Dunkin’s New Refresher Is Basically The Same As The Rest Of The Menu

Dunkin’ has been on an absolute maximalist summer menu run. So far, they’ve come out with collections with Barbie and Kylie Jenner, not to mention the standard summer launch. Well, now, yet another lineup will be available exclusively through the Dunkin’ app starting on July 17th.

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This new collaboration is with the clothing brand Parke and the launch goes both ways. Not only are there new menu items, but there are limited edition novelty tumblers and an exclusive clothing line. And, yes, while that might sound very exciting, it still begs the question: is this necessary? But before we get into any of that, let’s talk about the details of what this launch entails.

A Broad Collection

For Dunkin’s part of this launch, they are releasing the Parke Daydream Refresher. It is a fun pink summer drink that blends triple strawberry flavors with creamy oat milk and a layer of pink strawberry cold foam. You might be asking where the triple blend of strawberry comes from―it’s actually the addition of a strawberry flavor shot into the strawberry dragon fruit refresher base. Mixed with the oat milk and topped with an extra layer of strawberry cold foam and voilà: three different kinds of strawberry. A purchase of the drink on launch day automatically rewards you with a limited-edition Parke branded tumbler, while supplies last, of course. If you’re shopping through the app, you can browse through the official Parke Perfect Sips Collection to see which other drinks the company is loving for summer.

As for Parke’s collection launch, it will include two different Dunkin’ inspired mockneck sweatshirts and an accessory, available for a limited time. One of the sweatshirts, the Latte Varsity Mockneck, is inspired by the creamy coffee colors of Dunkin’. It’s hit with a touch of the classic Dunkin’ orange and a small reference to donuts through a small embroidery detail on the sleeve. The Espresso Varsity Mockneck is a deeper, black coffee-ish color and it uses the iconic Dunkin’ pink for its quintessential Parke logo. Similarly, it has the donut embroidery on the sleeve. Finally in the collection, a Parke x Dunkin’ claw clip will be available as a fun hair accessory.

Passion Project Or Cash Grab?

The thing about this launch―other than that most of us probably haven’t even been able to try out the drinks in the previous collections that have recently launched―is that it really doesn’t feel genuine to the Dunkin’ ethos. Dunkin’ has always been known as the cheaper alternative to other big name coffee brands with a regular iced coffee coming in at around $3. So, it feels very counterintuitive to then debut a collection with a luxury loungewear company. Because, what we haven’t mentioned yet is that each of the sweatshirts being released in the park collection comes in at $135. Even the price of the claw clip ($17) could get you around five Dunkin’ iced coffees.

So, yes, what the founder of Parke said about Dunkin’ is true: Dunkin’ is a part of people’s everyday routines. But it certainly doesn’t feel “natural” to then integrate an unnecessary luxury in a climate that is currently struggling, especially when it comes to food prices. Rubbing it into your customer’s faces every morning when they stop by for a moment of cheap coffee respite that you have launch after launch of unnecessary collaborations, even now with a luxury clothing brand, feels deeply out of touch. Especially, when most of the drinks launched this summer have some combination of the exact ingredients in the exclusive Parke drink already.

Seriously, every recent refresher, from the Barbie collab to the King Kylie collection, includes the same basic idea: a base of dragon fruit, some strawberry flavor to make it pink, add cold foam. This lack of creativity, along with the ridiculously high prices of the Parke merch, make this entire collab feel overdone.