After months of construction delays, Florida Atlantic University will open a new Dunkin’ on the Boca Raton campus located off the Breezeway and east of the S. E. Wimberly Library this upcoming fall semester.
Students are eager for the arrival of this new Dunkin’ location that will have a full-service experience and menu; the current location in the library will move into this spot offering more occupant space. Initially slated for a January launch, the project faced construction delays that pushed the opening back several months.
The library’s cafe will close; however, the University Press has not confirmed by the time of publication what will occupy this space after the construction is complete. The current Dunkin’ menu has a standard drink menu with a limited food selection. The spot of the new location was a former Chick-fil-A fast food restaurant that had been open since January 2015 before it relocated to Breezeway’s Food Court – the space has been vacant since late July 2023.
Jonathan Fraysure, a university spokesperson, stated in an email to the UP that the library’s Dunkin will remain open until the new cafe is fully operational. According to Fraysure, the delay stemmed from a decision to install kiosks, which took more time to set up. The exact opening date is undetermined at this time.
“The decision was made to utilize kiosks for ordering, which caused a delay. That issue has now been resolved, and Dunkin’ is due to be open in the fall,’’ wrote Fraysure.
Despite the wait, students are excited about the new location. Many find the Breezeway placement of this well-known coffee and donut company more convenient than the current library setup.
“I find it to be more convenient to have the Dunkin’ outside of the library because I would like to get coffee without having to go all the way into the library,’’ said Mariana Sandoval, a senior majoring in communications. She likes the new spot for Dunkin’ because she can grab a drink on her way to class which will save her time than going into the library.
Nakari Calderon, a senior studying fine arts with a graphic design focus, spends a lot of her time in the library and doesn’t mind the new location as it’s still pretty close to the library whenever she’s in there. She prefers not to have to take her owl card out whenever she needs to access Dunkin’ in the library.
“While I enjoy having the Dunkin in the library, I don’t mind having it in the breezeway as it’s still very close and convenient for when I’m craving a drink that’s closer and more affordable than the Starbucks location,” Calderon said.
She also mentioned how she’s a big fan of Dunkin’ and is looking forward to a bigger menu and variety of options. On the other hand, some students, like Alexa Ehrenreich, a junior majoring in fine arts, mentioned that she had never entered the library’s location until the past week.
“It’s way more convenient to walk the Breezeway and know that it’s there which would motivate me to enter and get something on my way to class,” she said.
Faten Hamadna is a Contributing Writer for the University Press. For more information regarding this or other stories, email fhamadna2023@fau.edu.
