Doughnut Shortage Hits Hundreds of Dunkin’ Locations

Imagine going to your favorite doughnut shop only to find they are completely out of the pastries. Some fans of Dunkin’ don’t have to picture the scenario: Hundreds of the chain’s locations are experiencing a doughnut shortage.

According to Newsweek, the issue is mainly affecting stores in Nebraska, New Mexico, and Arizona. The Associated Press reported that multiple Dunkin’ stores in Nebraska placed signs on their doors and drive-thru windows apologizing for the inconvenience on January 9 and 10 of this year. The posters explained that doughnuts were unavailable due to a “manufacturing error,” though some of these locations were still selling Munchkins, a.k.a doughnut holes. Some employees in Albuquerque, New Mexico, told AP reporters that the shortage is due to a supply chain issue, while others pointed to delivery trucks that arrived without doughnuts. Northern cities where Dunkin’ is especially popular, like Boston, haven’t been seeing any problems with their doughnut stock.

There are 13,200 Dunkin’ locations worldwide. Of the 9500 U.S. stores, about 4 percent (or roughly 380 locations) have been affected by the doughnut drought. Jack D’Amato, a spokesperson for Dunkin’s parent company, Inspire Brands, told AP that a supplier issue impacted locations in Nebraska and other states. Inspire Brands has already started investigating the cause of the problem and calculating the exact number of restaurants affected. Some Dunkin’ stores have already been restocked. To avoid another shortage, Dunkin’ vows to diversify its supply chains and grow its capacity. 

The disruption isn’t all bad news for the pastry and coffee chain; Newsweek shares that the locations that did not run out of doughnuts are now seeing a customer spike. Employees hope they’ll receive more doughnuts this week. Until then, you may want to call your local Dunkin’ to confirm its stock before paying a visit.

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