Dunkin Fans Mourn Loss Of Foam Coffee Cup

Some of Dunkin Brands Group Inc's DNKN biggest fans are mourning the loss of the coffee chain's phase out of its iconic foam cup, according to The Wall Street Journal.

What Happened To Dunkin's Foam Cup

Dunkin's core fans especially loved the chain's foam cups, which doubled as a sort of thermos when placed on top of a plastic cup. The company cited environmental concerns in phasing out foam cups, as it will eliminate around 19 million pounds of polystyrene from becoming waste.

Some of Dunkin's customers were able to reuse a foam cup for nearly a full year.

"It's not like I don't care for the environment," Katie Bunten, a business owner in Maine, told WSJ. "I save them until they are very broken. I have gone as far as duct-taping them."

Dunkin' Boston advertised its decision in a tweet with the title "it was a good run" followed by a broken heart emoji and #DoubleCupBreakup. 

"Some relationships just aren't sustainable," the accompanying video said. "Like ours with foam cups."

Why The Foam Cup Is Important To Dunkin

Dunkin's decision demonstrates the strength of the cult following it enjoys in regions where it is beloved. Fans recently took offense to the company's 2018 decision to slash the "Donuts" portion of its name to become just "Dunkin."

"I'm in mourning — a very sad day," Patty Donovan, 57, an investigator with the Boston Fire Department, told WSJ. "I guess all good things must come to an end."

Dunkin customers in the New England region will be the first to miss foam cups from stores. The company will eliminate its cups in those stores in December and nationally by the end of 2020. 

The stock was trading 0.51% higher at $75.27 at the time of publication. 

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