Dunkin’ Donuts is mounting a push for snack business with its introduction of the Dunkin’ Run menu, a collection of sweet and savory items priced at $2 each.
The lineup, debuting Monday, is part of the doughnut chain’s efforts to generate higher afternoon sales. The five new food items are positioned as add-ons for afternoon beverage runs, already a habit for some core customers, according to Dunkin’ executives. They also note that the new items were developed specifically as complements to Dunkin’ beverages.
The array includes products considerably far afield from doughnuts. The savory selections include chicken tenders coated in sweet waffle batter (two per order), pretzel bites served with a spicy brown mustard, and taquito-like ham-and-cheese rollups.
Also on the new menu are doughnut fries, or churro-like sticks of croissant dough that were introduced separately earlier this summer, and what Dunkin’ says is its first gluten-free product: a fudge brownie.
In a meeting earlier this year with investors, Dunkin’ officials cited the Dunkin’ Run menu as a key part of the chain’s Blueprint for Growth, a comprehensive strategic plan that calls for the brand’s repositioning as a beverage-first convenience option. The objective cited at that time was to entice customers to pop for the $2 treats as a complement to their afternoon, midmorning or late-night beverage purchases.
Separately, the chain is bringing back a limited-time product more in line with its heritage: a s’mores doughnut, which will be available through the summer.
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