Recipes

Dunkin' Donuts Is Dropping The Second Half Of Its Name

dunkin' donuts name change
Taylor Rock|

Dunkin' Donuts is going the way of Oprah, Madonna and Cher. Yes, the coffee chain is officially saying goodbye to the second half of its name and will now be known just as Dunkin'. Why? Because customers have almost always nixed the latter anyway, even before the introduction of the famous tagline, "America Runs on Dunkin'."

14 Reasons You Should Drink More Coffee

"It's official: We're going by Dunkin' now. After 68 years of America running on Dunkin', we're moving to a first-name basis. Excited to be #BFFstatus with you all," the brand wrote on Twitter.

Along with the name change, Dunkin' is ditching its famous pink and orange "DD" logo for a new logo to be featured on its packaging, advertising, website and social channels. The new branding will also appear in new and remodeled store signage in the U.S. and eventually abroad. These changes are slated to take place in January 2019.

In August, the chain dropped "Donuts" from its name at one new location in Pasadena, California, as part of an experiment. At the time, the company claimed the abbreviation did not constitute rebranding. However, things have clearly changed, though this isn't the first time the chain has changed its logo.

"By simplifying and modernizing our name, while still paying homage to our heritage, we have an opportunity to create an incredible new energy for Dunkin', both in and outside our stores," Dunkin' U.S. chief marketing officer Tony Weisman said in a release. "We are bringing the iconic name Dunkin' to the forefront in a bold way that brings to life how we refill optimism with each cup and bring fun, joy and delight to our customers each and every day."

Consumers seem genuinely happy about the change, although some worry that the rebranding conceals a subliminal message that the store will no longer sell actual doughnuts. That speculation was squashed on Twitter almost immediately.

"Do-nut worry bout a thing. Still slinging those [fire] donuts, as always. And that delish [coffee]. And amaaaazing breakfast sandos. Oh, and [doughnut] [fries] (yeah, you read that right: DONUT. FRIES.)," Dunkin' wrote.

So although the name has changed, the menu stays the same. And whether you call it Dunkin' Donuts or Dunkin', it remains one of the best coffee chains in America.

Recommended