Move over, box of chocolates! This February, Dunkin’ is bringing sweet sips to espresso lovers’ lips.
Feel the love this season with the perfect lineup of Valentine’s Day delights, from our Pink Velvet Macchiato and Mocha Macchiato to a sweet selection of donuts. To learn more about the story behind the two delicious drinks headlining our Valentine’s Day menu this year, we sat down with two of our espresso experts, Paige Gregory, Brand Marketing Manager, and Kelly Callahan, Senior Research & Development Technologist, here at Dunkin’. Keep reading for the inside scoop!
This year, we’re offering two beautifully bold beverages: The Pink Velvet Macchiato and Mocha Macchiato. The Pink Velvet Macchiato combines our rich espresso with red velvet cake flavor and hints of smooth cream cheese icing, while the Mocha Macchiato offers a romantic combo of rich espresso and decadent chocolate flavors. Just when you thought these drinks couldn’t get any better, when served iced, they feature a beautiful layered look that everyone on social media will be swooning over.
You may recognize the Pink Velvet Macchiato from our Valentine’s Day 2020 menu. It was such a fan-favorite that we had to bring it back. “With this flavor, we worked really hard to give guests the full experience of biting into a red velvet cupcake,” said Kelly Callahan. According to Kelly, for the culinary team, developing the drink included eating their fair share of red velvet cake. Eating the cake helped the team deconstruct the flavors and identify the different nuances – like the smooth, tanginess of the cream cheese frosting and sweetness of the cocoa. They then started putting the pieces of the flavor puzzle together, making sure the result perfectly complemented our rich, deliciously bold espresso.
Now for the second half of our dynamic duo of drinks: The Mocha Macchiato! Every year our fans mark their calendars for Valentine’s Day at Dunkin’, so this year, we wanted to one-up ourselves. “We were inspired by all the different ways people choose to celebrate Valentine’s Day, from romantic meals to lowkey evenings with their gal pals, and everything in between, ” said Paige Gregory. So, the team decided to introduce a moody, mellow complement to the playful, more whimsical Pink Velvet Macchiato, representing the two ends of the Valentine’s Day celebration spectrum.
The Mocha Macchiato paired with its chocolatey counterpart – the Brownie Batter Donut – represents that person in your life that thinks the holiday is all hype, but will (maybe secretly) indulge in a little chocolate anyway. On the other hand, the Pink Velvet Macchiato and its pink partner – the Cupid’s Choice Donut – represents the person who loves everything about the holiday, and likely already wrote the perfect Instagram caption for their Valentine.
Our Valentine’s Day menu lineup is only around for a limited time, so head over to your local Dunkin’ to enjoy your favorite sweet treats while you can.
Are you sipping the Pink Velvet Macchiato or Mocha Macchiato this Valentine’s Day? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok!
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