Dunkin’ Donuts announced that it has filed for permits to open its first traditional restaurants in California. The new restaurants are planned for Downey, Long Beach, Modesto, Santa Monica, and Whittier. Specific locations and anticipated opening dates will be announced later this summer, with construction scheduled to begin later in June.
The new Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in Downey and Whittier, California, will be operated by new franchisees Danny and Coby Sonenshine, founders of Prell Restaurant Group. In Long Beach, California, the Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant will be operated by Frontier Restaurant Group. In Santa Monica, California, the restaurant will be operated by Gary Haar, an existing Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins franchisee with seven restaurants in New Jersey, and his business partner Steve Silverstein. And, in Modesto, California, the restaurant will be operated by Sizzling Donuts, LLC, an existing franchise group with Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in Colorado, Texas, and Utah.
Since opening California for franchise development in 2013, Dunkin’ Donuts has executed store development agreements for nearly 200 new restaurants total to date. The company aims to have as many as 1,000 restaurants throughout California. Dunkin’ has already opened three non-traditional Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in California, including a recent Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin-Robbins combination location inside the Embassy Suites San Diego Bay Downtown Hotel.
“We are pleased with the solid start to our California development plans, and today’s announcement of the locations of our first new traditional Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants represents development that is ahead of schedule due to the strong interest of prospective franchisees and consumers across the state,” says Paul Twohig, president, Dunkin' Donuts U.S. and Canada, and Dunkin' Donuts & Baskin-Robbins Europe and Latin America. “We are especially happy to be partnering with such experienced and passionate franchise groups as we begin opening traditional Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in California. We look forward to keeping Californians running on our brand’s high-quality coffee, sandwiches, and baked goods.”
The company is also announcing the signing of multi-unit store development agreements with four new franchise groups to develop 54 new restaurants throughout Southern California in the coming years, which include:
Burton Restaurants, LLC plans to develop 14 restaurants in San Diego, California over the coming years. Led by military veteran Tali Burton, the team includes industry veteran Robert Fox and entrepreneur Ryan Redmond. Their first restaurant is expected to open in 2016.
Mike Stout and Neal Wichard, leaders of a new franchise group, come with extensive restaurant industry experience in California, will develop 16 restaurants in Northern San Diego and Southern Inland Empire over the coming years. Their first restaurant is planned to open in 2015.
Good Treats LLC, a new franchise group led by Bjorn Bayley and Johnny Andersen, who have international and California retail experience, will develop 14 restaurants throughout Glendale, Burbank, and Santa Clarita Valley over the coming years. Their first restaurant is planned to open in 2016.
The Tasty Group LLC, whose principals include local restaurateurs and developers David Ahn and BJ Kim, existing franchisee Dante Rizzo, and Frank Giardina, plans to develop two restaurants in Santa Barbara and eight restaurants throughout Ventura County over the coming years, with the first restaurant expected to open in 2016.
