14 Pros and Cons of Working for Dunkin' Donuts

Founded in 1950 in Massachusetts by Bill Rosenberg, Dunkin Donuts was originally called Open Kettle.

Bill had the idea for the coffee/donut shop because he realized how much people loved to dunk a donut in coffee (or at least have them together).

By 1955, the first franchise opened and the architect that worked on it suggested the name Dunkin’ Donuts.

Through the years, DD has seen many changes.

One of them was the very good decision in 1972 to not throw away the leftover donut holes, but turn them into yummy, yet marketable treats.

Another was the introduction of sandwiches and Coolatas in 1997.

Today, Dunkin’ has over 12,000 locations in 46 countries.

They sell hot and cold beverages, donuts, bagels, muffins, sandwiches, and hashbrowns.

The coffee shop has over 70 varieties of donuts now and also serves seasonal creations, as well as donuts based on location.

For instance, only in Chicago can you get the sour cream donut, and in Asia, a pork floss donut topped with seaweed.

In 2019, Dunkin’ Donuts was rebranded and became known only as Dunkin’ to appeal more to an all-day crowd rather than just the AM hours.

It seems to be working, with Dunkin’ serving over 5 million people a day in 46 countries, and making 60 cups of coffee every second.

So one would imagine that it’s pretty hectic to work at DD, right?

In fact, it is, and employees are expected to not only take orders, work at the cash register, and make coffee, but also make sandwiches, make fresh pots, and clean the machine, and the store.

For all this, the average Dunkin’ employee makes $13.40 per hour.

What are the pros and cons of working at Dunkin’ Donuts? Read on to find out.

Table of Contents

Pros Of Working For Dunkin Donuts
Cons Of Working For Dunkin Donuts
14 Pros and Cons of Working for Dunkin’Donuts – Summary Table
Should You Work For Dunkin Donuts?

Pros Of Working For Dunkin Donuts

1. Tips

Though not all employees are allowed to accept tips, those that can are usually quite happy with them.

All franchises are independently owned and operated, so whether or not workers can accept tips is up to the individual management.

Many DD locations do permit the coffee cup tip container, and employees say they can make up to $40 in tips per shift.

2. Free Coffee/Donuts

All employees are entitled to up to 3 free drinks per shift.

This includes basic drinks like regular coffee, juices, and teas.

If you want one of the fancier concoctions, you’ll have to pay half price.

And yes, with each cup of coffee, you can pick yourself a donut!

3. Free/Discounted Food

Though you get free coffee and donuts. If you want a sandwich, hash brown, or soup, you’ll have to pay (in most places).

But you do get 50% meals, which is not too shabby.

There are some franchises that do give workers one meal, within a certain price range.

4. Co-Workers

One thing we’ve found to be consistent among Dunkin’ workers is that most of them say their fellow employees (sorry managers, not you), are really great.

They work as a team, help each other out, will cover shifts in an emergency, and have their backs if anything goes awry with a customer.

Employees also say they’ve made great friendships with people of all ages, that they can socialize with outside of work.

5. Flexible Work Schedule

Most workers appreciate the fact that you can work different shifts at Dunkin’.

This makes it a good job for students who need to schedule work around school.

It is also good if you’re a parent. You can also schedule around your kids’ school.

You aren’t locked into one shift or certain days.

Most managers will work with you to find a mutually agreeable schedule.

6. Customers

Now these folks can go either way.

But many Dunkin’Donuts workers say they enjoy most of their customers.

If you work the morning shift, especially, you have regular customers that are pleasant, even chatty.

They often tip well, and some have even been known to give extra tips and gifts during the holidays.

Nothing is better in the world of retail than a nice customer.

7. Uniforms

Dumkin’ provides most of its store workers with a polo shirt, visor, and apron, so you never need to worry about what you’re going wear, ironing, or going to the dry cleaner.

All you need to provide are a pair of jeans or slacks that have no holes, and a comfortable pair of shoes.

Dunkin’ does allow tattoos, colored hair (green, purple, etc), and facial hair.

Piercings, however, are up to individual stores.

Cons Of Working For Dunkin Donuts

1. Management

According to many workers from Dunkin’s all over the globe, the managers need to do better.

Not only do workers state that many are mean and rude to them, but to the customers as well.

They go on to say that many of the managers play favorites, hire their friends, and are unfair.

Workers also state that managers can be lazy, not helping during busy times.

During schedule creation, they will often schedule just one person per shift, which can be overwhelming and dangerous.

2. No Breaks

It seems that at many DD”s, if you work less than 6 hours, you are not entitled to a regular break.

If it’s slow and you really need a bathroom run, then you can, but other than that, it’s only at the manager’s discretion.

It would seem fair that even a 4-hour shift worker should be allowed 10 minutes to recharge.

3. Customers

Just like you can have customers that are salt of the earth, you can have those that are without manners and try to deceive them to get free stuff.

There’s the customer that takes too long to order, the customer that comes back 5 times because it’s not what they asked for (though this is often a scam tactic to get it for free).

The customers are not terrible because it’s Dunkin’ though, working in retail, you get the full gamment of customers from fabulous to flops.

4. Physically Demanding

If you want to work at Dunkin’, you had better be prepared to be on your feet the entire time.

When you’re not taking orders, you’ll be filling them in, or ringing them up, you may have to take orders outside.

You’ll also have to sweep, mop, clean the counters , and the equipment.

So, if you don’t like to be on the go for hours on end, or if you have a condition that limits you from being on your feet for long periods, Dunkin’ may not be for you.

5. Low Pay

Nobody ever got rich working at Dunkin’.

While it’s a good job for someone in school, single, or perhaps retired.

Don’t expect to be able to support a family on the salary.

Many employees say they simply do make enough for all they are expected to do and put up with (managers and customers).

It’s your basic minimum wage job with your basic 50 cent to 1 dollar raises maybe once a year.

There are no incentives or bonuses to speak of, unless you count the $5 fast food gift cards workers at one store got last Christmas.

6. Fast-Paced

If you’ve ever been to a Dunkin in the morning, or even during rush hour, you know those poor employees are running all over.

They may be juggling 3-4 orders at once, from the drive-through to the counter, and making several orders all at once.

You need to stay calm and collected, be organized, and definitely be able to multitask to work at DD.

We forgot to add that you do all this stuff while often having to train new workers.

7. No Room For Advancement

Several employees have stated that, even though they were just as qualified as other people that were made manager, they were turned down.

Some people say that no matter how hard you work or sacrifice for the company, that they will only hire their friends, family, or people from outside the company.

This makes it difficult to retain good employees.

As soon as something better comes along, people quit because they know they won’t ever be promoted.