From lattes to hash browns, these are all the vegan goodies Dunkin' Donuts has to offer. | Eileen Cho for LIVEKINDLY
(Updated April 26, 2021) | Eating vegan at Dunkin’ just got easier. From iced lattes and teas to the chain’s new avo toast, the coffee chain now carries a variety of plant-based menu offerings. Here’s how to order vegan at Dunkin’.
The coffee giant—which was founded in 1950—kicked 2021 off with a bang. It launched its new vegetarian Southwest Veggie Power Breakfast Sandwich, which features MorningStar Farms’ black bean patty. It also includes an egg white omelet filled with spinach, bell peppers, and onions, and cheese, all served on an extra thin bun.
Although it’s not vegan, the meatless sandwich appeals to flexitarians looking to reduce their meat intake, the company acknowledged in a statement.
Dunkin’ has been expanding its vegan options over the past two years.
The company’s CEO, David Hoffman, first suggested that the chain would be getting vegan options back in 2018. “Nobody does iced coffee and hot drip coffee better than us,” he told Boston.com. “But there’s a whole range of other products that we can get into around beverages,” he continued. “Whether it’s re-establishing ourselves in espresso-based drinks to teas to plant-based drinks… We think that’s some of the runway for us long term.”
In 2019, Dunkin’ became the first quick-service restaurant to serve California-based vegan meat brand Beyond Meat’s Beyond Breakfast Sausage.
After trialing the vegan meat in select locations throughout Manhattan, Dunkin’ launched the Beyond Breakfast Sandwich nationwide. In addition to the vegan sausage patty, the sandwich features egg and cheese on an English muffin. Customers can order it vegan, omitting the egg and cheese.
In an interview with CNBC, Hoffman hinted that the Beyond Sausage Sandwich is just the beginning of the company’s partnership with Beyond Meat. “I think this is going to be a partnership for years to come,” he said.
On April 28, Dunkin’ will add vegan coconut milk to its menu. The coffee and donut chain will also release two new vegan drink options featuring the dairy-free milk: Dunkin’ Coconutmilk Refreshers and Coconutmilk Iced Latte. The former will be available in three flavors: Pink Strawberry, Golden Peach, and Purple Pomegranate.
The plant-based milk launch follows the rollout of vegan oat milk by Planet Oat nationwide last year and almond milk in 2014. Customers can order any Dunkin’ beverage with any plant-based milk option.
“Providing choice is a key element of our menu innovation at Dunkin’,” a spokesperson for the coffee chain told LIVEKINDLY. “And we are committed to offering vegan options as part of our commitment to serve and provide all guests with choices no matter their dietary preference.”
The international coffee and donut chain does note that while it does offer vegan options, they are prepared and/or cooked on the same area as items containing animal products.
Although the coffee giant has remained tight-lipped about future vegan launches, Dunkin’ may soon be adding vegan donuts to its menu.
During a company shareholder meeting, Hoffmann hinted at the new vegan menu offering. When asked by Rachel Pawelski—senior campaigns coordinator for Animal Outlook (formerly known as Compassion Over Killing)—whether or not the chain would add vegan donuts to its menu, he responded: “As it relates to a vegan donut, we continue to investigate a viable vegan donut option. We are looking at it closely.”
He added: “You’re going to continue to see us put more consumer [choices] on the menu.”
Pawelski told LIVEKINDLY vegan donuts would be a “win-win-win for Dunkin, the animals, and consumers around the country.” She added: “If it’s possible to make delicious donuts without using cruelly produced animal products, why not do it?”
Pawelski said the accessibility of vegan options at major chains like Dunkin’ is incredibly important. “Every day people are changing their diet whether it’s for the animals, their health, or the planet,” she continued. “By putting a vegan option in front of the average consumer, they’re given one more way to live their values or try something new.“
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This post was last modified on April 27, 2021 4:52 pm