COFFEE BATTLE BREWS IN CITY; Dunkin' Donuts aims to tap Starbucks' upscale customers by opening shops near offices.(News)

Publication: Crain's New York Business

Publication Date: 01-JAN-07

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COPYRIGHT 2007 Crain Communications, Inc.

Byline: ELISABETH BUTLER

dunkin' donuts, a fast-food chain that has long appealed to construction workers and taxi drivers, is trying to put more of its signature pink and white coffee cups into the manicured hands of office workers.

As part of the expansion plan it launched last year, Dunkin' Donuts aims to challenge Starbucks' white-collar popularity by opening more stores in Manhattan's office buildings and near tourist attractions such as Rockefeller Center and Times Square. To help secure some of those coveted sites, Dunkin' Donuts has introduced a more upscale store model, complete with granite countertops and wallpaper sporting its new logo. Starbucks, the city's biggest coffee chain, is brewing its own expansion...

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