During a July 27 conference call with analysts to discuss its second-quarter results, Hoffman described details of a menu simplification plan that has the company looking to extend its leadership in coffee and donuts, while also delivering a compelling national value message.
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| David Hoffman, president, Dunkin' Donuts US and Canada at Dunkin' Brands |
“A key underpinning of menu innovation is menu simplification, which enables us to take complexities that have crept into the restaurants over the last several years, out of the system,” Hoffman said. “Menu simplification is all about creating room for growth for the next wave of innovation as a beverage-led on-the-go brand. As you know, we introduced a simplified menu into 300 restaurants earlier this year and are very pleased with the results. … We will be expanding this streamlined menu through an additional 700 restaurants by October for a total of 1,000 locations. We will roll it out in two phases. The first, by the end of August and the second, by October.”
Hoffman said classics such as the bacon, egg and cheese croissant will remain on the menu, but other items will be removed.
“We will continue to tweak the simplified menu using feedback from customers, franchisees and employees, as we move into the next phase going forward,” he said. “However, we still believe that benefits of simplified menu in the long run will help drive top line and bottom line from improved customer throughput, happier crew and managers and ultimately, increased restaurant level margins. As we’ve said before, simplification will continue to be a cultural mindset for our system. We want to make our restaurants simpler and easier to operate. In addition to this, we are also working on updated P.O.S. systems designed to make life easier at the store level as well.”
Net income at Dunkin’ Brands Group Inc. in the second quarter ended July 1 totaled $55.7 million, equal to 61 cents per share on the common stock, up 12 percent from $49.6 million, or 54 cents per share, in the same period a year ago. Revenues increased 1 percent to $218.5 million from $216.3 million.
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| Nigel Travis, chairman and CEO, Dunkin' Brands |
“We are very excited about the progress that we’ve made on our multiyear plan to transform Dunkin’ Donuts US into a beverage-led on-the-go brand,” said Nigel Travis, chairman and CEO of Dunkin’ Brands Group. “Together with our franchisees, we are laser-focused on delivering what matters most to consumers, including, menu innovation, unparalleled convenience driven by digital leadership, restaurant excellence and simplification and broad accessibility to our products through strategic restaurant development and the sale of our products in other channels.”
Segment profit at Dunkin’ Donuts US in the second quarter ended July 1 was $122,548,000, up nearly 6 percent from $116,085,000 in the same period a year ago. Total revenues increased 2.2 percent to $157,080,000 from $153,660,000.
Dunkin’ said its Baskin-Robbins US unit posted segment profit of $10,970,000 in the second quarter, up 2.2 percent from $10,738,000 in the same period a year ago. Total revenues, meanwhile, increased 4.4 percent to $14,347,000 from $13,738,000.
