Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Stellar Dunkin'

I was moved to write a Yelp review for a particularly good Dunkin' Donuts (767 Cromwell Avenue, Rocky Hill, CT). It's not normal to feel moved to review a more-or-less gross fast food place, so I thought I'd keep the review here for posterity.
Stopped here unexpectedly to give a break to a car-sick-feeling 6-year-old on a road trip. The 6-year-old sickling and his 2-year-old brother marched in to find the staff up on ladders hanging Christmasy stuff. The older boy had spent the last hour or so of our road trip confusing Connecticut and Canada. He declared loudly for all to hear: "I love Dunkin' Donuts! I've never been to a Dunkin' Donuts in Canada!" I ordered a bagel and cream cheese, which the staff had to lightly dance around ladders to accommodate. But they did it quickly and with friendly courtesy. I brought the bagel back to the kids and was confused to see a man approaching the table with two small bags. He held the bags up, looked at me with questioning eyebrows, and glanced at the kids. I assumed it was somebody else's order being misdelivered to our table, but when I asked what it was, he just said, "donuts." I thanked him, told the boys of his kindness, and explained that we'd save them for later. They shared them as dessert after we had reached our destination. The staff continued hanging Christmasy stuff and a customer, a man I had noticed writing copious notes onto paper cards, stood up to offer his advice. "Hang it a little imperfectly. It's always better if it's a little imperfect." He waited for the man on the ladder to string the corporate festivity a little to the left and a little to the right, before declaring, clearly sharing in the pride that exudes from many aspects of this Dunkin' Donuts: "That's it. Perfect."