Wikimedia Commons
Dunkin’ Donuts offering free coffee to teachers every Monday in September 2017 as an appreciation is an outdated coupon. Currently, a meme related to an old promotion held in a few Dunkin’ Donuts stores in 2014 continues to circulate on social media despite being old and limited to some stores.
While Dunkin’ Donuts did offer the deal for teachers at specific locations in 2014 and 2015, the popular donut maker is not currently offering free coffee for teachers on Mondays in September 2017.
Where did this inaccurate meme originate? In August 2017, a photo started making the rounds on social media where it advertised a “teacher appreciation” promotion at Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants across the entire country. According to the meme, teachers are eligible to receive either a medium hot or iced coffee on each Monday in September if the are able to present their school IDs during purchase.
However, this is untrue, according to Snopes. Although the claim itself is not technically a scam, the one seen below is outdated and taken out of context from the original intention behind the giveaway.
There was never a national promotion to offer free coffee to teachers; instead, this meme originated when a single store in Minooka, Illinois offered the deal in September 2014. After people in other states allegedly drove to their own local stores thinking the offer was available in their area, Dunkin’ Donuts confirmed on its Facebook page at the time that the offer was limited to one store in one town.
In early January 2015, however, the Dunkin’ Donuts offer was then expanded when a group of 11 stores across six states held a similar promotion offering customers one free cup of coffee per day on Mondays. The donut chain has previously held a free iced coffee promotion in certain markets for one day on March 21, 2007. However, there is no current promotion going on with the company.
Here are some examples of people discussing the incorrect Dunkin’ Donuts promotion on social media.
@DunkinDonuts will you be offering teacher appreciation Mondays in Sept again?!
— Samantha Harrison (@forevercfi) August 27, 2017
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Every Monday for teacher appreciation Dunkin Donuts is doing something great this year. https://t.co/gxznmEYSQU
— HowittmiddlePTA (@HowittmiddlePTA) August 24, 2017
Dunkin’ Donuts is an American global donut company and coffeehouse based in Canton, Massachusetts, in Greater Boston. It was founded in 1950 by William Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts. Since its founding, the company has grown to become one of the largest coffee and baked goods chains in the world, with more than 12,000 restaurants in 36 countries. The chain’s products include donuts, bagels, other baked goods, and a wide variety of hot and iced beverages.
What did you think of the false meme advertising free coffee for teachers in September 2017? Did you believe it or see people sharing it falsely on social media? Let us know in the comments section.
Photo credit: Anthony92931, Wikimedia Commons