Aquidneck Island runs on Dunkin', now if we could just tip through the app

If you mention Dunkin’ Donuts (or Dunkin’ as it is now officially called) to anyone in the area, you are sure to get a reaction. Some will love it. Some will hate it. Some will tell you they’ve been going there since high school while others will give you a list on why they stay away. But like it or not, Dunkin’ has become a vital part of our community. You can’t escape their growing reach which includes seven locations on Aquidneck Island alone. Dunkin’ has become the quintessential New England brand.

I’m not here to extoll the virtues of Dunkin’. I’ll let you debate that amongst yourselves. I’m well aware that there are a lot of really great local coffeehouses on the Island that make better coffee and that deserve our patronage (including Grafik Coffee on East Main Road in Portsmouth which just opened this past Saturday). Support all our local cafes and restaurants. I mention Dunkin’ because beyond the conglomerate's $1.4 billion in annual global sales and the Ben Affleck spokesperson contract, here on the Island, there’s a hard-working team of locals getting it done. Often overlooked and under-appreciated, it’s time we gave our local Dunkin’ crews their due.

We’re spoiled by the Dunkin’ drive-thru service. While we wait in our warm car impatiently thumbing through our phones, we can’t see what’s happening inside. That’s where you learn to appreciate the demands placed upon these hardworking crew members. Coffee is flowing. Blenders are blending. Toasters are toasting. Someone is making lattes while another is putting breakfast sandwiches together. Customers shout out their orders. “Large Extra, Extra Iced!” “Regular, Hot!” “Peppermint Mocha, extra pump!” A flurry of activity is going on behind the counter. A new tray of Blueberry Cake Donuts arrives. A box of 50 Munchkins is packaged to order (“no creams or jellies!”) Someone wants to buy a bag of coffee. The mobile orders keep coming in. The line inside goes to the door. The drive-thru is backed up to the street. It’s organized chaos, but somehow the crew is getting it done.

The most remarkable feat is how the local crews can keep their cool and actually smile. They are dealing with a highly stressful and demanding climate. To make things more tense, they are dealing with a clientele of caffeine fiends in search of their next fix. Coffee achievers tend to be a bit on edge before that first cup of Joe, so imagine dealing with that kind of tension while working through a busy line on your morning shift. But they do it. The crews know the routine. They know their regulars and the regulars know them. Amidst all the morning mayhem, hospitality finds a way. And when you see it happen, it makes you feel good about stopping in for a medium hot latte with skim milk.

Do all the employees exemplify the rules of great service? Of course not. I’m sure most Dunkin’ regulars can recall an instance when they received the polar opposite of great service. That will happen in a business with over 13,000 locations. But for the most part, on the local level, Dunkin’ employees take pride in their work and know how to make their guests happy. They get the coffee out fast. They recognize the regulars. They care about what they do. And for that, they deserve our respect and appreciation. Most of the employees are not aspiring to own their own franchise or become the next VP of Muffin Acquisitions. They are there to earn an honest living and they choose to do it with kindness and care. And I say thank you for that.

It can’t be an easy place to work. You think it would be all about the coffee, but the menu keeps expanding. Suddenly the employee who has been trained to make coffee and egg sandwiches needs to learn how to make smoothies, cold brews and avocado toast. Dunkin’ jumps pretty quickly on every relatable food trend, so the crew is always adapting and adding more to their job responsibility list. That can wear you down. But the Dunkin’ crew gets it done. And despite all their advances in food development and technology, for some reason, they still won’t let you add a tip for the employee on the Dunkin’ app. C’mon Ben Affleck – make that happen!

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Great hospitality is what makes the difference at any restaurant, whether you are serving Stuffed Lobster and Foie Gras or if you are serving a Medium Regular and a Glazed Stick. We are lucky that there is no shortage of great hospitality on the Island. And if great service is important in your coffeehouse choices, there’s no shortage there either. Every spot on the Island that offers hot and delicious coffee and fresh baked pastries serves it up with great hospitality. But in the mix of all our coffee spots, we sometimes forget about what’s happening inside Dunkin’. It’s easy to overlook the busiest places. So let’s take a minute to recognize the Dunkin’s crews for all they do. They are the ones that truly keep us running, and we raise our Dunkin’ logo cup in honor and appreciation for all they do.

Dan Lederer is a Middletown resident with 30 years experience in the food service industry throughout New England. He continues to work locally behind the scenes within the industry and remains a devoted fan of all things restaurant and hospitality related. His column appears on newportri.com and in The Daily News. Cheers!

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Dunkin' on Aquidneck Island served well by courteous employees