What was the original name of the chain that later became Dunkin' Donuts?

The chain that later became Dunkin’ Donuts was originally called Open Kettle. Bill Rosenberg opened the doughnut-and-coffee restaurant in Quincy, Massachusetts, in 1948.

Rosenberg had noticed while selling food at factories and construction sites that doughnuts and coffee were especially popular together. The Open Kettle followed that pairing, serving both products in a format designed for quick customer service. In late May 1950, after discussions with company executives, Rosenberg changed the name to Dunkin’ Donuts.

The new name highlighted the habit of dunking doughnuts into coffee and helped define the brand’s identity. Dunkin’ later shortened its public name to Dunkin’ in 2019 as it emphasized beverages, but Open Kettle remains the company’s original name. It was not The Donut Shop or Coffee & Donuts.