Regular Coffee Rules the Roost

Citywide, Dunkin' Donuts boasts 348 stores.

By: Ryan Hartley

Amid announcements from Starbucks that the national chain, based in Washington State, will be closing several of its locations around the city, the Center for an Urban Future has released a report that may surprise some people. Starbucks isn't the number one caffeine joint in town.

Citywide, there are about 235 Starbucks stores. 186 of those are in Manhattan. That number, staggering though it may be, can't hold a candle to the number one chain-store in town. No, it isn't Mcdonald's, either. Would you believe that it's Dunkin' Donuts? Citywide, Dunkin' Donuts boasts 348 stores. While it's certainly true that many people swear by their venti double-whatevers from Starbucks, it's clear from the number of successful Dunkin' Donuts franchises that the plain ol' cup of joe and a donut is the prefence of New York's outer boroughs.

There are other major chain-stores around the city, as well. Subway, making a comeback from slumping sales numbers in the early part of the decade, has a whopping 335 sandwich shops around the city. With their sales numbers improving, and more people getting into the franchise business, Subway is the largest fast food chain in the world. Chain stores are very popular in the five boroughs. Stores like Rite Aid and Radio Shack both have over 100 stores in the city, and over 90 other large chain operations have more than 10 stores in the city. All-in-all, NYC seems to be the place where the chain reigns supreme, but no matter what, it's plain to see that New Yorkers far prefer a regular cup of coffee.