A battle is brewing between coffee giants Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks.
As Dunkin’ Donuts gears up for a major expansion across the country and in the Washington region, some Dunkin’ franchises are adding features to give their businesses an edge over the undisputed coffee king.
For example, Kiran Gunman recently opened a Dunkin’ Donuts in Tysons Corner with two gimmicks. The store is open 24 hours and, to capitalize on the office-dense neighborhood, Gunnam’s store will deliver.
“A lot of pregnant women come in at 1 or 2 o’clock [in the morning],” Gunnam said.
Gunnam, who has plans for at least 10 more Dunkin’ franchises in the Fairfax area, also designed his store to look more Starbucks than Dunkin’. The restaurant has couches and free Internet access — and he even has plans to include a fireplace in one of his future franchises.
“In the morning [customers] will be able to grab and go,” he said. “But as you get closer to the afternoon and evening, they’ll sit and relax.”
Gunnam’s Dunkin’ Donuts is one of a handful in the region that are open 24 hours, including one in Rockville. Since the stores are franchises, the company doesn’t track how many are open 24 hours or the interior design of each location, a spokesman for Dunkin’ Donuts said.
But it appears Starbucks has taken notice. The company, which does not franchise out its stores, recently opened its own 24-hour location near George Washington University and is looking into the possibility of more, said Carter Bentzel, regional marketing manager for Starbucks. The chain has also started carrying donuts, among other pastries, in the past several years.
Bentzel said the 24-hour store was not in response to Dunkin’ Donuts, but rather a response to customer demand. Starbucks, she said, is more about the overall experience than certain features of the store.
“Not only do we offer a cup of coffee,” Bentzel said. “It’s the connection they make with the barista behind the counter … it’s not only the comfy furniture but the whole experience … I feel like that is something that’s our competitors can’t [replicate].”
