A relocated Dunkin’ Donuts recently opened on the corner of South Avenue and Elm Street, and in a bigger space, expanding the town’s selection of coffee and pastry.
Paul Stone attends the Dunkin grand opening in its new space on May 20, 2023, after the tenant fit-out.
The new location—just down the street from Dunkin’s longtime Elm Street home—has sparked discussion among locals, prompting conversations about convenience, space, aesthetics, service and parking.
Maria and Michael Palladino, longtime New Canaan locals, said they are Dunkin’ regulars and like the new space.
“We would say we are avid coffee drinkers, we really appreciate the variety of refreshments offered,” Maria Palladino said. “The new location is also really convenient for our daily visits.”
Though Dunkin has occupied commercial space in the same row of buildings next to Bank of America for decades, local customers say they’re making a smooth transition to the expanded store. The new location offers easier access to the parking at Morse Court, which includes metered spaces as well as free 15-minute spots that customers can use to visit Dunkin without crossing a street.
David Frank, another New Canaan local, said the longtime location at 88 Elm “has always been a go-to spot for me.”
Frank said he likes the larger size of the new Dunkin’.
Laura Budd, executive director of the New Canaan Chamber of Commerce, noted that Dunkin Donuts “has been a fixture in New Canaan for a very long time.”
“We are so pleased to see they have ‘doubled down’ and opened up a larger space which will allow the loyal New Canaan customers to enjoy and updated setting and additional menu items,” Budd said in an email.
She added that “Jim Cain and his team have always shown a great commitment to the New Canaan community,” including making a recent donation to a charity that provides positive group activities and emotional support for children with cancer, as well as a healthy foods event.
Claudia Garcia, a 16-year-old exchange student from Spain attending New Canaan High School, picked up a caramel Macchiato on a recent afternoon.
“I’m a coffee addict,” she said.
Garcia, who has been living in New Canaan for about nine months, observed that the physical space of Dunkin in the United States is different from those in Spain, but that she enjoys the coffee the same.
“The menu and everything’s pretty similar,” Garcia said.