I used to be a Dunkin Donuts junkie, mainly for the coffee and occasionally for breakfast items, but given my recent experiences I'm ok with passing them up.
I've enjoyed seeing DD take the wind out of Starbucks sails in recent years, but there has been a steady rise in prices. Quite simply, their product isn't aligned with their prices. The quality is ordinary. The service is extremely lacking. Cleanliness is questionable. Yet they continue to charge higher prices for subpar product.
As an example, they have jumped on the cold brew bandwagon. The cold brew process is a bit more complicated and involves a lot more time. I find it hard to believe that DD is serving up authentic cold brew. I balked at the thought of paying $2.75 for a cup only to find out the price is now $3.09. This is more than I pay in the Bay Area at Peets. It's truly bizarre. A 10% price increase? Guys, your product isn't that special.
Anyways, I brought it to the staffs attention that the price listed outside didn't match what they charged. The clerk reaffirmed the higher price. I decided to loop around again and confirmed that the lower price is what's on the board and decided to visit the shop to get my refund for the difference. The manager briefly made an appearance and sent another clerk to give me the change. No apologies.
What used to be a daily stop on my visits to Pitt will be no more. Would rather give my hard earned money to small business and a better cup of coffee.