Dunkin’ eliminates surcharge for plant-based milks in hot drinks, marking “major milestone” for plant-based accessibility
As the second-largest coffee chain in the US, Dunkin’s 9,500-plus locations across the country will now offer plant milks at no additional cost.
Dunkin’ first launched oat milk nationwide back in 2020. Credit: Dunkin’
Plant-based milks like oat, almond, and soy are more accessible than ever for customers in the US as Dunkin’ becomes the latest coffee chain to ditch a surcharge for plant milks.
Coffee shops across the country have typically charged customers a surcharge for those that swapped out cow’s milk for a plant-based milk.
But climate groups and plant-based food organizations have long campaigned against the surcharge, labeling it as unfair and saying that it discourages customers from choosing more sustainable, animal-free food choices.
Now, the wider coffee shop sector is set for plant milks to be free of charge as an industry standard, with America’s four largest coffee chains all announcing a stop to the surcharge within the last four months.
Starbucks, the biggest coffee chain in the US with over 15,000 locations, set the precedent when it finally announced late last year that it will end its plant milk surcharge. Customers in the US and Canada are now able to substitute cow’s milk for plant-based milk including soy, oat, almond, and coconut completely free of charge.
As the world’s largest coffee chain and a key player in industry trends, Starbucks’ decision laid down the challenge for other brands to follow suit.
This week Dunkin’, the second-largest coffee chain in the US, has now announced it too will drop the surcharge.
With over 9,500 locations across the country, Dunkin’ is the last of the ‘big four’ coffee chains to commit to the fairer policy.
The two other chains in the ‘big four’ include LA-based Scooter’s Coffee, which has over 800 locations across 29 states in the US, and fast-growing brand Dutch Bross, which just opened its 1,000th US location.
Both Scooter’s Coffee and Dutch Bros announced an end to the plant-milk upcharge last month.
This momentum represents a “major milestone for plant-based accessibility,” says Jennifer Behr, corporate relations manager at Mercy For Animals. The advocacy group encourages companies to make animal-friendly business decisions through its corporate engagement team, and says it has worked closely with the likes of Dunkin’ to help encourage the policy change.
The group says its corporate focus now turns to other chains like Bluestone Lane and Biggby Coffee to follow the industry trend of offering plant-based milk at no extra cost.
“Charging more for plant-based milk isn’t just an unfair pricing practice — it’s an equity issue,” explains Behr. “We’ve seen firsthand how upcharges create barriers for people who are lactose intolerant, particularly in communities of color, where lactose-intolerance rates are significantly higher.”
Behr points to studies that show nearly 90 percent of people from some areas of East Asia, 80 percent of Native Americans, 65 percent of Africans and African Americans and 50 percent of Latin Americans experience some form of lactose intolerance.
Campaigners also say that plant-based milks have a drastically lower environmental footprint than dairy, and also don’t require the mass farming of cattle. According to Mercy for Animals, oat milk production generates three times fewer greenhouse gas emissions, uses 11 times less land, and requires 13 times less water than cows’ milk.
Whilst it was once seen as a more niche choice, the popularity of plant-based milks has steadily increased over the last decade with the likes of oat milk lattes and almond milk espressos now mainstays in the coffee industry.
In fact, Starbucks says that adding plant-based milk is the second most popular customer request - only behind adding a shot of espresso.
According to stats before it dropped the plant milk surcharge, almost half of Starbucks customers in the US paid to modify their beverage with non-dairy milk. Now that the surcharge has been removed, customers will see a price reduction of more than 10 percent, the company said in a statement when it first announced its revised policy.
As more and more coffee chains remove the barrier of a surcharge, customers will find it easier than ever to switch cow’s milk with plant-based milks that are friendlier to the animals and the planet.
We Have A Favor To Ask…
Species Unite amplifies well-researched solutions to some of the most abusive animal industries operating today.
At this crucial moment, with worldwide momentum for change building, it’s vital we share these animal-free solutions with the world - and we need your help.
We’re a nonprofit, and so to keep sharing these solutions, we’re relying on you - with your support, we can continue our essential work in growing a powerful community of animal advocates this year.
