Dunkin’s Coffee Isn’t Great. Here’s Why We Love It Anyway. | Eater Boston

"Founded in 1950 in Quincy and rebranded to a mononym in 2019, this long-running chain has expanded across the U.S. and into roughly 40 countries and holds a deep, nostalgic place in Massachusetts life. For many people it evokes rites of passage — a small hot French vanilla with extra cream and sugar after getting a license, summers sipping the now-defunct Kahlua-flavored Coolatta, late-night shift memories and pilfered boxes of donuts brought to parties — and that comforting familiarity often matters more than having the best coffee or pastries in town. Recent marketing explicitly leans into that hometown identity, most visibly with a 2024 Super Bowl spot called “The DunKings” featuring Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Tom Brady, Jack Harlow, Jennifer Lopez and Fat Joe, and other ads that trade on Boston stereotypes and local celebrity charm. Menu standouts described here include a chorizo-and-egg wrap in a red pepper lavash with a molten egg-and-vegetable filling and a smoky chorizo kick; chocolate munchkins that offer dense, cake-like cocoa balanced by sweet glaze; a light, ridged French cruller that holds up to dunking; and a blueberry muffin with tart berries, a moist interior and a crystal-sugar top. The plain black coffee is recommended for being bold and reliable, while flavored shots are seen as too sweet; overall, it’s not haute cuisine, but its consistent, comforting flavors and strong local associations make it an enduring hometown staple." - Nathan Tavares