Canada

Dunkin' Returns to Canada With 600+ Planned Locations

Is Dunkin' set to disrupt Canada's coffee scene or is Tim Hortons too entrenched to topple?

Published MAY 13

#Canada

Dunkin' Returns to Canada With 600+ Planned Locations

Story

Above: A Dunkin' iced coffee is displayed at a Dunkin' Donuts store in Burbank, California on March 4. Image credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The Facts

Montreal-based restaurant operator Foodtastic announced on Tuesday that it has signed a master franchising agreement with Inspire Brands to open hundreds of Dunkin' locations across Canada, with the first store expected to open in late 2026 or early 2027.
Financial Post
The Epoch Times
Dunkin' previously operated in Canada for decades before closing its last remaining Quebec locations in September 2018, following a $16.4 million civil court judgment awarded to franchisees who sued the company for failing to adequately promote the brand.
MTL Blog
The Bay Observer
Under the agreement, Foodtastic will hold exclusive rights to develop the Dunkin' brand nationally through corporate and franchise-operated locations, managing market development, franchisee recruitment and operations across Canada.
Global News
Canadian HR Reporter
Foodtastic CEO Peter Mammas has said he expects to open between 600 and 700 Dunkin' locations in Canada, including nearly 200 in Quebec, with a goal of launching one new location per week within 12 months of opening.
Financial Post
Global News
Dunkin', founded in 1950, currently operates more than 14,200 restaurants in nearly 40 markets worldwide and is the largest coffee and donut brand in the United States. Its parent company, Inspire Brands, also owns Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Jimmy John's and SONIC.
The Bay Observer
blogTO
Foodtastic operates more than 1,200 restaurants across 27 brands in Canada, including Second Cup, Quesada, Freshii and Pita Pit. The company previously partnered with Inspire Brands to expand Jimmy John's in Canada, opening more than a dozen locations.
Canadian HR Reporter
The Globe and Mail

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

Dunkin' is making a massive comeback to Canada, with hundreds of locations planned under a master franchising deal between Foodtastic and Inspire Brands. The brand brings a younger, trendier energy to a coffee market that Tim Hortons has long dominated, and Canadian consumers already have a proven appetite for American chains. Smaller competitors should be worried — Dunkin' is a legitimate real disruption.

The Bay Observer

Now Toronto

CBC

Narrative B

Tim Hortons is planning dozens of new locations and 400 renovations in 2026 alone, while Dunkin' won't even open its first Canadian door until late 2026 or early 2027. Dunkin' already failed in Canada once, ending in a $16.4 million lawsuit over brand neglect, and Quebec's complicated history with the chain makes a smooth national rollout far from guaranteed.