Dunkin' Donuts is to coffee (see entry under 1990s—The Way We Lived in volume 5) and doughnuts what McDonald's (see entry under 1940s—Food and Drink in volume 3) is to hamburgers (see entry under 1950s—Food and Drink in volume 3) and French fries (see entry under 1950s—Food and Drink in volume 3): the shining example of a successful fast food (see entry under 1920s—Food and Drink in volume 2) concept. With stores throughout the nation and throughout the world, Dunkin' Donuts is the most popular doughnut shop nationally and globally. Each day, all its franchises (stores sold to individual business owners around the country) combined reportedly sell approximately 1.8 million cups of coffee. Dunkin' Donuts franchise owners must agree to sell Dunkin' Donuts products according to the Dunkin' Donuts company rules.

The history of Dunkin' Donuts dates to 1946, when a young businessman named William Rosenberg...