you are an everyday fan of Dunkin’ or just an occasional client who needs to have a cup of coffee and a doughnut, it is nice to know orders will be up to full customer capacity. Hopefully, this was just a small bump in the road for doughnut lovers.
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