Pat Gilligan wants to build the new restaurant in southern Fairfield near Interstate 275 and the Forest Park border. He owns 33 Dunkin’ franchises in the Cincinnati and Dayton region, two of which were built last year with the “next gen” design. Dunkin’ corporate unveiled the new design in January 2018 in Canton, Mass.
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“It’s built for drive-thru,” said Gilligan.
Dunkin’ accounts for 70 to 75 percent of its daily sales from the drive-thru, Gilligan said. And a large share of the restaurant’s sales are done by 11:30 a.m., he said.
“We have worked here with your city to modify this plan to a place we think, and they think, is good for both us and the community,” Gilligan said. “We’re excited to be in Fairfield and develop and operate a Dunkin’ here.”
The proposed location will have about 20 full-time employees, and Gilligan said he’ll invest approximately $1.3 million to build the new Dunkin’, which was formerly known as Dunkin’ Donuts.
The near-2,300-square-foot restaurant off South Gilmore Road would be built on just less than 1 acre remaining on the 2 1/2-acre property owned by Chick-fil-A, which opened its new Fairfield restaurant in November 2019.
If approved, this would be Fairfield's third Dunkin' restaurant. The city's other Dunkin' restaurants are on Ohio 4, near the southern Fairfield border at Crescentville Road, and at the Boymel Drive intersection.
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Gilligan does not own the other Dunkin’ locations.
The new design features an exclusive drive-thru lane for mobile app orders. The franchise is the “first national restaurant brand to offer this type of drive-through innovation and convenience,” according to the Dunkin’ corporate office.
Fairfield Development Services Director Greg Kathman said the plan must first be approved by Planning Commission, which meets 6 p.m. today. Pending planning commission’s decision, the restaurant’s plan will be considered by City Council later this month and could vote at its June 8 meeting.
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