Corby Kummer Dips Into Disappointment For Dunkin’ Workers

The Atlantic’s Corby Kummer returned to Boston Public Radio on Tuesday, weighing in on a recent survey by analysts at the investment bank UBS, which found workers at the popular breakfast-to-go chain Dunkin’ Donuts near the bottom in terms of employee retention. 

Kummer called the survey “all over the map,” but said most of the chains that fared best tended to be full-service restaurants, like Texas Roadhouse and Longhorn Steakhouse.

“The closer they are to actual full-service, the higher the satisfaction rate,” he said. “I would assume that means higher tips and lower turnover.” 

In contrast, he said the environment at Dunkin’ Donuts is “all transactional,” and said the automated nature of the chain could be a key reason why the study found employees leaving at higher rates.

During the discussion, Kummer also touched on a raise in minimum wage for McDonald’s workers, low interest in vaccine mandates at restaurants, and a recent article in the New York Times about masks becoming social signifiers.

Corby Kummer is a senior editor at The Atlantic, an award-winning food writer, and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition and Policy.