Chapel Hill’s newest Dunkin’ held a grand opening celebration on Friday, June 28, promising free coffee for a year to the first 50 customers in line.
The first person got in line at the new 110 Stancell Drive location around 3:30 a.m., and by the 5 a.m. opening time, there were around 70 people in line.
The first 50 customers customers received a booklet with coupons for four free, medium hot or iced coffees per month from June 2019 to July 2020. The coupons are only valid at the new store.
Abimael Santos, a shift leader at Dunkin’, said he thought the grand opening was a success. Santos said he was glad to see a line of people already waiting when he arrived at the store around 4 a.m.
“Once we opened, it just went so fast,” Santos said. “We went through the free coffee coupon books in like 15 minutes.”
Talia and Maya Wahl, sisters and self-proclaimed Dunkin’ enthusiasts, said they were excited when this location opened around two weeks ago because it’s much closer to their home. Throw in free coffee for a year, and they were sold: they woke up at 3 a.m. to head to the grand opening.
Advertisements for the event on Facebook and other sites said the store would open at 5 a.m., so when Dunkin’ employees told the customers in line that they wouldn’t be opening until 6 a.m., Talia said she was frustrated. She had to be at work at 6:30 a.m.
“Everything said 5, so I thought we’d be out of here by 6 and I’d be fine to get to work by 6:30,” she said.
Santos said the 5 a.m. time on the advertisements was a mistake probably made by a district manager who thought the store opened at 5 a.m. regularly. The Stancell Drive location opens at 6 a.m., though, and opening early wasn’t part of the plan for the grand opening.
