Here's What It Was Like To Eat At Dunkin' In The '80s

Suffice it to say, a lot has changed since the 1980s, and that includes the experience of eating at Dunkin'. Everything from the menu to the layout, even how the donuts are made, has changed over the last 40 years. If you were able to return to those bygone days and decided to stop at a Dunkin', the first thing you'd probably notice is the name. The sign would have read Dunkin' Donuts. In 2019, this donut chain jettisoned the donut half of its name. On the outside, you'd also notice the lack of a drive-thru. 

Once inside, you would find a counter area where you could belly up and enjoy a cup of coffee in a ceramic mug instead of today's walk-up counter and coffee served in paper cups. Sipping your coffee, you might joke about the then hugely popular Dunkin' Donuts ad featuring Fred the Baker with his "Time to make the donuts" tagline (a fast food mascot that deserves a comeback). All the while, your server would be wearing a uniform that included a bright pink hat. But a glance at the menu would reveal the biggest differences between the 1980s Dunkin' experience and what it offers today. 

Perhaps the most surprising menu item available at Dunkin' in the 1980s would be the soup. Yes, this donut shop sold a wide range of soups, such as split pea, chicken noodle, clam chowder, and chili. The company also sold a donut with a built-in handle, for easier dunking in your coffee. The prices would also give you a start. A dozen donuts would have set you back around $1.99 (about $5.50 in today's dollars), which is much cheaper than the $9.99 you'll pay in 2026. What you wouldn't find at a 1980s Dunkin' includes bagels, cappuccinos, flavored coffees, iced coffees, and lattes, meaning no Cocoa Mocha Signature Latte, which we've ranked as Dunkin's best coffee drink.

Even the way Dunkin' makes its donuts has changed. In the 1980s, each franchise made them in-store. And while some still do, others get them from regional centralized bakeries or have them shipped to the stores. Other changes with the chain since the '80s include just how much it has grown. In 1989, it had 1,600 locations in the U.S. and 250 outside the country. Now, there are about 10,000 locations across the U.S. and 4,000 international locations. While there are elements of the Dunkin' Donuts of the 1980s that remain, the Dunkin' of today has definitely changed.