Dunkin’ has apparently decided that simply selling coffee, doughnuts and breakfast sandwiches is no longer enough.
Now it wants your dog.
It wants your tennis game.
It wants your Netflix-watching, social-media-scrolling morning routine.
And frankly, I’m enjoying the ride.
The Massachusetts-born company has spent the end of summer rolling out one collaboration after another — from dog toys with BARK to a tennis collection with HEAD to a breakfast meal created with social-media star Alix Earle.
Somehow, Munchkins are now being packaged like tennis balls, dogs have their own Dunkin’ drive-thru, and you can buy a $99 Dunkin’ tennis bag.
This is no longer just a coffee company.
This is Dunkin’ World.
Dunkin’ Has Officially Gone to the Dogs
The Dunkin’ x BARK partnership is back for a seventh year, and at this point the dogs may be getting a better Dunkin’ experience than some of us.
The 2026 collection features dog toys modeled after familiar Dunkin’ menu items, including a Wake-Up Wrap, a Strawberry Dragonfruit Refresher and Donuts set, and an oversized Iced Signature Latte paired with a Chocolate Frosted Sprinkles Donut. Depending on the toy, they are available with donations ranging from $14 to $20 to the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation.
And these aren’t just little stuffed toys with a Dunkin’ logo printed on them.
The Wake-Up Wrap has squeakers, crinkle material and even fake bacon. The Refresher-and-doughnut combination has rope for tugging. The oversized latte-and-doughnut toy even has a hidden surprise inside.
Someone at BARK clearly took this assignment very seriously.
The partnership has now sold more than 1 million dog toys and raised more than $15 million for the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation since it began, according to the companies. The money helps support programs for children battling illness and hunger, including Dogs for Joy, which helps place trained facility dogs in children’s hospitals.
So your dog gets a stuffed Dunkin’ breakfast sandwich, your living room gets covered in squeaker parts, and children’s programs benefit.
Everybody wins.
But the best part happened right here in Massachusetts.
This week, Dunkin’ actually opened its first official dog drive-thru at its Washington Street location in Quincy.
One drive-thru lane remained open for humans.
The other was for dogs.
Dogs pulling up received treats and limited-edition BARK x Dunkin’ bandanas, while their humans could make a donation for a toy from the new collection.
Imagine explaining this to somebody in 1950.
“We have good news. Your little coffee-and-doughnut shop is going to become enormously successful.”
“Wonderful.”
“And one day, dogs will have their own drive-thru lane.”
“What?”
Only in Massachusetts does that somehow make perfect sense.
Apparently Dunkin’ Plays Tennis Now, Too
Just when you thought the marketing department might take the weekend off, Dunkin’ announced its next move yesterday:
Tennis.
Beginning Sunday, August 30, Dunkin’ is launching a tennis-themed menu and merchandise collection featuring two new drinks, special Munchkins packaging and a collaboration with HEAD.
And whoever came up with the Munchkins idea deserves a raise.
A three-count order of assorted Munchkins will be available in a limited-edition miniature tennis can designed to look like the container you would normally find tennis balls in.
Think about that.
For decades, we’ve been staring at round Munchkins and apparently nobody asked the obvious question:
Why aren’t we putting these things in a tennis-ball can?
Now somebody finally did.
The tennis promotion also includes a Melon Deuce Energy, featuring watermelon-lime and raspberry flavors with lemonade, and the Matcha Point, made with matcha, French vanilla flavor and protein milk. Dunkin’ says a medium Matcha Point contains 18 grams of protein.
Then things get even more interesting.
Dunkin’ and HEAD are releasing co-branded tennis bags in Dunkin’ orange and pink for $99 apiece, along with tennis-themed clothing and accessories priced from $15 to $50. The merchandise launches September 4.
There’s also a two-day Dunkin’ and American Express Gold tennis event at Grand Central Terminal on August 30 and 31, complete with a precision challenge, samples and photo opportunities.
And Dunkin’ says another announcement involving a tennis legend is still coming.
At this point, if Andre Agassi shows up at a Dunkin’ in Quincy serving medium iced regulars, I’m not even going to ask questions.
And Now Alix Earle Has Her Own Dunkin’ Breakfast
While the dogs chew their Wake-Up Wraps and tennis players carry Munchkins onto the court, Dunkin’ has also teamed up with social-media personality Alix Earle.
Her new Earle-Y Riser Meal takes her regular Dunkin’ order and turns it into a nationally available breakfast.
It includes a Shakin’ Espresso with sugar-free vanilla and almond milk, a Sausage, Egg and Cheese Hash Brown Wake-Up Wrap and three assorted Munchkins.
The partnership is connected with Earle’s upcoming Netflix reality series, Earle Meets World, which begins streaming September 4. Dunkin’, Netflix and Earle are also collaborating on social-media campaigns tied to the launch.
And because dogs, tennis and Netflix apparently weren’t enough for one month, Dunkin’ has also brought back its pumpkin lineup and added new pumpkin, tiramisu and refresher drinks for fall.
So, just to review:
Dogs.
Tennis.
Alix Earle.
Netflix.
Pumpkin.
Tiramisu.
Munchkins in tennis cans.
Somewhere inside Dunkin’ headquarters is a marketing whiteboard that must look absolutely insane.
But There’s a Method to All This Madness
What Dunkin’ is doing is actually pretty smart.
The company has figured out that it doesn’t always need to advertise another cup of coffee.
Instead, it creates things people want to photograph, share, collect, talk about and send to their friends.
A breakfast sandwich becomes a dog toy.
A doughnut hole becomes a tennis ball.
A celebrity’s normal breakfast order becomes a branded meal.
A trip through the drive-thru becomes an event.
That keeps Dunkin’ part of the conversation even when the conversation isn’t necessarily about coffee.
And here in New England, Dunkin’ has always been more than a place to grab breakfast anyway.
It’s part restaurant, part morning ritual and, for some of us, probably part personality trait.
Which brings me to something important.
Dunkin’, I’m Still Waiting for You To Take My Idea
With all these collaborations and limited-edition products, I continue to be baffled that nobody at Dunkin’ has called me about what I believe could be its next great creation:
The Breakfast Munchkin.
Here’s the idea.
Take the classic sausage, egg and cheese croissant.
Now shrink it.
Make the outside a little flaky croissant ball and put sausage, egg and melted cheese inside.
That’s it.
Mini sausage.
Mini egg.
Mini cheese.
Mini croissant.
Sell them by the six.
Sell them by the dozen.
Sell 25 of them in a big Munchkins box for the office.
Call them Breakfast Munchkins.
I mean, come on.
Tell me that wouldn’t sell.
Picture grabbing a box of 12 little sausage, egg and cheese croissant balls and an iced coffee on the way to work.
Bring a box into the office instead of doughnuts.
Throw one in your mouth while you’re driving.
Bring 25 to a football tailgate.
Put them out for the kids on Saturday morning.
You’re telling me people wouldn’t order these things by the box?
Dunkin’, you’re welcome.
You’ve made Wake-Up Wraps for dogs.
You’ve put Munchkins into tennis cans.
You’ve created celebrity breakfast meals.
Now take my idea and make the Breakfast Munchkin.
Would You Eat Breakfast Munchkins?
So here’s where NewBostonPost readers come in.
Would you eat a box of Breakfast Munchkins — yes or absolutely yes?
Tell us in the comments.
And if enough people get behind this thing, maybe we need to stop joking around and start an actual Breakfast Munchkin petition.
We’ll collect the names.
We’ll send it to Dunkin’.
We’ll make some noise.
Because sometimes the people know what they want before the menu does.
Come on, Dunkin’. Give the people their Breakfast Munchkins.
