Over the years, Dunkin’ Donuts has established itself as a quick-service restaurant of choice in many countries globally that specializes in offering freshly brewed coffee and baked donuts.
However, one question that has kept popping up among Dunkin’s lovers is whether the franchise has stores in Canada. So, is there Dunkin’ Donuts in Canada? I embarked on a fact-finding mission about this, and this is what I discovered!
Is There Dunkin’ Donuts In Canada In 2024?
Dunkin Donuts doesn’t have any stores in Canada as of 2024. The fast-food chain ceased its operations in the country in 2018 after refusing to renew its franchise licenses. Before then, Dunkin’ operated quick-service stores all over Canada for 57 years. We may not see the restaurant franchise in Canada soon.
To find out more about whether there are any Dunkin’ Donuts stores remaining in Canada, why Dunkin’ Donuts failed in Canada, and when the franchise left Canada, keep reading!
Why Doesn’t Canada Have Dunkin’ Donuts?
Dunkin’ Donuts doesn’t have any stores in Canada since the brand refused to renew its franchise licenses of the remaining fast-food restaurants in the country.
Further, a group of Dunkin’ franchisees sued the parent company in 2003 for its failure to adequately promote the Dunkin’ Donuts brand and its offerings in Canada.
That said, the Quebec Superior Court in Canada gave its judgment in 2016 following Dunkin’ Donuts Canada Ltd.’s appeal and awarded the 21 Dunkin’ franchisees around $16.4 million lump sum.
Also, one of the key arguments of that civil case was that the fast-food franchise should have adequately protected and promoted its franchisees from Tim Hortons’ ever-growing competition.
Following this civil court judgment, all the remaining Dunkin’ stores in Canada were closed down or rebranded as independent restaurants by late 2018, ending the restaurant’s presence in Canada.
Nevertheless, the main reason for Dunkin’ Donuts’ decline in Canada was stiff competition from its fierce arch-rivals and Canadian restaurant giant Tim Hortons.
Whereas both brands have a rather similar menu, Tim Hortons had an added advantage over Dunkin’ Donuts due to its Canadian identity despite being bought by Burger King.
Similarly and as a revenge of sorts, Dunkin’ Donuts’ fierce competition in North Eastern United States led to the eventual decline of Tim Hortons in that part of the country.
However, it’s worth noting that Baskin Robbins, a subsidiary of the Dunkin’ Donuts brand, still operates across Canada.
When Did Dunkin’ Donuts Leave Canada?
Dunkin’ Donuts left Canada in September 2018 after over 57 years of running its operations in the country.
Despite having hundreds of fast-food restaurants all over Canada, Dunkin’ Donuts’ market share in the country completely dwindled by the turn of the 20th century.
Moreover, the chain’s business prospects began to disappear from all the regions in Canada in the late ’90s and the early 2000s, with the brand’s last foothold being in Quebec.
Nonetheless, Dunkin’s decline became more evident in Quebec province, where the brand had over 210 stores but by 2017 had only three remaining franchises.
That said, these three remaining Dunkin’ were based in the Montreal area, specifically in:
- Wellington Street in Verdun
- Beloeil on South Shore
- Place Versailles in Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve Borough
After the fall of the Dunkin Donuts brand in Canada, the store in Verdun rebranded to a coffee shop called Deli Donuts, which reportedly serves a similar menu to that of the Dunkin’.
By 2017, Dunkin’ Donuts had only one fast-food store with the requisite equipment to brew coffee and bake fresh donuts on site.
The other two stores, on their part, were merely food court stands that depended on the main store to deliver baked goods.
Which Countries Have Dunkin’ Donuts?
Despite being out of the Canadian market, Dunkin’ Donuts has spread its wings in many other countries worldwide.
Currently, the fast-food chain offers coffee and espresso, donuts, sandwiches, bagels, and frozen and cool Coolatta, in its over 12,000 restaurant stores across 45 countries outside the United States.
Also, you can find a Dunkin’ store from Latin America to Asia and anywhere in between and dine on your favorite drink and food.
Moreover, some of the countries where Dunkin’ Donuts is located include:
- Bahamas
- Bulgaria
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Denmark
- Sweden
- Poland
- Ecuador
- Germany
- Georgia
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- India
- Indonesia
- Japan
- Korea
- United Kingdom
- Kuwait
Still, other countries where the franchise has stores include:
- Lebanon
- Malaysia
- New Zealand
- Oman
- Panama
- Pakistan
- Peru
- Luxembourg
- Switzerland
- Philippines
- Puerto Rico
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- Spain
- Iceland
- Thailand
- UAE
- Vietnam
- And several others!
Therefore, you can place your Dunkin’ Donuts order if you’re in any of these countries by downloading the Dunkin’ mobile app, searching for the store near you, and checking out.
Additionally, one good thing about Dunkin’ Donuts is that it offers delivery services from participating Dunkin’ locations via third-party delivery apps.
Finally, the multinational restaurant chain offers franchising opportunities to franchisees who want to try their hand in the fast-food franchising business.
To know more, you can also read our posts on Starbucks vs Dunkin’, does Dunkin’ pays weekly, and Dunkin’ dress code.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, there are no Dunkin’ Donuts stores left in Canada since the multinational quick-service brand closed shop in the country in 2018.
So, despite its effort to export the freshly brewed coffee and pretty donuts charm in Canada in the late 20th century, Dunkin’ couldn’t compete with the Canadian giant Tim Hortons.
