Framingham Dunkin' Seeks Permission For Drive-Thru

FRAMINGHAM, MA — The "next-generation" Dunkin' at 3 Nicholas Road in Framingham opened in 2019 to much fanfare — but the restaurant was missing a key feature that's a staple of other locations: a drive-thru window.

This week, the owners of the Dunkin', Dedham-based Northern Management Group, will ask the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) for permission to add a drive-thru window. The zoning in the area doesn't allow drive-up windows in that part of town, so the restaurant needs special permission.

The need for a drive-thru option became more clear during the pandemic, according to the owners.

"The pandemic emergency has changed the characteristics of the customers, including those of donuts/fast food services, as people have changed their habits and now are using drive-thrus rather than enter food service establishments," a letter to the ZBA said. "Additionally technology advances have resulted in many customers using mobile apps for pre-ordering and pickup. Given the nature of fast food establishments, including donut shops, these change in behavior are expected to continue."

To build the drive-thru, the Nicholas Road location will have to eliminate about 13 parking spaces, according to the appeal.

Dunkin' has been rolling out the "next generation" concept stores for a few years. The stores feature amenities like taps for cold tea and coffee drinks, digital kiosks and drive-thrus focused on mobile ordering.

The ZBA will discuss the new drive-thru at the meeting scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m.