There’s a new Dunkin’ Donuts in South Los Angeles, but, interestingly, customers can’t actually go inside. An influencer recently criticized this setup, referring to the establishment as “The Food” in a viral TikTok video.
Instead of walking in, patrons must either use the drive-thru or a touchscreen kiosk to place their orders at this location on Manchester Boulevard and South Figueroa Street, which opened in early April.
“They want our money, but they don’t want us inside,” the influencer, JustanLAgirl, expressed in her post.
This influencer also remarked, “They put Dunkin’ Donuts in the hood. Of course there is no indoor seating.” She went on to highlight a nearby coffee shop, South LA Cafe, which welcomes walk-in customers. “Not only is the coffee great, but they actually have indoor seating, and it’s beautiful and clean,” she added.
However, commenters on TikTok quickly pointed out that the Dunkin’ location is not without its challenges, as it’s situated in a high-crime area. “Do you blame them?” remarked one user, while another commented, “It’s literally figs and Manchester. Those who assessed the situation more honestly would simply say: It’s dangerous.”
The new Dunkin’ sits at the intersection of two LAPD precincts—77th Street and Southeast Los Angeles. Recent police data shows that there have been 10 homicides in the 77th area this year, making up about 14% of the city’s recorded murders despite the area’s small size.
Moreover, robberies in the 77th Street region have surged by nearly 39% over the last month, with aggravated assaults rising by 25%. This stands in contrast to a general decline in violent crime trends across Los Angeles.
The vicinity of 77th Street and Southeast accounts for roughly 17% of all citywide violent crimes.
Dunkin’ Donuts has yet to respond to inquiries regarding this situation.
