| rev:text
| - America, except California apparently, runs on Dunkin'.
Surprisingly, this Dunkin' Donuts is one of the closest ones to many of us from Southern California. There's one just south of the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada, but on the Arizona side, this has to be it. Though there's one on the naval base at Camp Pendleton near San Diego, private citizens can't go onto the campus, so it essentially is inaccessible for about 95% of the population. It almost makes one want to join the military, actually.
For all intents and purposes, and as crazy as it sounds, this Dunkin' is one of the closest ones to the people of the Los Angeles region.
I spent the past Thanksgiving weekend in Phoenix, and I stopped by here each morning as part of my ritual whenever I visit a city where Dunkin' Donuts flourish. I would get up before the rest of my family, and enjoy a donut and regular coffee (raspberry, creamed and sugared), as the crowds and lines would slowly start to form. If you follow my reviews, this crowding after I arrive always occurs whenever I visit a restaurant or establishment, and it happened each morning during the Thanksgiving weekend here.
Once my order was claimed, I always insisted on eating there, as I don't like eating in my vehicle, or really having food in it. There is a drive-thru here, however, for those that don't care for the interiors of their cars. I do like how this location delegates the coffee making responsibility to others, and to have you pick up your order off to the side; it makes for faster overall service with the rest of the queue.
I'm actually one of those people who always completes those surveys on the receipts so as to get a free donut on my next visit. Considering that I essentially swing by each day, doing those surveys is essentially a 50% discount off my bill each visit, and I really only pay for the coffee. It's made even easier if you have a smart phone and can do it on the spot. I know what you're thinking...what about that last receipt before you went back to California? Did you do that survey? The answer is: Yes. And it's folded and in my wallet, ready to be brought out the next time I encounter a Dunkin' Donuts location.
The tax here is generally lower than what I experience back in California, so whatever few cents it saves me in sales tax is always welcomed, even if I can't really compare it with another California Dunkin' Donuts. I did notice that the prices for milk and water in the refrigerator were too high, however (even by Los Angeles standards). Then I realized that because this is some of the hottest deserts in the country, water may be more of an expensive thing around these parts.
The service, was very attentive and great. The donuts I sought were always in stock and tasted fresh. You can tell a good quality donut because you never see cracks in the glazing. I only wish that they install a television, set to the news or something entertaining, so that diners could have something to look at other than their phones or other people.
Speaking of which...on a side note, while visiting here, I was keenly aware that I was the only Asian person here each time (and probably the only one on any given day). Though I was aware of it, it was kinda interesting seeing how other customers looked at me. It could have also been the way I parked the car (which was fast and with California plates), dressed (which was business-like, but wouldn't draw a second glance in Los Angeles), or had brief verbal exchanges (but polite). Children especially, who haven't yet learned the art of discretion, essentially gawked at me and were surprised at my "Californian accent" (we don't actually have one) and how tall I was for an Asian. (I did notice I was consistently one of the tallest people there each morning, which isn't saying much, because I'm of average height around Southern California). I knew this because I could hear them "whispering" it to their parents, who would reply back to them that I'm probably visiting from out of town.
I just laughed, looked at the parents, and replied, "cute kids."
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