Originally posted Friday, July 06, 2007
SOMETHING FRESH IS ALWAYS BREWIN’ HERE!
If you’ve ever walked into a Dunkin’ Donuts shop, you’re familiar with the divine aroma of piping hot coffee and freshly baked donuts — it’s next to heaven.
I began drinking America’s favorite hot beverage as a teen and ever since, my unwavering coffee of choice is the 100% Arabica served up at Dunkie’s. Forget Starbucks or Barnie’s Blend. Any morning I can start the day with a mugful of DD’s Original Blend brew, I’m a happy gal.
Dunkin’ Donuts began in 1950 in Quincy, Massachusetts and quickly became a familiar sight throughout the Bay State. I grew up on Boston’s “nawth shoah”, where there were ‘Dunkies’ on nearly every city block. Many Bay State teens entered the workforce pouring coffee and piling donuts into the familiar pink and orange box — or waxed bag — for counter customers who stood patiently three and four deep, waiting for their “large, heavy cream and dozen assorted to go”.
I snapped the photo above (note: photo to be reinserted) while walking about during a recent trip to Historic Salem, my hometown. To me DD is as much of a landmark as the Witch House or the House of Seven Gables. This Dunkie sits in the heart of Townhouse Square, a favorite “haunt” for locals. The shop is usually filled with as many customers as there are fresh Chocolate Glazed cooling on the racks. Years ago when I moved to Florida, to my delight there was a Dunkie’s right there on A1A in Cocoa Beach, just a couple of miles from my new home. Hooray!
But brewing a darn fine cuppa java isn’t the only goodness from Dunkie’s.
The largest doughnut chain with more than 6,000 stores nationwide has taken the lead in the fight against employing illegal immigrants. Dunkin’ Donuts has
… filed a lawsuit in federal court asking a judge to terminate the franchise agreement it has with two stores in Central Jersey, saying the owners knowingly accepted false documents, used false Social Security numbers and paid employees in cash.
The company has filed similar lawsuits seeking to sever ties with franchises in Boston, Atlanta and Florida, where it is has accused three franchises of hiring illegal immigrants.
The lawsuits come a year after Dunkin’ Donuts became the most well-known corporation to enroll in Basic Pilot, a voluntary U.S. Department of Homeland Security program that allows employers to perform electronic document checks to verify that applicants are eligible to work.
Under the Senate bill, the electronic verification program, currently used by less than 1 percent of all U.S. businesses, would become mandatory.
Dunkin’ Donuts officials declined to comment on the lawsuits.
In a written statement, company officials said that requiring its 5,100 stores to enroll in Basic Pilot “is the right thing to do for our franchisees, for Dunkin’ Brands, and most of all, for our franchisees’ workers.”
Yep. Something fresh is always brewing at Dunkin’ Donuts. And that coffee’s tasting even better these days. Pour you a cup?
