Wednesday, April 27, 2022

[EXCLUSIVE] Dunkin' Continues to Dominate as Canadian Rival Announces Atlanta Arrival

According to the company, "America Runs on Dunkin'": Following its late 2020 acquisition by Atlanta-based Inspire Brands, Dunkin' seems intent on ensuring that Atlanta, too, runs on Dunkin'.  Already with more than 250 locations in the state, ToNeTo Atlanta has learned that there are not one but two new Dunkin' locations coming to Roswell Road in Sandy Springs.  

You can literally "run on Dunkin'" with these special Saucony shoes 

ToNeTo Atlanta reported in October that a new "Dunkin' GO" would open at 4487 Roswell Road near Chastain Park.  Now, newly updated leasing materials confirm that Dunkin' will also be opening a new location at 5660 Roswell Road in The Prado shopping center.  At The Prado, Dunkin' will backfill a former roughly 1,850 square foot drive-thru enabled Starbucks which abruptly closed in early 2021.  

In addition to the two upcoming Dunkin's, the company and its franchisees already operate several other locations along Roswell Road including one that reopened in early 2021 after an extensive "next generation" remodel at 6060 Roswell Roswell Road.  Additionally, there are also existing Dunkin's at 3669 Powers Ferry Road near Powers Ferry Square and 8290 Roswell Road near Northridge Road.  

Competition for "A" locations has only become more intense in the wake of the pandemic and the acceleration of more restaurants' efforts to incorporate drive-thru options in their businesses.  

Existing players like Starbucks, McDonald's, Dunkin', Chick-fil-A and others already have a robust fleet of drive-thru enabled restaurants in metro Atlanta, which has in turn made it difficult for newer entrants to penetrate intown markets.  Whataburger in March confirmed eight planned "metro Atlanta" locations, but ToNeTo Atlanta readers were quick to point to the fact that none were planned for inside the perimeter (ITP), let alone within the City of Atlanta.  

Tuesday brought confirmation of news we heard rumblings of last week, which is that Canada's Tim Hortons intends to enter the Atlanta market.  Here too, it's unlikely that what many consider "metro Atlanta" will see any locations as there is simply little-to-no availability.  

Tim Hortons was in the early 90s and until 2006 owned by Wendy's.  After being spun off from Wendy's, Tims was in 2014 taken private in a deal with Burger King owner 3G Capital after which the restaurant holding company adopted the name Restaurant Brands International (RBI).  RBI would in 2017 also acquire then Atlanta-based Popeyes and in 2021, Firehouse Subs.  

Like Inspire with Dunkin, RBI has its sights set on leveraging both its size and its existing franchisee network to grow the Tims brand.  Today there are more than 11,300 Dunkin's globally compared to just over 5,100 Tims.  

Atlanta entrepreneur Abid Khutliwala, already a franchisee of both Popeyes and Checkers, according to his LinkedIn, plans to open as many as 15 Tims in Atlanta and Columbus in the next five years.  A press release Tuesday announcing Khutliwala's plans made no mention of when or where the first location would open.  

Are you excited for the opening of more Dunkin's in metro Atlanta?  Do you think Tim Hortons will find success in metro Atlanta?  What quick serve chain not yet present in metro Atlanta would you like to see open here?

Please share your thoughts below.  

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy to hear about Tim Hortons entering the Atlanta and Columbus markets.
Wait times at Dunkin Doughnuts has gone off the charts and I will drive to a store and see how long the line is and in most cases will head out with out of cuppa of joe.

Anonymous said...

Maybe Dunkin should consider how to staff its existing facilities in addition to opening new ones

The location at the intersection of Peachtree & Brookhaven is down to drive through only by mid-mornings on weekdays

Anonymous said...

Get ready Atlanta - here come the coffee wars!

Anonymous said...

This Michigan ex pat is super excited!

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