Dunkin' Donuts Upgrades Stores to Be More Like Starbucks

The world’s largest doughnut chain has long sold itself as a pit stop—“America runs on Dunkin’,” goes the company’s slogan. Its customers typically drop by for a prework sugar-and-caffeine jolt and then split. Now, in an effort to get customers to stick around or visit after the morning rush, Dunkin’ Brands Group is redesigning stores to position Dunkin’ Donuts outlets a bit closer to those of Starbucks. That coffeehouse giant has long provided a place for people to hang, sip, and surf the Web. Dunkin’ figures that adding earth tones and jazz may do the same.

Until recently, the attitude at Dunkin’ was that “life finished” at 11 a.m., says Chief Executive Officer Nigel Travis. He says it has “attacked that mind-set” with new store designs because Dunkin’ has been losing out on the afternoon consumer. “We haven’t always been conducive to that relaxed environment,” he says. “So soft seating, the ability to watch TV, to listen to appropriate music, and just do things slightly slower than you would in the morning is what we think we’ve been missing.”