As Hersheypark celebrates “100 Years of Happy,” Dunkin’ Donuts is helping make park visitors happier still. The world’s largest coffee and baked goods chain today continued its aggressive national expansion with the opening of two new restaurants within Hersheypark, the very first Dunkin’ Donuts stores in the world located within a theme park. The stores include a full Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant just outside the park entrance, and a Dunkin’ Donuts beverage kiosk within the new Boardwalk at Hersheypark theme area. Bill Simpson, vice president of entertainment for Hershey Entertainment & Resorts, which owns and operates Hersheypark, Chris Bode, Vice President of Development and Construction for Dunkin’ Donuts and other leaders from both companies officially opened the new stores at a ribbon cutting ceremony today at 11:15 AM.
“Dunkin’ Donuts’ first theme park restaurant is a fun and exciting part of our national expansion program,” says Robert Rodriguez, Dunkin’ Donuts brand president. “We are honored to partner with Hersheypark, one of America’s most beloved destinations, and look forward to continuing our growth in new markets and new venues throughout the country to bring great food and beverages to customers anywhere, any time.”
The launch into theme parks coincides with the roll out of Dunkin’ Donuts’ expansion program. The company is expanding in existing markets while entering new cities throughout the country, with plans to ultimately triple the number of Dunkin’ Donuts stores in the United States to 15,000 by 2020. In the past month, the company announced its plans to open franchised restaurants in Las Vegas, Austin, Dallas, Phoenix, Tallahassee, and Panama City. Dunkin’ Donuts has also secured a number of high-profile partnerships to support this growth, including JetBlue, Proctor & Gamble, Rachael Ray, and SoBe