Dunkin'

Reasons to avoid

1. Dunkin' franchisees racked up over $1.75 million in child labor citations from the Massachusetts AG between 2022 and 2023, with violations including employing minors during prohibited hours, without work permits, and without adult supervision after 8pm.mass.gov2023-11-02
2. In April 2025, the Massachusetts AG cited Dunkin' franchisee Cafua Management — operating over 80 locations — for child labor violations including illegal work hours and failure to obtain youth work permits.mass.gov2025-04-15
3. Since 2010, the U.S. Department of Labor has completed over 450 wage investigations at Dunkin' stores, resulting in more than $1.5 million in back wages owed to over 3,600 workers for minimum wage and overtime violations.pestakeholder.org2021-03-01
4. Dunkin's parent company Inspire Brands — owned by private equity firm Roark Capital — publicly boasted about its role in killing the federal Raise the Wage Act and blocking a $15 minimum wage from the 2021 COVID relief bill.pestakeholder.org2021-03-01
5. Despite serving millions of customers daily, Dunkin' relies almost entirely on single-use cups and lids. Paper cups with plastic coatings and plastic cold-drink cups are not recyclable and end up in landfills.pirg.org2025-01-14