Back to search
đź”´ PRIVATE EQUITY OWNED
Dunkin'
coffee & donuts · Canton, MA
PE Firm
Roark Capital
Acquirer
Inspire Brands
Year Acquired
2020
“America runs on Dunkin'. Dunkin' runs on poverty wages.”
The PE Playbook
- •Inspire Brands (Roark Capital) acquired Dunkin' for $11.3 billion in 2020, loading the company with massive acquisition debt
- •Closed 800 U.S. locations in 2020 alone — the largest single-year closure in the chain's history
- •Over 450 DOL investigations since 2010 found wage theft totaling $1.5+ million owed to 3,600+ workers; average crew pay just $11/hour
- •Chicago franchisee settled a class action after allegedly altering employees' clock-in/clock-out times to reduce recorded hours
Since the Acquisition
- ▸Leaked 2022 internal document revealed 34 menu items being eliminated — frozen drinks, hot teas, sandwiches, bakery items, and donut varieties
- ▸Coconut milk added in 2021, then removed from the entire menu in 2022 — eliminating the only dairy-free option for refresher drinks
- â–¸Over 450 Department of Labor investigations since 2010 found Dunkin' stores owe $1.5 million+ in back wages to 3,600+ workers for wage violations