America's Oldest Donut Chain (That's Still Around) Started With A Completely Different Name

Plenty of coffee shops that are well-known today have undergone a name change at some point. Seattle's Best Coffee was originally known as the Wet Whisker. Panera Bread used to be called St. Louis Bread Co. Believe it or not, Dunkin' — the coffee chain known for its fantastic hash browns, seasonal donuts, and super-smooth cold brew — was originally named Open Kettle when it opened over 75 years ago.

The business got its start in Quincy, Massachusetts, in 1948, and it didn't hang on to its original name for long. According to Dunkin's website, founder Bill Rosenberg dropped the Open Kettle moniker in favor of the name coffee fans across the country know and love today — Dunkin' Donuts. The restaurant operated as a single location for a few years until a second shop opened in nearby Worcester in 1955. The franchise quickly exploded, with more than 100 locations opened by 1963. By 1979, there were more than 1,000 Dunkin' Donuts locations across the United States.

While much has changed about Dunkin' over the years (including a more subtle name change — the chain is officially known as "Dunkin'" now, rather than the full "Dunkin' Donuts" title, per a branding update in 2019), there's plenty that's stayed the same. A vintage Dunkin' Donuts menu has made the rounds on social media, and while we can't verify its accuracy, it shows the chain always served reasonably priced donuts (they were just 69 cents a dozen back in the day), coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. While Dunkin' hasn't kept every original menu item, they've stuck with what they know best: coffee and donuts. 

Over the past 75 years, Dunkin' has successfully moved from a single Massachusetts coffee shop to a global phenomenon by adapting to the times. The company knows how to balance classic offerings with new trends to keep customers moving through its doors (and its drive-thrus). Dunkin's focus on cold coffee drinks, matcha lattes, and celebrity-endorsed drinks, along with its digital ordering options, has helped continually grow its customer base while still satisfying those who have been around from the start.