Idea to Rollout: Snack Time at Dunkin Donuts

Crispy flatbread sandwiches lead the pack of savory baked snacks that Dunkin’ Donuts is testing to boost p.m. traffic.

By Monica Rogers, Contributing Editor -- Chain Leader, 4/1/2007

The big "S" words flying around Dunkin’ Donuts’ menu-development department right now are "savory" and "snacks." The Canton, Mass.-based chain started testing savory snacks in late 2005 in tandem with new prototypes to tempt p.m. noshers not interested in breakfast sandwiches or sweets.

"Dunkin’ Donuts has had a fair amount of traffic in the afternoons with beverage sales and sweets, but we felt that we needed some fast, fresh and affordable savory items to generate more traffic," says Joe Scafido, chief creative and innovation officer for parent Dunkin’ Brands.

Listed on test menus in the new category Anytime Snacks, new savory items include pizzas, chicken biscuits for Southern markets, and three flatbread sandwiches: Three Cheese (Jack, cheddar, American); Turkey, Bacon & Cheddar; and Ham & Swiss.

Flatbread sandwiches are the frontrunners in the savory snack test pack. "People understand these ingredients," says Scafido, who has "a high degree of confidence that these will be part of Dunkin’s future." He estimates it will be a year to a year-and-a-half before the sandwiches are available nationally.

Crisp but Tender

Oozing melted cheese, the simple toasted sandwiches are built on a new bread product Dunkin’ Donuts developed last year. Thinner and less spongey than pita but thicker than lavosh, the bread is tender and yielding yet with a crisped exterior made possible by fast-cook ovens. Dough is shaped into loaves and parbaked before being layered with toppings, frozen and shipped to units.

"We were on the bench in R&D three to four months to make sure that the flatbread could be finished properly in the ovens, quickly," says Scafido. Getting the internal temperature on the meats and cheeses hot, but not too hot, was also tricky.

Aiding the process, Dunkin’ Donuts expanded its menu development team more than a year ago. Of the 25 developers now on staff, five work full time on shaping savory snacks. "We wanted to stay with items that matched Dunkin’s DNA, and baking is Dunkin’s DNA," Scafido explains. As a result, the three savory snack items currently in test are built with some sort of dough: biscuit, flaky pizza crust and flatbreads.

One challenge to rolling these systemwide: The combination microwave and convection ovens are key to getting the right texture in finished results at the unit level, and franchisees not already using them will need to purchase them.

For franchisees such as Joe Rando, however, the new oven requirement wasn’t an issue. Rando, owner of Heath Island Enterprises, operates two new Tennessee units selling the sandwiches and will open a third shortly. "I chose to go with the new menu and the new oven from the start for consistency," he says.

Lunch and Late Night

Rando says reaction to the snack category has been very strong from both guests and visiting franchisees. Dunkin’ Donuts’ fans are "fanatical and ritualistic," Rando explains. "We had crowds eagerly waiting for my first store to open. And when it did, they were not just thrilled to see what they knew Dunkin’ to be from the past, but very excited about the new options."

Of the three flatbread sandwiches, Rando says Turkey, Bacon & Cheddar is selling a bit better than the other two, "But it’s an almost even mix between the three of them; very close." Although he can’t give specific sales percentages, Rando says the sandwiches sell best during lunch and late night.

Franchisees around the country are looking at the new options for potential inclusion at their units. "I get a couple of calls and some visits every week," says Rando. "They’re not skeptical about this but are optimistic and intrigued…looking to validate how this will work." He hasn’t had any operational wrinkles, but he has had to make a mental shift to get used to the snack sandwiches taking 50 seconds to cook—20 seconds longer than the breakfast sandwiches. "Guests haven’t complained because the quality is better," Rando says. "It’s more just me watching the seconds ticking on the clock."

Dunkin’ will continue to test and tweak savory snacks. It is expanding the flatbread sandwich test to include varieties such as Italian, pepperoni and cheese, roasted vegetable, and a breakfast option.

Here’s how other fast-food chains are targeting new snack habits.