--- title: Dunkin’ drama, explained - The Hustle description: Dunkin’ changed its loyalty program. Will its loyalists stay? image: https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/333367842-final_size-Copy20of20The20Hustle20-20B320Visual20Template20283292028129_20221017233512.webp --- # Dunkin’ drama, explained ![Juliet Bennett Rylah](https://53.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/53/assets/hubspot.com/web-team/WBZ/HubSpot%20Media/Blog%202021/Images/Nav/Optimized/TheHustle_Icon_Dark.svg) [Juliet Bennett Rylah](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/author/juliet-bennett-rylah) [Juliet Bennett Rylah Twitter profile ](https://twitter.com/JBRylah) Published: October 18, 2022 Updated: October 11, 2023 In 2021, Dunkin’ [announced](https://news.dunkindonuts.com/blog/blog_custom-20190204-6741988) it had topped Brand Keys’ Customer Loyalty Engagement Index for out-of-home coffee for the 15th year in a row, pointing to the success of its DD Perks Rewards Program. ![Dunkin’ drama, explained](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hs-fs/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/333367842-final_size-Copy20of20The20Hustle20-20B320Visual20Template20283292028129_20221017233512.webp?width=595&height=400&name=333367842-final_size-Copy20of20The20Hustle20-20B320Visual20Template20283292028129_20221017233512.webp) But this month, Dunkin’ swapped DD Perks for Dunkin’ Rewards, changing how much loyalists need to spend to earn free stuff, [per](https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/adeonibada/dunkin-donuts-loyalty-rewards-program-changes) *Buzzfeed*. - **DD Perks** allowed customers to earn *any* drink after ~$40. - **Dunkin’ Rewards** users now earn a basic coffee after ~$50, but must spend ~$90 for a latte. - The ultimate betrayal: no [free birthday drinks](https://www.wired.com/story/dunkin-donuts-reddit-customer-loyalty/), just increased [points](https://www.dunkindonuts.com/en/dunkinrewards?). Angry Dunkin’ fans have been excoriating the brand on its [subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/DunkinDonuts/) (which has 18.4k+ members) and complaining to employees. Dunkin’ Americas president Scott Murphy told *Buzzfeed* that customers will benefit in the long-run as the new program includes more deals, including on food. **But will they?** It likely depends on how much America *really* runs on Dunkin’. While some may appreciate a free donut for 250 points — half that of a basic coffee — other chains offer cheaper loyalty schemes. - Starbucks customers can earn a basic coffee after $25 or a premium beverage after $75, and some can even [earn](https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2022/delta-air-lines-and-starbucks-launch-loyalty-partnership/) Delta SkyMiles now. - For those not hellbent on PSLs, Panera Bread’s[ Unlimited Sip Club](https://www.panerabread.com/en-us/mypanera/subscription/faqs.html) is ~$11/mo. plus tax for any size basic beverage every two hours. **Meanwhile,** for those willing to buy a coffee maker, the $685.7m global coffee subscription market is expected to [grow](https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2022/09/12/2514003/0/en/Attractive-Price-Discounts-on-Coffee-Subscriptions-Driving-Brand-Loyalty-among-Consumers-States-Fact-MR.html#:~:text=Overall%2C%20the%20U.S.%20market%20for,10.3%25%20between%202022%20and%202032.&text=The%20global%20coffee%20subscription%20market%20is%20projected%20to%20expand%20at,during%20the%202017%2D2021%20period.) significantly through 2023. Topics: [Food](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/tag/food) ## Follow us on social media prev next - ![Holy smokes, there may actually be a limit to Texans’ love of barbecue](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1244337807-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-Texas-BBQ_20230928210924.webp) ### Holy smokes, there may actually be a limit to Texans’ love of barbecue - ![Think your industry is weird? Get a load of the beaded ice cream business](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/908447747-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-dippindots_20231002233115.webp) ### Think your industry is weird? Get a load of the beaded ice cream business - ![When did the packaged food aisle get so cool?](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/2070592382-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-Packaging_20231003215516.webp) ### When did the packaged food aisle get so cool? - ![The cereal industry’s forecast has no added sugar](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/258270469-19-News-Brief_2023-09-24T200813.124Z.webp) ### The cereal industry’s forecast has no added sugar - ![One chip, several problems](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/161461033-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-paqui_20230914213352.webp) ### One chip, several problems - ![The shroom boom is coming to the candy aisle](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1460885417-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-Mushrooms_20230816224353-1.webp) ### The shroom boom is coming to the candy aisle - ![A Pop-Tarts and Crocs partnership exists because we’re all total suckers](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1897903693-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-croc-tarts_20230814231514.webp) ### A Pop-Tarts and Crocs partnership exists because we’re all total suckers - ![L’Eggo my… booze in a jar?](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/858195133-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-Eggo_20230822212534.webp) ### L’Eggo my… booze in a jar? - ![Investors in search of greener pastures look to lab-grown meat](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/62473941-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-Beyond_Meat_stock_20230806234941.webp) ### Investors in search of greener pastures look to lab-grown meat - ![Hot dogs are making their stand](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/765967681-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-hot_dog_20230711001828.webp) ### Hot dogs are making their stand Pop up for Subscribe to The Hustle Daily Newsletter Subscribe to The Hustle Daily Newsletter Get the 5-minute news brief keeping 2.5M+ innovators in the loop. Always free. 100% fresh. No bullsh*t. JOIN FREE ### 100% Free CRM Nurture and grow your business with customer relationship management software. Signup for a free account Close modal ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Juliet Bennett Rylah", "url" : "https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/author/juliet-bennett-rylah" }, "datePublished" : "2022-10-18T06:36:51.000Z", "headline" : "Dunkin’ drama, explained", "image" : [ "https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/333367842-final_size-Copy20of20The20Hustle20-20B320Visual20Template20283292028129_20221017233512.webp" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/10-18-22-dunkin-loyalty", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject" } } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "#article", "@type" : "NewsArticle", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Juliet Bennett Rylah", "url" : "https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/author/juliet-bennett-rylah" }, "dateModified" : "2023-10-11T19:46:47+0000", "datePublished" : "2022-10-18T06:36:51+0000", "headline" : "Dunkin’ drama, explained", "image" : [ "https://7355427.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/7355427/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/333367842-final_size-Copy20of20The20Hustle20-20B320Visual20Template20283292028129_20221017233512.webp" ], "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "height" : 112, "url" : "https://fs.hubspotusercontent00.net/hubfs/53/assets/hubspot.com/web-team/WBZ/Blog%202021/Images/Logos/HubSpot%20Logo%20112X112.svg", "width" : 112 }, "name" : "HubSpot", "sameAs" : [ "https://www.facebook.com/hubspot", "https://twitter.com/hubspot" ], "url" : "https://www.hubspot.com" }, "speakable" : { "@type" : "SpeakableSpecification", "xPath" : [ "//title", "/html/head/meta[@name='description']/@content" ] } } ```