Dunkin’s Rewards Program Gets a Refresh—See the New Ways to Score Free Coffee and Treats!
Get the scoop on the new changes made to Dunkin' Rewards and find out whether it's still worth using the app!
If you’re one of the millions of Americans who run on Dunkin’ every morning, you might want to sit down. Dunkin’ is making some major changes to their rewards program and the adjustments might mean you’ll need to spend a bit more to get that free treat. From new expiration dates on your points to the requirement of more points needed to redeem free items, read on for the modifications upsetting customers and learn how you can keep earning your rewards and freebies.
How the Dunkin’ Rewards points are changing
Fans of Dunkin’ are outraged once more as the loyalty program is making changes that aren’t beneficial for customers. If you’re familiar with the app, you’ll know that until recently, for every $1 spent, you earned 10 points. Once you reached a certain number, you could redeem them for free items, like a donut, coffee or other treat.
While that part is staying the same, here’s one of the biggest changes, as of October 6: All points will now expire after one year—a change that has many Dunkin’ fans spending their points as fast as they can. One Reddit user said, “[I] swapped out my points for 8 free cold brews. Once they’re done, Ill just make coffee at home.” That’s a sentiment many users echo, calling the changes “not great.”
Another adjustment is that you need to rack up more points in order to redeem a free item. With a 50 to 100 point increase on nearly all freebie options, you’ll need to make a few more trips to earn that free coffee or donut.
But you can still earn plenty of points. See a complete breakdown of the point change below.
150 Points (No Change): Li’L Treats: Munchkins, Hash Browns and Drink Add-On
300 Points (Previously 250 points): One classic donut (excluding specialty donuts)
400 Points (New Option): Bakery Item: 10-ct Munchkins, muffin or iced loaf slice
500 Points (Previously 600 points): Bites & Bagels: Wake-Up Wrap, Stuffed Bagel Minis, Croissant Stuffer, Snackin’ Bacon or bagel with cream cheese spread
600 Points (Previously 500 points): Coffee & Tea: Small, medium or large hot or iced coffee or tea
800 Points (Previously 700 points): Non-Coffee Drinks: small, medium or large refresher, hot chocolate, Dunkin’ Energy, or hot or iced chai or matcha latte
900 Points (Previously 800 points): Breakfast Sandwiches: sandwich with meat, egg and cheese
950 Points (Previously 900 points): Specialty Coffee & Frozen Drink: any size hot or iced espresso drink, frozen drink, Shakin’ Espresso, Cold Brew, Signature Latte or Dunkalatte
About Dunkin’ Rewards
Dunkin’ first rolled out its rewards program in 2014 as DD Perks, allowing members to earn points every time they made a purchase. Eventually, the points added up so customers could redeem a free item.
The original system offered a free medium beverage for every 200 points earned. Over the years, the number of points needed has significantly increased. In 2022, the chain rolled out a revamped program called Dunkin’ Rewards.
One of the changes made with the 2022 rebrand that upset customers most was how they celebrated customers’ birthdays. Previously, loyalty members could receive a free drink of any size on their birthday. However, the rebrand changed that rule for users to get 3x points on all purchases on the day before, after or on your actual birthday.
So, is Dunkin’ Rewards still worth it?
With all of these changes made to the Dunkin’ Rewards program, you might be wondering if it’s still worth using the app.
And the answer depends on how often you go to Dunkin’ for your daily coffee. If you’re a frequent flyer, heading to the chain multiple times per week (like me), then the Dunkin’ Rewards program might be a good option for you.
If you only occasionally stop at the coffee shop, less than once a week, it might not be worth the hassle of downloading the app, as it will take some time to rack up points and earn any free items. But if you’re a coffee lover at heart and Dunkin’ is the best part of your day, hang on to your rewards account and keep earning those points. You never know—a freebie might be in your future!
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