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So when we do we get an all-out donut war in Massachusetts?

On WBUR's Public Radio Kitchen, Susan McGrory notes the full-frontal assault launched in another Dunkin' Donuts hotbed - Manhattan - by Canadian donut powerhouse Tim Hortons.

Could it happen here? The Canadians are a lot closer than you might think. Take a look at the map below, which shows Tim Hortons outlets in the Providence area. There are even a few just over the border. Unlike Krispy Kreme, Tim Hortons seems a more worthy matchup for our Dunk's - they have a similar menu. If they did try to move into DD's ancestral homeland, though, who would get hurt more? Dunkin' Donuts or Honey Dew Donuts?

Tim Hortons in Little Rhody
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Comments

has been changed over the last 7-10 years. Anyone know what Im talking about?

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But it is still better than Honeydew, who in my relatively limited experience with them, are unable to make a fresh-tasting sandwich, or a cup of iced coffee that doesn't taste like bad tap water. Some good doughnuts, though.

I don't know Tim Horton's products, but I suspect Dunk's has nothing to fear.

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Its it the actual coffee beans that changed? Or is it the people that work at DD the last few years are horribly inconsistent when adding things?

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I think that, right there is the issue. Roasting and brewing are highly controlled processes. As somebody who takes his coffee straight, I haven't noticed a qualitative change, but I'm sure you'll find lots of variance in the non-controlled elements (i.e. cream, sugar, other things to detract from the java).

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DD's has everything to fear from their northern rivals who, unlike DD's, still make their doughnuts fresh and do not make coffee that tastes like acid. Welcome Canadian overloards! (please bring universal healthcare)

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You haven't lived until you've had a Black Forest ham sandwich and a cherry doughnut at Tim Horton's after a minor-league hockey game. Sadly, not enough of any of that lives in Massachusetts.

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That sounds like a compelling argument except we just saw Krispy Kreme fail in this market. What we need is a combination of HoneyDew's donuts and MaryLou's coffee.

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I was quoted on Greater Boston to that effect the night the first Krispy Kreme shop opened in Medford. Krispy Kreme was a southern-style doughnut -- yeasty and tooth-achingly sweet -- when the local preference for doughnuts is cake-style and fairly unadorned.

Tim Horton's doughnuts are far superior to DDs, and would probably do quite well in the area. I don't know that I've ever had Tim's coffee, so I can't speak to that.

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I would love to find a good cake donut. I agree that is the supposed strength of the Dunkin style, but there donuts are not actually very good. I grew up in Los Angeles, where donuts are like pizza or bagels in New York. The shops are ubiquitous, all independent, and entirely awesome. Dunks does not compare. If Horton's does a good job on the cake donut, then I wish them the best.

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DD's coffee -- if you buy the beans and make it yourself -- is as good as ever. If you want something comparable brewed on location you have to go for one of the 'turbo' options because they make it way too weak.

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well. The latte options have a nice strong coffe flavor (as they should), and are consistent, IMHO.

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Honey Dew would be hurting more. I think Tim Horton's has a better chance of catching on in the 'burbs and creeping their way in: that's Honey Dew's bread and butter.

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For the record, Tim Horton's bought out the late, great Bess Eaton, which was based in RI. BE was home of The Tank, a massive iced coffee, and they always published Biblical quotes on their cups.

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Manhattan is a DD hotbead? I saw 1 the 3 days I was there.

Also, note that DD considers their competitor starbucks, not other donut chains. Theyre in the coffee business, not the donut one

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I grew up enjoying Fred commercials just like you did up here :-).

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DD's competition is more likely McDonald's as opposed to Starbucks. In general, people go to Starbucks to for the coffee, whereas people go to DD's to buy coffee and a pastry or to McDonald's in the AM to buy coffee and an egg mcmuffin.

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When I buy a cup of coffee downtown it's DD more than any other brand, but I wouldn't mind more choice. Starbucks tastes like burnt beans to me (though their sandwiches can be okay -- tastier and healthier than DD's in any event), and there aren't enough Honey Dews around to stay on my radar screen. I've heard Canadians raving about Tim Horton's.

DD might be a local fave, but I wouldn't feel sorry for the company if it faced some competition. They (and Starbucks) have played Goliath to a lot of David-esque independent coffee shops over the years.

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I don't think it was TH but I went to the most amazing coffee shop imaginable in Montreal. It was on St. Catherine near Concordia. I think it is the Second Cup or something like that.

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