Dunkin’ Donuts

Dunkin’ Donuts

Written by Rachel Youens Wednesday, 07 March 2007

Donut chain mixes local flavor into their service

Everyone loves the classic Dunkin’ Donuts ad featuring Fred the Baker and his line, often uttered at the crack of dawn, “Time to make the donuts.” Everyone, that is, except Dennis Bone.

“Yeah, everyone laughs at those commercials except the people who work at Dunkin’ Donuts, because they know it’s true,” Bone said.

For the past 30 years, Bone has almost always arrived at work in the dark and left work in the dark as the owner of a 24-hour Dunkin’ Donuts. His shop has the distinction of never having had a year where business went down, and although some years it has remained flat, as Northwest Austin has thrived, so has business.

“I was worried where the ramps would be located when 183 was being redone, but we ended up being just between an on ramp and an off ramp. Even when they were building the road, business stayed good because people who were fed up with traffic would pull in.”

Despite the fact he’s been selling them for nearly half his life, Bone still loves donuts, but he has a strategy for keeping his weight down and his employees from eating all the product.

“The first week, I let employees eat all the donuts they want. After that week they don’t want any more,” said Bone, who used to work off the extra sprinkles by coaching his son’s little league team, the Dunkin’ Donuts Dodgers.

Another perk of the donut business is the occasional brush with celebrities. WWE Wrestler The Undertaker, along with athletes and musicians, have all stopped in for a late night snack.

Before the Bone family sold donuts, they sold appliances. Bone’s father owned an appliance shop for years before he could no longer compete with the big box stores. Eventually he decided to go to Dunkin’ Donuts University to become part of the franchise, and later brought his two sons into business with him.

“The nice thing is that a franchise will support you. Although you pay franchise fees, the company helps to negotiate prices for raw goods, and offers low prices for their products. I never have to worry about taking bids from suppliers,” Bone said.

It is nearly impossible to tell the story of Bone’s Dunkin’ Donuts without addressing Krispy Kreme. When the chain made its first entrance into Austin it was only blocks up from Bone’s Dunkin’ Donuts location. It was then that Bone was able to pinpoint what allowed his store to succeed in the face of competition.

“The secret to any business is consistency. You do well because you get the same people every day. They can come in any time on any day and they always know what they’ll get here.”

Dennis’ Favorite donuts

• Boston Kreme - voted favorite donut in Dunkin’ Donuts national poll
• Apple Crumb

COFFEE FACT: Dunkin’ Donuts is the #1 retailer of hot, regular coffee by the cup in America

Dunkin’ Donuts, 12200 US 183 • 258-6567, www.dunkindonuts.com

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