Dunkin’ Donuts seeks gold with California expansion

Canton, Mass. – “California, I’ll be knocking on the golden door.” Dunkin’ Donuts executives may find themselves singing these words from the Grateful Dead classic “Estimated Prophet” as the coffee retailer pursues a massive expansion strategy in the most populated U.S. state.



Dunkin’ Donuts will open 26 new restaurants in San Francisco and Fresno in the next several years as a result of new multi-unit store development agreements with two franchise groups. The two franchise groups and their development plans include existing franchisee Aharon Aminpour, who plans to develop 17 restaurants in Fresno and the surrounding cities, including Clovis, Visalia and Tulare. The next of these stores is planned to open in 2017.



In addition, new franchise group Shiva Developments plans to develop nine new restaurants in San Francisco and the surrounding cities. The group's first restaurant in California is planned to open in 2017.



Since September 2014, Dunkin' Donuts has opened 10 restaurants in California and currently operates locations in the cities of Downey, Encino, Laguna Hills, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Modesto, Santa Ana, Santa Monica, Upland and Whittier. Additional California Dunkin' Donuts locations are planned to open in Los Angeles and Sacramento areas before the end of 2015.



The opening of these restaurants is part of a larger plan to open approximately 275 new restaurants in California in the next several years. The company plans to open more than 1,000 restaurants in total throughout the state during the long-term. Franchise opportunities still remain available in portions of California, including in the Los Angeles county desert communities, Santa Barbara and Chico-Redding.