Police in Antwerp twice had to intervene this week to handle crowds lined up for the opening of Belgium’s first Dunkin Donuts shop Tuesday night, lured by the promise that the first hundred customers would get a coupon good for a free box of donuts weekly for a year.
After first encouraging the early arrivals for Wednesday morning’s opening to camp quietly in the square, watched by store security, officials sent everyone home because it was impossible to maintain the ban on gatherings. The lucky one hundred at the front received the coupons, ending the promotion.
But Wednesday morning, a large crowd had gathered again by 5:30 am, and had to be dispersed again. The chain, which has over 3,000 stores world-wide, plans to open at least a dozen in Belgium in the next year. The Antwerp pioneer is owned by a Dutch Dunkin franchisee.
Even those who missed out on the coupon will get something, according to the company’s general manager for Netherlands and Belgium, promising a free donut and a drink to anyone who downloads the company’s app.
