Dunkin' Donuts Franchise Announces Five New Restaurants in Savannah, GA

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Tom Sottile to Open One Restaurant in 2010 and the Remainder by 2015

CANTON, MA -(Marketwire) - Dunkin' Donuts, America's favorite every day, all-day stop for coffee and baked goods, announced today the signing of a multi-unit store development agreement with existing franchisee Tom Sottile for five new restaurants in Savannah. One restaurant will open in 2010 and the remainder by 2015. Dunkin' Donuts development throughout Savannah is part of a steady and strategic growth strategy, which includes expanding in existing markets while entering new cities across the country to help drive the leading coffee and bakery chain's growth.

Tom Sottile was involved in the development of nine Dunkin' Donuts restaurants in Charleston and has served on numerous national committees as well as being a member of the Dunkin' Regional Advisory Council. He has been involved in the food service industry for nearly 30 years.

"I am excited to expand Dunkin' Donuts presence in Savannah and play an important role in the daily lives of people who live and work here," said Tom Sottile. "I have a strong passion and loyalty for the brand and look forward to the opening of my restaurants in the months to come."

This 5 unit deal sells out the Savannah market for future franchise development, but to complement the company's expansion, Dunkin' Donuts' is also seeking new and existing franchisees to develop restaurants in Georgia including Metro Atlanta, Albany, and Columbus. Opportunities also exist throughout Tampa, Washington, DC, Charlotte and Detroit.

To drive its expansion efforts, Dunkin' Donuts has aligned its strategy to support the growth opportunities and consumer needs of individual markets. As a result, the company continues to expand with single and multi-unit opportunities with no minimum unit requirements.

Ideally, franchisees should possess a minimum net worth of $500,000 and liquid assets of at least $250,000, but financial qualifications will vary based on the opportunity available by market. This evolution of Dunkin' Donuts' franchise sales effort enables the brand to expand in markets more aggressively, while balancing its market penetration and maturity.

"Dunkin' Donuts is excited to expand its footprint in Savannah with Tom Sottile," said Grant Benson, CFE, vice president of franchising and market planning, Dunkin' Brands, Inc. "Our secret to success is our passionate franchisees who provide a high-level of customer service to our guests' every day, and we're confident Tom and his team will cultivate lasting relationships and become an integral part of the Savannah community."

Building a solid network of stores within a market enables Dunkin' Donuts to invest in a distribution model that provides a consistent, high-quality product guests expect "in the way and on the way" of their daily routines. In an effort to keep the brand fresh and competitive, Dunkin' Donuts offers flexible concepts for any real estate format including free-standing restaurants, end caps, in-line sites, gas and convenience, travel plazas, universities, as well as other retail environments.

According to Benson, "Dunkin' Donuts is proud to energize Americans and keep the honest, hard-working, value-driven people of this country running every day. Our recent and ongoing menu enhancements meet the needs of today's on-the-go consumers, moving Dunkin' Donuts beyond breakfast with high-quality food and beverage items available all day."

Historically a doughnut and hot coffee chain, Dunkin' Donuts has expanded its offering to include frozen and iced beverages, a full bakery assortment including bagels and muffins, breakfast sandwiches, and an all-day Oven-Toasted menu which includes flatbread sandwiches, hash browns and buttermilk biscuits. The new platform marks the most significant change to Dunkin' Donuts product lineup since the company launched espresso-based beverages in 2003.

About Dunkin' Donuts

Founded in 1950, Dunkin' Donuts is America's favorite every day, all-day stop for coffee and baked goods. Dunkin' Donuts is a market leader in the regular/decaf coffee, iced coffee, hot flavored coffee, donut, bagel and muffin categories, and the largest coffee and baked goods chain in the world. Dunkin' Donuts has earned the No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for four years running. The company has more than 9,000 restaurants in 30 countries worldwide. In 2009, Dunkin' Donuts' global system-wide sales were $5.7 billion. Based in Canton, Massachusetts, Dunkin' Donuts is a subsidiary of Dunkin' Brands, Inc.

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