Dunkin’ Charges Hidden Dine-In Fee at Certain Locations, Class Action Lawsuit Claims

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A proposed class action lawsuit alleges Dunkin’ charges a hidden dine-in fee, or other “junk fee,” at certain Dunkin’-branded locations without disclosing the fee prior to when a consumer pays for their order.

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The 36-page Dunkin’ lawsuit contends that the purportedly hidden dine-in fee is not stated on Dunkin’ menu boards or disclosed verbally by staff and only appears on receipts after payment has been made.

The false advertising case against Dunkin’ Donuts parent Inspire Brands, Dunkin’ Donuts Franchising and Dunkin’ Brands Group contests that neither the plaintiffs nor other Dunkin’ customers would have placed an order for dine-in had they known they’d be hit with a hidden additional fee.

“This is a class action against Defendants for unfair and deceptive trade practices concerning the addition of undisclosed junk fees that are tacked onto consumer’s [sic] bills immediately prior to payment,” the Dunkin’ class action summarizes, alleging the existence of a “nationwide corporate policy” to intentionally conceal the apparent dine-in fee.

According to the complaint, Dunkin’s “deceptive conduct” is especially harmful to low-income wage earners, a “key demographic” for the restaurant that includes a sizeable subset of immigrants with limited English proficiency who “depend heavily on visual aids and properly trained employees.” The suit adds that, in a fast-food context, visual cues, such as those on a menu board touting purportedly fixed prices, strongly influence customer decisions.

The lawsuit charges that Dunkin’ and its co-defendants “made a calculated decision” to go with a sleek, minimalist marketing aesthetic, diverging from the look of other fast-food establishments that “provide more complete disclosures to ensure consumers are fully informed.”

“Defendants were aware of the risks inherent in this strategy and willingly accepts [sic] them to achieve its [sic] marketing and financial objectives,” the case argues.

One of the plaintiffs claims that after ordering and paying for a coffee at a Santa Clarita, California Dunkin’ in late 2023, he was “extremely disappointed and frustrated” to find a $0.50 fee on his receipt that was never disclosed to him. The other plaintiff claims that on several occasions, she noticed that a fee of “less than a dollar” had been added to her receipt whenever she ate at an Encino, California Dunkin’.

The complaint shares that the plaintiffs’ counsel visited several Dunkin’ locations in early 2024 in an attempt to verify the consumers’ allegations and did not see any disclosures on menu boards concerning a dine-in fee or other hidden charge. Though the plaintiffs’ counsel was unable to verify the charging of a dine-in fee, the case concedes, the consumers contend that the defendants stopped charging hidden fees sometime in 2024 in response to the enactment of California Senate Bill 478, which banned hidden fees in the state.

The Dunkin’ class action lawsuit looks to cover all consumers in the United States who bought any item from any Dunkin’ location and were charged a dine-in fee or other junk fee within the applicable statute of limitations period.

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