The Hole Truth: Dunkin’ Donuts Eyes Bagel Holes as Munchkin Sidekick

Dunkin’ Donuts thinks it can have a winner with the bagel centers, just as it did when it turned doughnuts on their glazed heads and created Munchkins, sparking a doughnut hole war in the U.S. with Canada's Timbit-flinging Tim Hortons chain. As spotted by the Boston Globe, the people that brought you America Runs on Dunkin' filed for a “Bagel Bunchkin” trademark back in May and plans to use it to sell bite-size bagel pieces in the U.S.

The chain already has a pretty good lock on bagel sales, as the biggest seller of bagels among quick service restaurants in the U.S. Two years ago, it launched Bagel Twists, but is now looking to expand its bagel offerings. However, it may not be able to move forward with their desired name.

The US Patent and Trademark Office “tentatively rejected the Dunkin’ application, noting that the Fred Meyer Stores supermarket chain already registered the rights to the name ‘The Bagel Bunch’ for its traditional bagel line,” the Globe notes. Dunkin’ Donuts is nearing the end of the time window to appeal.

At least one Dunkin’ competitor, Einstein Bros. Bagels, already sells bagel pieces, called Bagel Poppers, the Globe notes. “They’re very popular,” said Chad Thompson, senior director of research and development at the company, according to the Globe.

As one of the Globe’s food columnists points out, there is one big difference between Munchkins and the new bagel product.

Doughnuts are made by pushing a bit of dough out of the center — creating that little ball just waiting to be named and sold — while bagels are made by joining dough together into a circle, which means there is no such thing as an actual bagel hole. But don't expect the hole truth to deter a brand that loves its bagels and new product development.