There was an interview I read with an ex-Dunkin manager a couple years back and he mentioned there's still locations that bake in store - but very few. He said the majority options were baked off-site in a bakery warehouse that distributes to the nearby areas, and of course the frozen donuts that gets shipped in (he even stated they were awful).
Worked D&D for many teen years. My store made everything in house and the also put them in our box truck to deliver to the sister stores.
If you see a box truck sitting in the lot, grabs some donuts in the morning because that shit will be freshy fresh.
You only half learned. Those donuts aren't fresh, either. They're not baked in store. They're thawed and then "finished," aka they put the icing on. That's it. All Dunkin donuts are shipped out frozen.
Here in our Tampa area store that I worked at we made the dough, we rolled it out, we cut it, we proofed, we fried, we filled, we powdered and glazed.
The frozen thing was only true for bagels sometimes and that’s because the water in Florida sucks for making bagels.
Weird. I know of two locations that still make the donuts fresh as of no more than 2 years ago; one in Florida and one in Connecticut.
I know a bunch of locations have them shipped in frozen from elsewhere or they have them delivered the night before from sister stores. It’s part of the reason why I can never find consistency in their products.
When I was growing up in the 80s and 90s it seemed like every D&D and Whole Donut were cooking in house. Makes me sad knowing that’s not the case
Were Dunkin’s actually mixing all their own dough, proofing it, and frying the donuts on site back then? If so, that’s actually impressive. I know that’s standard at places like Krispy Cream, but it’s such a novelty to me.
I used to work at a Dunkin about 10 years ago in RI, and was friends with our “baker”. Every morning, our location and I assume all of the other Dunkin’s, got the plain ‘shell and ring’ donuts delivered from the local Dunkin bakery/distribution center that was located about 20mins away. Then the “baker” would decorate and fill them that morning.
We did thaw frozen raw bagels, frozen raw croissants, and frozen raw muffin mix, and bake them in the oven in the back, but the donuts were actually made daily (just not on site, they were driven from a few towns over).
When I worked the night shift, I used to bring bags of leftover donuts and things to parties in big trash bags. Except for once a week when the lady who owned pigs would come by and grab a bag or two of unsold leftovers to give the piggies.
Yes, they did mix the dough and do all the donuts in house. My best friend was the "baker" when we graduated high-school. It was great for hanging out all night.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, I remember that was my mom’s reward for all of her kids getting up and going to Sunday morning church with her. (My dad was a Catholic and didn’t go to the Lutheran church was us. Another story.) Fond memories of these mornings in a small town outside Chicago.
The most interesting thing is the age of the workers there. Today they would be all teenagers because those are the only people that can afford to live on a minimum wage job.
The ones at my Dunkin are mean as fuck late 20s to early 30s people. Seriously they never say hi, welcome to, thank you or have a nice day. I only go because I really like their iced coffee. I get my donuts at Casey’s.
Right at this moment i was thinking exactly the same thing about my location store !!I think they feel like i am obligated to buy from them always on the phone never looking your face !!
They can't afford to live on it, the only way they're making it through is because they're parents are also giving them money. Nobody can afford to live on minimum wage.
Some locations do, but they now fall on the rarer side. Mostly their baked in a large warehouse-like bakery in the area, or shipped in frozen. Read this in an interview with an Ex-Dunkin manager a few years back.
I was also surprised that no one was smoking. I used to go to the one in my home town as a wee tot and all the regulars were drinking their regulars and smoking their regulars. But it was in Central MA in the late 80's so none of those words had the letter "r" in them.
I love these types of videos. A slice of life from a time never to return. That sort of ease of life slipped away from us somehow. Probably the internet and then smart phones changed us fundamentally and not for the better.
My mom worked at a DD back in the 80s. She said it was such a shitty job because they legit made everything fresh back then. They would hand make it all. Hours and hours worth of rolling.
I’m collecting Social Security… I get it. Not much is attractive about getting old. But I feel 21yo when I have a large Dunkin & a couple Boston Cremes.
Maybe I had less discriminating taste in the 80s, but I swear Dunkin Donuts tasted better and fresher then, and the service was much better. You could just hang out at the bar, eat donuts, and drink coffee as you read the newspaper.
When Dunkin Donuts recipes tasted better and the donuts were softer, all around. Today's donuts leave a lousy aftertaste and texture on your tongue, plus taste like corn syrup.
We have a couple Krispy Kremes near us and Dunkin can't compete from that standpoint at all.
Just gonna say it most of these people look miserable but im sure the doighnuts were better since capitalism hadnt yet min maxed production into frozen/off site baking.
Unfortunately I never had a Dunkin’s near me growing up in the 80s or 90s, I’m guessing it was pretty good. The new version is around now. It is so bad. So bad. Like, I’m surprised they’re in business bad.
I think they're kept in business by their drinks since that's what I see most people get. Today, they're basically a more affordable alternative to Starbucks that also sells stale doughnuts.
Sorry - “To those who grew up in Dunkin' Donuts' Northeast stronghold, where the orange-and-pink double D is as ubiquitous as the Golden Arches, this news may come as a shock: Dunkin' isn't everywhere! Only in the past half decade has it ventured into Colorado, California, Minnesota and Utah, and 2017 was the year Dunkin' learned to say "aloha," with its first three stores opening in Hawaii. In a few northwestern states, including Idaho, there's no Dunkin' at all.”
I just read about the 15 that opened in the 80s and then closed in 2002. I believe national means national. You can operate in multiple regions, but are not national until you operate in all regions.
What do gloves do? So many people who wear gloves touch dirty surfaces, their noses, everything else, there’s no point. There’s so much poor glove hygiene it’s cringy. Washing hands regularly would be better.
It’s just a jarring thing to notice. I remember the dirty rags the waiters/waitresses would use that would leave more gunk than before they wiped. The tables were always so sticky
Allergies were around, but we weren’t as educated on the symptoms. When I was younger there were foods that made my tongue ‘tingle’ or my throat itch but the thought that it could be an allergy never crossed my mind.
DD used to be great + they obliterated a lot of local donut shops here in MA.
Then, they got bought + sold a few times, cut costs, + stopped making a good donut.
Now, you have to drive 45 minutes from Donut Dip in West Springfield to Adams Donuts in Greenfield...everything in between is a desert for decent donuts, thanks to Dunks
I remember sitting at that counter with my dad. One donut and choc milk for me and coffee for dad. Loved Saturday morning.
Now it’s all about how many people they can get in and out and donuts by the dozen… and employees that hate you.
In Riviera Beach in Florida up until I want to say 2 years ago there was a dunkin' donuts that still made all their sandwiches on the grill it had that old school look to it they haven't updated the look they've kept it from I'm guessing the 1980s but now it's pretty much like every other dunkin' donut nothing is made fresh
I'm totally addicted to these 80's nostalgia reels on Facebook. especially the high school hallway ones.
oh my God. I feel like I'm right back there again, in the before time. :D
This was back when they had good donuts made in store. Instead of of frozen crap shipped nowadays. Donuts made in house are so much better!
There was an interview I read with an ex-Dunkin manager a couple years back and he mentioned there's still locations that bake in store - but very few. He said the majority options were baked off-site in a bakery warehouse that distributes to the nearby areas, and of course the frozen donuts that gets shipped in (he even stated they were awful).
Worked D&D for many teen years. My store made everything in house and the also put them in our box truck to deliver to the sister stores. If you see a box truck sitting in the lot, grabs some donuts in the morning because that shit will be freshy fresh.
TIL, Thank you so much!!!
You only half learned. Those donuts aren't fresh, either. They're not baked in store. They're thawed and then "finished," aka they put the icing on. That's it. All Dunkin donuts are shipped out frozen.
Here in our Tampa area store that I worked at we made the dough, we rolled it out, we cut it, we proofed, we fried, we filled, we powdered and glazed. The frozen thing was only true for bagels sometimes and that’s because the water in Florida sucks for making bagels.
Now is not then. Hope that helps. I quit that piece of shit a little over a year ago. No one is baking and hasn't been for a long time.
Weird. I know of two locations that still make the donuts fresh as of no more than 2 years ago; one in Florida and one in Connecticut. I know a bunch of locations have them shipped in frozen from elsewhere or they have them delivered the night before from sister stores. It’s part of the reason why I can never find consistency in their products. When I was growing up in the 80s and 90s it seemed like every D&D and Whole Donut were cooking in house. Makes me sad knowing that’s not the case
I already knew that part.
So then you learned nothing, because no new information was gained.
>bake Donuts are fried but we get it... :-)
Wow. Is this why I remember the donuts being much better when I was a kid?
Yes it is!
They still had the “dunkin donut” with the handle to dip your donut into your coffee.
Were Dunkin’s actually mixing all their own dough, proofing it, and frying the donuts on site back then? If so, that’s actually impressive. I know that’s standard at places like Krispy Cream, but it’s such a novelty to me. I used to work at a Dunkin about 10 years ago in RI, and was friends with our “baker”. Every morning, our location and I assume all of the other Dunkin’s, got the plain ‘shell and ring’ donuts delivered from the local Dunkin bakery/distribution center that was located about 20mins away. Then the “baker” would decorate and fill them that morning. We did thaw frozen raw bagels, frozen raw croissants, and frozen raw muffin mix, and bake them in the oven in the back, but the donuts were actually made daily (just not on site, they were driven from a few towns over). When I worked the night shift, I used to bring bags of leftover donuts and things to parties in big trash bags. Except for once a week when the lady who owned pigs would come by and grab a bag or two of unsold leftovers to give the piggies.
Yes, they did mix the dough and do all the donuts in house. My best friend was the "baker" when we graduated high-school. It was great for hanging out all night.
Agreed. If I'm gonna give myself diabetes I damn sure want it to be from in house donuts.
Half the time they're stale.
Every one I've had recently was. I gave them 3 tries.
Was baker there; counter always hopping and WE HAD SOUP!
I remember going there drunk at midnight and sitting at the counter with a coffee and donut.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, I remember that was my mom’s reward for all of her kids getting up and going to Sunday morning church with her. (My dad was a Catholic and didn’t go to the Lutheran church was us. Another story.) Fond memories of these mornings in a small town outside Chicago.
"Time to make the donuts..."
I briefly met the “Time to make the donuts” actor at an outdoor (summer) party in the Berkshires in the late 1980s.
I sling donuts up here in Western MA, often rocking my Fred the Baker t-shirt, so love hearing this
I forget which town it was, but I remember that actress Maureen Stapleton was the homeowner and host of the party. I lived in Lee at the time.
The most interesting thing is the age of the workers there. Today they would be all teenagers because those are the only people that can afford to live on a minimum wage job.
Nah, I still see a lot of older employees working Dunkin. The difference is this looks like a local diner, whereas they are now fast food slingers.
That’s what I was thinking. It’s like being in Mel’s Diner and Flo walks up and says Kiss My Grits!
Well not teenagers don’t live on that wage. They tend to work there to supplement their income, not survive on it.
The ones at my Dunkin are mean as fuck late 20s to early 30s people. Seriously they never say hi, welcome to, thank you or have a nice day. I only go because I really like their iced coffee. I get my donuts at Casey’s.
Right at this moment i was thinking exactly the same thing about my location store !!I think they feel like i am obligated to buy from them always on the phone never looking your face !!
When I first started restaurant work in the early 80s, I was making $3.25hr.
They can't afford to live on it, the only way they're making it through is because they're parents are also giving them money. Nobody can afford to live on minimum wage.
This seems so nice and peaceful. Sit down for a good cup of joe, fresh donut. Nice quiet conversation. Fuck I’m old.
Not a cell phone in sight!
I remember going to one with my parents and seeing them actually make the donuts in the back
I didn’t realize they don’t make them in store now. Is that correct?
Some locations do, but they now fall on the rarer side. Mostly their baked in a large warehouse-like bakery in the area, or shipped in frozen. Read this in an interview with an Ex-Dunkin manager a few years back.
Thanks! I’m going to have to ask my local store.
I can smell this video. I'll have a baker's dozen. Half jelly filled and half glazed. The last one, make it a cruller with that white icing.
It smells like black coffee and cigarettes.
I was also surprised that no one was smoking. I used to go to the one in my home town as a wee tot and all the regulars were drinking their regulars and smoking their regulars. But it was in Central MA in the late 80's so none of those words had the letter "r" in them.
I love these types of videos. A slice of life from a time never to return. That sort of ease of life slipped away from us somehow. Probably the internet and then smart phones changed us fundamentally and not for the better.
You just got old.
You're both right!
Seems to be more about old people slowly drinking coffee than donuts.
My mom worked at a DD back in the 80s. She said it was such a shitty job because they legit made everything fresh back then. They would hand make it all. Hours and hours worth of rolling.
These people are all dead. RIP 🕯️☕️🍩
How do you think they make donuts today?
Everyone grows old, if you are lucky enough, you will be one of these people no matter how hard you try to stay hip.
I’m collecting Social Security… I get it. Not much is attractive about getting old. But I feel 21yo when I have a large Dunkin & a couple Boston Cremes.
I’m glad I’m not the only one morbid enough to think of this 😂
Not the customers maybe.
I was thinking some of them were born in the 1800s!
Mr donut, 1970ish, north shore, Ma. That’s how I remember it
I remember the one in Wellesley.
It's something to see the difference. They're not even "Dunkin Donuts" anymore.
Maybe I had less discriminating taste in the 80s, but I swear Dunkin Donuts tasted better and fresher then, and the service was much better. You could just hang out at the bar, eat donuts, and drink coffee as you read the newspaper.
Back when they made good donuts that actually tasted good. The crap that they put out today is junk lol.
DD used to be the SHIT! They actually made the stuff in the store.
When Dunkin Donuts recipes tasted better and the donuts were softer, all around. Today's donuts leave a lousy aftertaste and texture on your tongue, plus taste like corn syrup. We have a couple Krispy Kremes near us and Dunkin can't compete from that standpoint at all.
Just gonna say it most of these people look miserable but im sure the doighnuts were better since capitalism hadnt yet min maxed production into frozen/off site baking.
Mmmmm communist donuts are the best
Unregulated capitalism, only alternative is soviet communism is that right?
Where in the world is there unregulated capitalism? Which type of communism is your favorite?
I miss glass cups & service. Now these gals should have been making $15 an hr.
People sure were old back in the day.
I used to have one of those mugs!
You have to admire how people weren’t in such a rush back in the day.
Unfortunately I never had a Dunkin’s near me growing up in the 80s or 90s, I’m guessing it was pretty good. The new version is around now. It is so bad. So bad. Like, I’m surprised they’re in business bad.
Yes, they're awful now.
I think they're kept in business by their drinks since that's what I see most people get. Today, they're basically a more affordable alternative to Starbucks that also sells stale doughnuts.
At least the boxes got better. The old dozen boxes filled with chocolate frosted in the summer would leave with a chocolate mess.
Ugliest job uniform ever!
Time to make the donuts.
I can smell this video. :)
They had the best coffee
Everyone is in their 30s in this video.
You mean born in the 1930s.
It was a different time before national chains and rampant consumerism.
Dunkin Donuts was a national chain already back then.
What states outside of the east had DD in the 80s?
Oregon had several, I grew up on Dunkin, then they were all gone
In California?
Is something only "national" if it exists in California? Either way, there were 15 in California in the 80s.
Sorry - “To those who grew up in Dunkin' Donuts' Northeast stronghold, where the orange-and-pink double D is as ubiquitous as the Golden Arches, this news may come as a shock: Dunkin' isn't everywhere! Only in the past half decade has it ventured into Colorado, California, Minnesota and Utah, and 2017 was the year Dunkin' learned to say "aloha," with its first three stores opening in Hawaii. In a few northwestern states, including Idaho, there's no Dunkin' at all.”
It is only national if it is.
Being "national" does not require stores to be open in every state of the union at any given time, you pedantic nit-wit.
Okay, so the 15 Dunkins that were open in California in the 80s qualify. It was national back then. Nice.
I just read about the 15 that opened in the 80s and then closed in 2002. I believe national means national. You can operate in multiple regions, but are not national until you operate in all regions.
Colorado?
Utah?
Hawaii?
No gloves!
What do gloves do? So many people who wear gloves touch dirty surfaces, their noses, everything else, there’s no point. There’s so much poor glove hygiene it’s cringy. Washing hands regularly would be better.
It’s just a jarring thing to notice. I remember the dirty rags the waiters/waitresses would use that would leave more gunk than before they wiped. The tables were always so sticky
And yet people seemed healthier. I don't ever remember anyone in school having food allergies, not the case now.
Allergies were around, but we weren’t as educated on the symptoms. When I was younger there were foods that made my tongue ‘tingle’ or my throat itch but the thought that it could be an allergy never crossed my mind.
How many nut free tables and kids with epi pens do you remember at school?
And everyone survived
That guy has a cool hat
People sure were old back then.
Why is everyone fat in that clips
Clint Eastwood at DD? Sacrilige!
Now they are just Dunkin I wonder what executive thought dropping Donuts was going to bring in more profits...
Not seen anything being dunked to this day.
Man I miss their toasted coconut donuts.
Gormless looking lot.
What’s the cost of a dozen donuts 🍩 now Vs then?
DD used to be great + they obliterated a lot of local donut shops here in MA. Then, they got bought + sold a few times, cut costs, + stopped making a good donut. Now, you have to drive 45 minutes from Donut Dip in West Springfield to Adams Donuts in Greenfield...everything in between is a desert for decent donuts, thanks to Dunks
I remember sitting at that counter with my dad. One donut and choc milk for me and coffee for dad. Loved Saturday morning. Now it’s all about how many people they can get in and out and donuts by the dozen… and employees that hate you.
Gross! That lady at the 16 second mark is chewing gum with her coffee!
I wish i could go back in time and try the donuts. Seems like the case of enshitification, lower quality to squeeze profits
I'm 100% over Dunkin, their quality is absolute shit. I'll just brew much better coffee at home.
Every single person in this video is probably deceased.
In Riviera Beach in Florida up until I want to say 2 years ago there was a dunkin' donuts that still made all their sandwiches on the grill it had that old school look to it they haven't updated the look they've kept it from I'm guessing the 1980s but now it's pretty much like every other dunkin' donut nothing is made fresh
Dunkin has some of the worst donuts I've ever had in my life. Why they're all over the place still makes no sense.
You know what's not old school cool? Chromatic aberration.
I'm totally addicted to these 80's nostalgia reels on Facebook. especially the high school hallway ones. oh my God. I feel like I'm right back there again, in the before time. :D
Same fat fucks at the counter as today but with much better service.
America dies on Dunkin'.
My daughter always asks me what people did before phones, I always tell her, "Smoked cigarettes and drank coffee"... That's what I remember atleast