Top 20 Dunkin Donuts Competitors & Alternatives in 2024

The top Dunkin Donuts Competitors are Starbucks, McDonalds, KFC, Subway, Pizza Hut, Domino’s Pizza, Burger King and others. Competition in the quick service restaurant industry for several years has been stiff, especially in the US. Dunkin Donuts is one of the fast food industry players that has established its grounds not only in the US but also in other continents worldwide. It specializes in serving coffee and doughnuts but has since expanded its menu to include hot and cold beverages, sandwiches and baked goods among others.

With over 3,100 stores in over 30 countries outside of the US, Dunkin’ Donuts has been serving loyal customers around the world for over 60 years. There are 9,461 Dunkin Donuts locations in the United States as of July 25, 2023. Its Market capitalization: $8.77 Billion (August 2023)

Dunkin Donuts has some company-owned units as well as franchised units predominantly in the US as well as other countries across Europe. It, however, has competitors in this industry that gives it run for its money, and some of them are discussed below as follows;

Top Dunkin Donuts Competitors

1) Starbucks

• Product Type: Coffee, tea, pastries, and other food items
• Industry: Foodservice
• Founded date: March 31, 1971
• Founders: Jerry Baldwin, Gordon Bowker, and Zev Siegl
• Headquarters: Seattle, Washington, United States
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: Howard Schultz
• Revenue: $9.168B (June 30, 2023)
• Number of employees: 402,000 (2022)
• Market Share: 37%
• Market cap: $112.25B (September 04, 2023)

Starbucks is regarded as the most prominent US-based quick service restaurant chain that specializes in serving coffee. Its success story over the years has been overwhelming, and it is precisely reflected in its revenue growth and expansion especially in the last decade.

Starbucks net income for the quarter ending June 30, 2023 was $1.142B. Starbucks gross profit for the quarter ending June 30, 2023 was $6.304B. The company is ranked 120th on the Fortune 500 and 303rd on the Forbes Global 2000 as of 2022.

It continues to attract more and more customers every month especially in the US where most of its stores are located. It also invests hugely in ads and its budget stands at about $416.7 million in 2022 for advertising. Because of its Coffee and direct competition between each of them, Starbucks is clearly the leader amongst all Dunkin Donuts Competitors.

2) McDonalds

• Product Type: Fast food
• Industry: Foodservice
• Founded: May 15, 1940
• Founders: Richard and Maurice McDonald
• Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois, United States
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: Chris Kempczinski
• Revenue: $6.498B (June 30, 2023)
• Number of employees: 150,000 (2022)
• Market Share: 43.8%
• Market cap: $204.74B (September 04, 2023)

McDonald’s is a big brand that is known worldwide given that it has consistently maintained its standards in quality service delivery when it comes to serving food to their customers. A recent survey estimated that in the US alone, McDonald’s serves a minimum of 60 million customers every month, an indication of how gigantic it is in this particular industry. McDonalds is one of the dominant fast food chains in the industry and one of the top Dunkin Donuts competitors.

3) KFC

• Product Type: Fried chicken
• Industry: Fast food
• Founded: September 24, 1952
• Founder: Colonel Harland Sanders
• Headquarters: Louisville, Kentucky, United States
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: Sabir Sami
• Parent:  Yum! Brands
• Revenue: $2.83B (2022)

KFC is an abbreviation for Kentucky Fried Chicken, which simply tells more about the service that this particular US-based chain of fast food restaurants specializes in serving. KFC has more than 25,000 KFC restaurants in over 145 countries and territories around the world. This makes KFC the 4th largest fast-food restaurant in the world.

KFC’s sales volume has also been on the rise in the recent years, which is attributed to the fact of strategic expansion as well as getting into new markets. Since it is a relatively renowned brand, it has been easy for it to expand in other countries, especially in major urban centers where craze of catching fast foods continues to grow every passing day.

4) Subway

• Product Type: Fast food restaurants
• Industry: Foodservice
• Founded date: August 16, 1965
• Founder: Fred DeLuca and Peter Buck
• Headquarters: Milford, Connecticut, United States
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: John Chidsey
• Number of employees: 410,000(2022)

Subway has been in operation for the last five decades but continues to command its existence in quick service restaurant industry. It is famously known for its specialty in serving submarine sandwiches that are six-inch foot long, which also gave it an edge in getting and dominating its operations in this particular business. It has grown over the years to become one of the renowned franchised business units that have enabled it so far to expand to various major cities in the world including London, Ontario, Munich and Mexico City among others.

In 2021, Subway generated around $9.4 billion in sales in the US alone.

Privately owned, Subway has close to 37,000 locations in over 100 countries as at 2023.

It has experienced a fair share of challenges especially in the last three years in regards to reduction of some of its stores in its local market. Nonetheless, its international market has continually expanded regarding some stores.

5) Pizza Hut

• Product Type: Pizza, pasta, wings.
• Industry: Restaurants
• Founded date: June 15, 1958
• Founders: Dan and Frank Carney
• Headquarters: Plano, Texas, United States
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: David Gibbs
• Revenue: $12.853 billion (2022)
• Number of employees:  350,000+
• Parent: Yum! Brands

Pizza Hut just like many other fast food joints has been able to fill the gap in providing the service that many people, especially in major towns and cities require. It offers pizza delivery and takeaway services to its growing list of customers in various parts of the world.

Pizza Hut has grown and expanded to the over 19,034 stores worldwide as of 2022. In 2022, Pizza Hut also records an average US sales of $5,487.

Pizza Hut, like any other major fast food joint, is also increasingly becoming a strong competitor in this industry more so that it is now expanding to newer markets in some European and Asian cities. Its sales volume in 206 soars significantly making it the highest pizza restaurant in the world for that particular year. It has a majority market share in the Pizza market and also has major mind share making it one of the top Dunkin Donuts Competitors.

6) Domino’s Pizza

• Product Type: Pizza
• Industry: Foodservice
• Founded date: 1960
• Founders: Tom Monaghan and James Monaghan
• Headquarters: Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: Russell Weiner
• Revenue: $1.025B (June 30, 2023)
• Market cap: $13.73B (September 05, 2023)
• Number of employees: 11,000 (2022)

Domino’s Pizza is a Michigan based quick service restaurant that also has a specialty in offering pizza delivery and takeaway services. It is arguably one of the leading pizza chain restaurant alluding to the fact that it has been consistent in providing the service and its significant brand value. Domino’s Pizza success story is also attributed to its commitment to providing quality service and high customer satisfaction levels.

It is spread across in more than 90 international markets.

Domino’s Pizza Inc net income for the quarter ending June 30, 2023 was $0.109B. Domino’s Pizza Inc gross profit for the quarter ending June 30, 2023 was $0.405B.

With a great name behind it, Domino’s has been able to penetrate into new regions and successfully acquired new clients that have contributed immensely to its continued growth in revenue in the recent years.

7) Burger King

• Product Type: Fast food, hamburgers, and other fast food items
• Industry: Foodservice
• Founded date: 1953
• Founders: James McLamore and David Edgerton
• Headquarters: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: Daniel Schwartz
• Revenue: $1.9B (2022)
• Number of employees: 150,000 (2022)
• Brand Value: $7.13 billion (2022)
• Parent: Restaurant Brands International

Burger King is a renowned American based quick service restaurant chain. It currently operates a significant number of outlets all over the world. Its main specialty just like the name suggests was making burgers, but it later added other products to its menu.

With a revenue of 1.9 billion dollars as at 2022, burger king has positioned itself as a force to reckon with in the fast food industry. Burger King operated and franchised a total of 19,789 restaurants worldwide in 2022. It is currently estimated that 90% of Burger King stores are owned and operated by independent franchisees. Burger King has continued to expand its menu and brand and a brand value of more than 7.13 billion dollars in 2022 highlights some of the company’s success.

It, however, merged with Tim Horton’s in 2014, a move that experts argued that worked better for Burger King since it was able to expand its operations internationally albeit that both brands maintained independence. Its product specialty has made it possible to dominate the industry, and it is estimated to be serving more than 50 million Americans in every given month. Burger King is one of the direct Dunkin Donuts Competitors

8) Chipotle

• Product Type: Fast casual Mexican food
• Industry: Restaurants
• Founded date: July 13, 1993
• Founders: Steve Ells
• Headquarters: Newport Beach, California, United States
• Area served: United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, and France
• Current CEO: Brian Niccol
• Revenue: $0.342B (June 30, 2023)
• Market cap: $53.48B (September 04, 2023)
• Number of employees: 104,958(2022)

Chipotle is an American based quick service restaurant chain that offers a specialty in serving Mexican-oriented foods. Most of the foods in the Chipotle menu are associated with Mexican, but the restaurant chain nonetheless provides them in many of their outlets located in different cities in the US as well as other major cities in the world.

Chipotle had over 3,200 restaurants as of March 31, 2023, in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Germany and is the only restaurant company of its size that owns and operates all its restaurants. There are 3,236 Chipotle restaurants in the United States as of August 16, 2023.

As at 2023, Chipotle’s revenue was $0.342B while it had assets worth  $7.552B with a net income of $0.342B in the same year.

It has been in the business for about two and half decades but has shown significant improvement regarding expansion, sales volume, and revenue. It continues to record continued increase in net revenue which makes it a great deal in establishing its brand value as one of the leading competitors in the industry.

9) Taco Bell

• Product Type: Mexican-inspired fast food
• Industry: Foodservice
• Founded date: March 21, 1962
• Founders: Glen Bell
• Headquarters: Irvine, California, United States
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: Mark King
• Revenue:  $14.653 billion (2022)
• Parent: Yum! Brands worldwide outside of China, Yum China within China

Taco Bell is apparently the direct competitor of Chipotle in regards to the specialty of food they offer. It is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands that specializes in serving Mexican dishes such as tacos and burritos among others. Since its establishment in California, Taco Bell has been able to expand its areas of operation and currents serves in about 32 different countries.

Mexican inspired quick service chain Taco Bell operated a total of 8,218 restaurants in 32 different countries worldwide in 2022. However, close to 7,817  of these outlets are based in the United States of America while the remaining are located in different countries where this particular restaurant chain operates.

Its recent expansion plans is an indication that it is aiming to become one of the strongest players in the fast food industry not only in American but also in other parts of the world. In the last five years, its operating income, net revenue, and sales volume have been increasing progressively, an indication of good things to come.

10) Wendy’s

• Product Type: Fast food, hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, french fries, and beverages
• Industry: Foodservice
• Founded date: November 15, 1969
• Founders: Dave Thomas
• Headquarters: Dublin, Ohio, United States
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: Todd A. Penegor
• Revenue: $562 million (June 30, 2023)
  
• Number of employees: 14,500 (2022)
• Market Capitalization: $4.51B (August 2023)
• Parent: The Wendy’s Company

Wendy’s is one of the leading US-based multinational quick service restaurants chains. It specializes in serving burger but also provide an alternative menu that includes sandwiches, soft drinks, ice and cold beverages and breakfast menu among others. It recorded high revenues until the recent years when a sudden drop in profits was experienced.

Wendys’ currently has 6,500 restaurants in the United States and 29 countries. Wendy’s own more than 100 quick service restaurants in Florida alone. The company was formed in 1969 by Dave Thomas.

Wendy’s revenue as at 2023 stood at about 562 million dollars with a net income of over 60 million dollars.

This loss is attributed to several elements that affect revolving around the business including a rise in beef prices.  It nevertheless remains one of the largest fast-food restaurant chains to be in the market.

11) Tim Horton’s

• Product Type: Coffee, donuts, and other baked goods
• Industry: Foodservice
• Founded date: May 17, 1964
• Founders: Tim Horton and Ron Joyce
• Headquarters: Oakville, Ontario, Canada
• Area served: Canada and the United States (over 5,000 locations)
• Current CEO: Axel Schwan
• Revenue: 2.63 billion U.S. dollars  (2022)
• Net sales: US$2 billion (Q2, 2023)
• Number of employees: over 100,000
• Parent: Wendy’s (1995–2006) and Restaurant Brands International (2014–present)

Tim Horton’s is a Canadian based coffee restaurant chain with its headquarters in Ontario. It was originally founded to serve coffee and doughnuts as the main menu but later added a variety of products on its menu including beverages, soft drinks, and bakery goods among others.

Tim Horton’s is the largest fast-food restaurant chain in Canada with more than 5000 outlets worldwide as at 2023 in 50 countries. It serves donuts and coffee. Its revenue as of 2022 was 2.63 billion dollars. Tim Hortons is Canada’s fifth most valuable brand.

It was merged with Burger King in 2014 but continues offering its services as an independent entity. It has since become a global brand that has established quite some stores both in Canada and other major cities around the world.

12) Papa John’s Pizza

• Product Type: Pizza
• Industry: Foodservice
• Founded date: 1984
• Founders: John Schnatter
• Headquarters: Louisville, Kentucky, United States
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: Robert Lynch
• Revenue: $515 million (June 30, 2023)
• Number of employees:  12,000 (2022)

Papa John’s Pizza is a US-based quick service restaurant chain that specializes in offering pizza delivery and takeaway services. It is one of the brands that is increasingly becoming more popular among different nationalities especially in European countries. Papa John’s Pizza rides on an outstanding customer care service that gives it an edge in the market.

As at 2023, its revenue is 515 billion dollars with over 12,000 employees working in the more than 5,706 branches that it operated. Papa John’s is the fourth largest pizza delivery restaurant chain in the United States.

 It has in the recent past been ranked as the leading quick service restaurant chain with the best customer care services. It has a great team working behind the scenes to ensure that most of the services provided are top notch and meets the expectations of its clientele. It thus shows that this brand is a force to reckon with in this particular industry.

13) Krispy Kreme

• Product Type: Doughnuts
• Industry: Foodservice
• Founded date: July 13, 1937
• Founders: Vernon Rudolph
• Headquarters: Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: Michael T. Tattersfield
• Revenue: $409 million (June 30, 2023)
• Number of employees:  23,500 (2022)
• Market cap: $2.21B (September 08, 2023)

Krispy Kreme is an American multinational doughnut company and coffeehouse chain that was founded in 1937 by Vernon Rudolph in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The company operates a chain of 1,600 shops worldwide that offer its signature doughnuts, including its best-known offering, the Hot Original Glazed.

The company believes that things are better enjoyed together, especially the sweet fluffy clouds of deliciousness they call doughnuts. Krispy Kreme is best known for fresh, glazed, yeast-raised doughnuts, especially the “Krispy Kreme Original Glazed,” its first and best-known product.

Krispy Kreme Annual Gross Profit as of June 30, 2023 was $298 (Millions of US $). Krispy Kreme Annual Net Income as of 2022 was $-16 (Millions of US $).

14) Black Bear Diner

• Product Type: Homestyle comfort food
• Industry: Foodservice
• Founded date: 1995
• Founders: Bruce Dean and Bob & Laurie Manley
• Headquarters: Redding, California, United States
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: Anita Adams

Black Bear Diner is a family dining concept that offers great food in a fun, bear-themed atmosphere. The restaurant chain is fast-growing and community-oriented. The goal of every Black Bear Diner is to deliver scrumptious food in a friendly environment. They promise to make your visit a pleasant one, and they try to keep the puns to a bear minimum (they said “try”). The menu includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with the biggest portions for the hungriest bears.

The Black Bear Diner menu offers a wide variety of options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Vegetarians are well catered for, and breakfast is served all day long. The restaurant chain is open seven days a week, and portions will satisfy the hungriest bears. Black Bear Diner is a one-of-a-kind family dining franchise featuring excellent food and value served in a fun, bear-themed atmosphere.

15) Peet’s Coffee

• Product Type: Coffee beans, coffee drinks, and food
• Industry: Foodservice
• Founded date: April 1, 1966
• Founders: Alfred Peet
• Headquarters: Emeryville, California, United States
• Area served: United States
• Current CEO: Eric Lauterbach
• Revenue: EUR 3,988 million (H1, 2023)
• Market cap: $13.56 Billion (September 2023)
• Number of employees: 20,000 (2022)

Peet’s Coffee is a specialty coffee roaster and retailer that was founded in 1966 by Alfred Peet in Berkeley, California. Peet’s Coffee is known for its darker roasted Arabica coffee in blends including French roast and grades appropriate for espresso drinks. Peet’s offers freshly roasted beans, brewed coffee and espresso beverages, as well as bottled cold brew. Peet’s is commonly regarded as one of the first coffee bean and brewed coffee retailers to offer specialty grade coffee, and to roast the beans longer, producing a liquor that is darker, more bitter, with less of the sour taste of the coffees offered in the US at the time.

Peet’s Coffee was founded in 1966 by Alfred Peet in Berkeley, California.Peet’s Coffee is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area and is owned by JAB Holding Company via JDE Peet’s.

Peet’s Coffee generated total sales of EUR 8.2 billion in 2022.

16) The Cheesecake Factory

• Product Type: American cuisine
• Industry: Restaurants
• Founded date: 1978
• Founders: David Overton
• Headquarters: Calabasas, California, United States
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: David Overton
• Revenue: $866 million (June 2023)
• Number of employees: 47,500 (2022)
• Market cap: $1.55B (September 08, 2023)

The Cheesecake Factory is an American restaurant company and distributor of cheesecakes based in the United States. The Cheesecake Factory provides a distinctive, high-quality dining experience at moderate prices.

The restaurant offers an extensive, innovative, and evolving menu in an upscale casual, high-energy setting with attentive, efficient, and friendly service. The restaurant’s menu features approximately 235 items, including items presented on supplemental menus, such as its SkinnyLicious menu, which offers innovative items at 590 calories or less. The Cheesecake Factory restaurants appeal to a diverse consumer base across a broad demographic range.

Cheesecake Factory Quarterly Net Income is $43 million as of June 2023. Cheesecake Factory Quarterly Operating Income as of June 2023 is $47 million. Cheesecake Factory Quarterly Gross Profit is $132 million.

17) Brinker International

• Product Type: Casual dining restaurants
• Industry: Restaurants
• Founded date: September 30, 1983
• Founders: Norman E. Brinker
• Headquarters: Dallas, Texas, United States
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: Kevin Hochman
• Revenue: $1,076 million (June 2023)
• Number of employees: 64,323(2023)
• Market cap: $1.39B (September 08, 2023)

Brinker International, Inc. is a multinational hospitality industry company that owns Chili’s and Maggiano’s Little Italy restaurant chains. It was founded in 1975 by Larry Lavine in Dallas, Texas, and was renamed Chili’s, Inc. in 1976. In 1983, Norman E. Brinker took over Chili’s, Inc. and took the company public. In 1991, Chili’s, Inc. was renamed Brinker International, Inc. (Brinker). Brinker currently owns, operates, or franchises 1,672 restaurants under the names Chili’s Grill & Bar and Maggiano’s Little Italy worldwide. Brinker International, Inc. is also the parent company of On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina and Romano’s Macaroni Grill.

Brinker Quarterly Net Income as of June 2023 is $54 million.  Brinker Quarterly Gross Profit as of June 2023 is $153 million.

18) Au Bon Pain

• Product Type: Bakery-cafe
• Industry: Restaurants
• Founded date: 1978
• Founders: Louis Rapuano and Pavailler
• Headquarters: Richardson, Texas, United States
• Area served: United States and Thailand
• Current CEO: David Shear

Au Bon Pain is an American fast-casual restaurant, bakery, and café chain that was founded in Boston in 1976. The name “Au Bon Pain” means “from good bread” in French, and the company’s focus on good bread is evident in its menu, which includes baked goods such as bread, pastries, croissants, and bagels, as well as tea, coffee, and espresso beverages, breakfast foods such as egg sandwiches, and lunch items such as soup, salads, and sandwiches.  Au Bon Pain was acquired by Panera Bread in 2017, which was later acquired by JAB Holding Company.

19) IHOP

• Product Type: Pancakes, waffles, breakfast foods, and lunch and dinner items
• Industry: Restaurants
• Founded date: July 7, 1958
• Founders: Jerry Lapin, Al Lapin Jr. and Albert Kallis
• Headquarters: Glendale, California, United States
• Area served: Worldwide
• Current CEO: Jay Johns
• Revenue: 3.36 billion (2022)

IHOP, or International House of Pancakes, is an American multinational pancake house restaurant chain that specializes in American breakfast foods. It was founded in 1958 and has since become a popular destination for breakfast lovers. IHOP is a popular American casual dining chain that operates over 1,781 restaurants worldwide as of 2022. In addition to pancakes, IHOP also offers omelets, waffles, crepes, and other breakfast foods, as well as a variety of lunch and dinner items

IHOP generated approximately 3.36 billion U.S. dollars in sales from its restaurants in the US. IHOP’s year-over-year domestic comparable same-restaurant sales increased 2.0% for the fourth quarter of 2022. IHOP franchises make $464,725 in profits per year.

20) Chick-fil-A

• Product Type: Fast food restaurant chain
• Industry: Foodservice
• Founded date: 1946
• Founders: S. Truett Cathy
• Headquarters: College Park, Georgia, United States
• Area served: United States, Canada, and the Middle East
• Current CEO: Dan Cathy

Chick-fil-A is a fast-food chain that was founded in 1946 by S. Truett Cathy in Hapeville, Georgia. The company is known for its signature original Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich, which was developed in the Dwarf Grill (now known as The Dwarf House® restaurant). The sandwich is made with a hand-breaded, perfectly seasoned, and pressure-cooked filet served on a toasted, buttery bun with two pickle chips. The company has grown beyond its roots in Atlanta and is now delivering its signature brand of service and food to guests in 48 states, Washington, D.C., Canada, and Puerto Rico.

Chick-fil-A is committed to a workplace culture where everyone is treated with honor, dignity, and respect. The company’s policies, practices, and benefits support this commitment. Chick-fil-A is purpose-driven, and its purpose is to create positive impact on all who come in contact with the company.

Chick-fil-A’s revenue in 2022 was $5.8 billion. Chick-fil-A’s domestic system sales reached $18.8 billion in 2022.

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