Putnam Connecticut Runs on Dunkin

Within ten miles of Putnam Center, there are twelve Dunkin Donuts. There is one across from the Stop & Shop plaza, then another within the grocery store itself. There is one on Kennedy Drive and one on Woodstock Avenue. Indeed it is impossible to leave Putnam by a main road without passing an example of the ubiquitous franchise. If this is somehow managed through back roads, there will be another D&D immediately upon entering another town. There is one on Riverside Avenue in Thompson, there are two on Route 101 in Dayville, and one on Route 6 in Brooklyn. Webster has three very close by, and Dudley has another.

Dunkin Donuts began in the 1950's in Quincy, Massachusetts. Today there are about 5800 spread across the U.S., and the number is always growing. Apparently, there is a demand...

As a traveler, I must admit that the sight of a Dunkin Donuts is comforting in its familiarity in random bus stations, rest stops, airports, etc. However, we all know that fast food is not as healthy as it ought to be, and it worries me that so many people consume it regularly in their own home towns.

I had managed somehow to mostly avoid the fast-food temptation for the years I have lived here in Putnam until a friend introduced me to their flavored coffees. Unflavored, I was convinced that the grinds contained cigarette butts, but a shot of raspberry or vanilla can make a world of difference. Now I don't refuse to order when someone I'm with turns into the drive-thru.

Oh, I know it is bad. But the place must have some kind of honor if it allows our town to host its farmer's market in their parking lot, no?

I've tried to reduce the evil of buying their coffee by bringing my own reusable cup, but depending upon the server's awareness of the official rules, which disallow a customer's logically contaminated cup to pass directly to the clean side of the food-preparation area, the exchange is not always possible.

Here in Putnam, Connecticut there is more than one Dunkin Donuts per mile, and I try to imagine what life was like before the franchise explosion. Off the coast of Dunkin Donuts' home state, the island of Martha's Vineyard continuously resists the invasion of large chain restaurants and stores. Residents do not seem to feel powerless in the face of large corporations nor the possible harm to economy, environment, and local culture. Instead of a large chain, there is a smaller one called Dippin' Donuts, which many say is better quality than Dunkin Donuts (and they use proper punctuation in their name, which I appreciate).

It is plain that it is easier to stand up for one's rights on an island, but that is only because the boundaries of the territory you are meant to protect are clearly marked by water. On the mainland we don't know how much control we have. Our island is an unmanageable continent, until divided into sections. What can you do for your county, your town, your street? How many Dunkin Donuts do you need?