September 23, 2002
The Final Dunk
Dunkin' Donuts founder dies - Sep. 23, 2002
MASHPEE, Mass. (AP) - William Rosenberg, the food franchising pioneer who founded the Dunkin' Donuts chain and saw it spread from coast to coast and into 37 countries, has died. He was 86.Rosenberg died Friday of bladder cancer at his home in Mashpee, on Cape Cod, the company said.
After World War II, Rosenberg had cashed in $1,500 in war bonds and borrowed an additional $1,000 to start a business serving coffee, pastries and sandwiches to factory workers.
He opened his first coffee and doughnut shop, called the Open Kettle, in Quincy, Mass., in 1948. The name was changed to Dunkin' Donuts two years later. The company still is the world's largest coffee and baked goods chain, with about 5,000 locations.
What I found most interesting about William Rosenberg was that he developed the "Canteen Truck", that can still be seen stopping at factories, car dealerships, etc to serve coffee, snacks and lunches all over the US.
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