For Matthew and his parents, the perfect day starts at Dunkin’

When Mike Berthiaume and his wife, Melissa, began planning weekend road trips with their son, they had no idea that making Dunkin’ their first stop would transform their lives.

Over the course of the last four years, their 16-year-old son, Matthew, has become Dunkin’s biggest fan who knows the brand like the back of his hand.

“When we say he knows Dunkin’, we mean he knows Dunkin’,” says Matthew’s father, Mike. “Especially up here in the Northeast, he knows the art, the style, and the architecture of every Dunkin’. He knows when the menus are changing. He knows which franchisees own what locations. He knows everything.”

So how does a teenager become a brand expert? With regular visits and boundless curiosity. “Matt enjoyed our weekend adventures, but we realized what he really loved was Dunkin’. And after visiting so many locations, he started noting the differences: older styles, tap systems, Next Gens, drive-thru only – you name it.” 

Mike encouraged his son to seek out the answers to his burning questions about the brand. “He’ll talk to employees in the restaurant, or get Dunkin’ on the phone. It’s become a really good thing for him.” 

As a person with autism, Matthew sometimes feels anxiety in new situations. But at Dunkin’, he knows exactly what to expect – and if he doesn’t, he has the confidence to ask.  

To keep up with Matthew’s passion for the brand, he and his parents visit up to three Dunkin’s a day. It’s often one of the hundreds they’ve been to before, but sometimes, it’s somewhere entirely new – like when the town of Stow, Massachusetts renamed itself “Dunkin’” for a day to welcome its new location.

It was at this milestone celebration that Matthew met Inspire Chief Brand Officer and Dunkin’ Brand President Scott Murphy.  

“Scott said, ‘You should come see us at headquarters.’ A few days later, Dunkin’s Sr. Director of Brand Experience Molly Mills connected with us, and we came home to a big box in our driveway. We opened it up and it was awesome – Dunkin’ cups, bags, shirts, towels, and maps. Plus, a follow-up to come see them in Boston,” says Mike.  

Upon arrival at Dunkin’s Boston Support Center, Matthew and his parents were greeted with a culinary tour, meetings with technology and development leaders, and an endless supply of Matthew’s favorite menu items: Dunkin’s Strawberry Dragonfruit Refresher, Sweet Black Pepper Bacon Sandwich, and Snackin’ Bacon. 

“They rolled out the red carpet, and Matthew absolutely loved it,” says Mike. “He hasn’t stopped talking about it.” 

One of Matthew’s favorite moments? Sharing ‘My Dunkin’ Run’ with leadership, the app he and his father built that tracks each Dunkin’ they’ve visited over the years. It’s a tool that Matthew references daily, tracking things like what unique regional items a location may offer, which franchisee operates it, and architectural aspects of the restaurant. Matthew even has it programmed to send notifications on upcoming activations and openings, which is what originally led him to Stow, Massachusetts.

“I’m a systems engineer by trade, so it’s been a fun project for us to work on together. Matt will spend hours in the program, comparing Dunkin’s state-by-state, or running reports to find new insights,” says Mike. “And that’s really what we’re trying to do here: encourage his curiosity while teaching new skills.” 

To Mike, the way that Dunkin’ embraced Matt is the experience of a lifetime. “When you have a child with autism, the little things – the things everyone else may take for granted – truly matter. Dunkin’ has shown us so much love. It’s a memory we’ll treasure forever.”