Dunkin' Donuts Returning to OC

Dunkin' Donuts plans to return to California for the first time in a decade, announcing Wednesday it would open shops in Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Diego counties beginning in 2015.

Outlets are also planned in San Bernardino and Ventura counties as part of a nationwide expansion plan to have more than 15,000 doughnut shops across the United States.

A total of 291 new locations opened in the United States last year, according to the Canton, Mass., company. Dunkin' Donuts plans to open between 330 and 360 restaurants this year.

"This past year was an exciting one for Dunkin' Donuts' growth in the United States, and we are delighted to begin 2013 with the long-awaited announcement that Dunkin' Donuts will be opening restaurants in California, where there is already incredible passion for our brand," said Nigel Travis, CEO of Dunkin' Brands and president of Dunkin' Donuts U.S. "Expansion to California has always been part of our plan to grow Dunkin' Donuts' presence in the U.S."

Company officials said they hope to eventually open as many as 1,000 Dunkin' Donuts outlets in California. There hasn't been a Dunkin' Donuts in the state since about 2002.

-- City News Service