Can Dunkin’ make it in Montreal? New operators are betting big on nostalgia

Many Quebecers who grew up in the 1980s still hold a soft a spot in their hearts for Dunkin’ Donuts, which was for decades the dominant brand of doughnuts in the province. The American chain was the market leader in Quebec up to 1998. Now the brand’s new Canadian operators are hoping to cash in on ’90s nostalgia while also cashing in on the new marketing drive south of the border, with celebrities like Sabrina Carpenter attracting a new generation of coffee lovers. This spring, Montreal-based Foodtastic surprised many observers by announcing the chain would make a Canadian comeback with at least 100 restaurants expected in the next two years. The first outlets will open in Quebec and Ontario as early as December.