It’s that time of year again, your birthday. Who doesn’t love receiving gifts on their special day? Many retailers, restaurants and fast-food chains want to help you celebrate your birthday with discounts and even better FREE STUFF!
Dunkin Donuts DD Perks is one of the better loyalty programs around. All you have to do is sign up to become a DD perks member. You’ll earn 5 points per dollar spent on your coffee and donuts which can be redeemed for free drinks.
Yes! Do the math… for every $40 spent you can earn a free drink valued at over $5.00!!! That is like earning 12.5% cash back!! Tell me… what credit card or loyalty program is giving you those kind of rewards!
On top of all that, you’ll also receive an annual BIRTHDAY REWARD good for one free beverage of your choice!!!
If you’re a coffee lover like me, you look forward to this reward every year as an opportunity to indulge and concoct the most expensive coffee beverage possible. No one wants to waste a free drink reward on a $2 cup of joe. Just about every beverage item on the menu is fair game.
Since we’re constantly accumulating points and bonuses we earn our share of free drinks throughout the year. We’ve tried just about every drink combination there is. We put together a list of the 6 Most Expensive Dunkin Beverages to get the most bang for your buck with your birthday reward or free drink reward. For those that have heard about this amazing perk but haven’t set it up yet in your app. Keep reading for instructions and more information below about Dunkin’s DD perks and the birthday reward.
P.S. While writing this article I received an email from Dunkin with an offer to earn a free drink of any size with the purchase of any menu item!!!
This is why it pays to be a DD perks member!! For the PERKS!!!
*Note prices at your location may vary (prices are based on Dunkin’ located in midtown Manhattan)
Here are the 6 Most Expensive Dunkin Beverages to Get the Biggest Bang for Your Buck!
#6 – Iced Latte – $5.09
Regular lattes are available hot or iced. Iced lattes are made using the standard ratio of 2/3 milk which is then chilled and combined with espresso and poured over ice. At over $5, a large iced latte is a great way to spend your free drink or Dunkin birthday drink reward. We also love to add whipped cream to our lattes. Although whipped cream is an add-on and will ring up as a surcharge we recommend going for it since the drink is free! Splurge a little!
#5 – Cold Brew with Cold Foam – Large $5.19
Cold brew has become increasingly popular over the last few years. When it first arrived to the scene it was only available at small batch coffee shops. Nowadays you can find cold brew at national coffee chains and bottled in supermarkets. Dunkin’ joined the cold brew craze back in the summer of 2016 (about a year later than Starbucks) and hasn’t looked back.
Unlike Dunkin’s traditional counterpart, Dunkin cold brew uses a special dark roast blend that is steeped in cold water for 12 hours creating a rich and smooth concentrate. This lengthy brewing process that does not involve heating and cooling produces a coffee that is rich in flavor and low in acidity. Many prefer cold brew for this reason alone as tends to be easier on the stomach. Of course, because of the extra time it takes to make cold brew you’ll pay a premium for it,
This makes Dunkin’s cold brew a great choice as your free drink. Let’s not forget about the cold foam. Cold foam is typically a beverage add-on which we don’t recommend paying for as it doesn’t last long enough to make it worth it. However, because it’s included with this drink combo, it’s a great way to experience the cold foam without shelling out an extra $0.70.
#4 – Frozen Coffee – $5.19
If you’re looking for a blended iced coffee drink that also packs a punch try Dunkin’s frozen coffee. It’s smooth and creamy and made with Dunkin’s delicious tasting coffee syrup. With a whopping 393mg of caffeine, the frozen coffee is well equipped to get you through your day.
#3 – Frozen Chocolate – Large $5.19
If you’re in the mood for a sweet treat, a Dunkin frozen chocolate may be just what you need. We’ve tried the frozen chocolate with both French vanilla and caramel swirl (not together of course!) and they did not disappoint. Another popular way to order the frozen chocolate is with whipped cream on the bottom as well as on top.
And while not caffeine free a large Dunkin frozen chocolate only contains 8 mg of caffeine (to compare – a large iced coffee contains 396 mg of caffeine). If you’re looking for a boost with your frozen cocoa try adding an espresso shot.
#2 – Large Iced Macchiato with caramel and whipped cream – $5.29
If you’re looking for more caffeine and a rich bolder taste than a traditional latte, you must try Dunkin’s Macchiato. Like most Dunkin beverages, Macchiatos are available as both Iced and Hot drinks.
Aside from both being handcrafted, macchiatos are different from lattes in both composition and how they’re poured. With an iced macchiato you’ll get a chilled milk base, layered with two espresso shots and dressed with foamy milk topping.
Whether it’s a hot or iced macchiato that you’re looking for you can have it made with any milk or milk alternative such as almond or oat milk. They’re also available in a variety of flavors such as caramel and mocha.
#1 – Signature Iced Latte – Large $5.49
At last, the crème de la crème. And by that we mean the Dunkin’ Iced latte signature style. With a base price of $5.49 this is THE biggest bang for your buck and in our view the best value when using your Dunkin’ free drink or birthday reward.
Signature Iced Latte’s are handcrafted and artfully decorated to look and taste like they were made from a small batch coffee shop. Handmade with a latte base consisting of 2/3 chilled milk over a shot of espresso and topped with fluffy whipped cream. Rich flavors like frosted white chocolate, caramel craze and cocoa mocha are two of the more popular varieties. Each come drizzled with sweet caramel or mocha syrup and topped whipped cream, cinnamon sugar and sprinkles or hot cocoa powder.
If you’re in the mood for a latte and love all the extras then this is the way to go!
Are Add-ons Included with a Free Drink?
Dunkin’ free beverage rewards typically only cover the menu cost of the drink without any add-ons. Below you’ll find the prices of add-ons at the time of this writing (based on Dunkin in midtown Manhattan) but note that prices vary by location. Some locations may not even charge for add-ons with a free beverage although the trend seems to indicate that most now do.
Either-way go ahead and enjoy your drink the way you like it and take the reward as an opportunity to get something that you may not have otherwise.
Non Dairy Substitutes
- Coconut Milk – $0.85
- Almond Milk – $0.85
- Oat Milk – $0.85
Sweetened Flavors
- Cake batter
- Butter Pecan
- French Vanilla
- Caramel
- Mocha
Unsweetened flavors
- Vanilla
- Hazelnut
- Coconut
- Blueberry
- Toasted almond
- Raspberry
Espresso shot – $1.99
Cold Foam – $0.70
- Salted caramel cold foam
- Sweet cold foam
Dunkin Birthday Reward Details
- You’ll receive one free beverage of any size (see exclusions below).
- Your birthday reward will expire 7 days after it is received.
- Redeem from the Dunkin’ app under “my offers”
How to Redeem Your Free Dunkin Birthday Drink
To be able to get your Free Dunkin Birthday Drink you’ll need to be a participant in Dunkin’s DD perks program. If you’re not currently a Dunkin Perks member you can sign up easily with Dunkin today. Upon signing up you’ll also receive a free beverage reward. As of the date of this article, the free beverage reward for a new Dunkin Perks member is a medium size Dunkin Refresher (A nice perk at $3.69 a piece!!).
The Dunkin’ app is not required to participate in the program, although we find it very convenient and use it regularly for instore and drive-thru purchases. We love it because its easy to earn points on every purchase and accumulate more free Dunkin’ drinks and donuts.
Here is a screenshot of what the app looks like and how it tracks the points that are accumulated.
We’ll cover the Dunkin’ app and some other great features of the DD perks loyalty program in our next article but now back to the important stuff.
Do You Need the Dunkin’ App to Receive Your Birthday Reward?
Though Dunkin’ encourages the use of their app for loyalty purchases and reward redemptions, they do not require it. You will also be able to find and redeem your free beverage reward coupons directly on dunkindonuts.com by signing into your DD perks account.
Are Any Beverages Excluded from the Free Beverage Reward?
Cooler beverages, Gallons and Dunkin’s Box O’Joe are excluded from the free drink reward.
Certain add-ons are also excluded and may be subject to additional charge when added to the free beverage reward. It really varies from location to location but dairy alternatives, cold foam, flavor and espresso shots will typically be charged at their regular menu prices when added to a free drink.
What is considered a cooler beverage at Dunkin?
Cooler beverages at Dunkin are the drinks that are kept in the cold coolers and refrigerators. Think bottled drinks like coca cola, sprite, monster energy drinks, Powerade, milk bottles, etc. Dunkin refreshers don’t count as cooler beverages and are definitely available with the free drink reward. Basically, anything that comes in a Dunkin cup will work.
How will I receive my free Dunkin birthday beverage?
Your Dunkin birthday reward will be sent two days before your birthday. You’ll receive an email letting you know it arrived. Like all reward coupons, you can find your birthday drink reward in the Offers tab in your DD perks account.
Is Your Dunkin Birthday Reward Not Showing Up?
Dunkin birthday rewards are scheduled to arrive 2 days prior to your birthday. If it’s your birthday and you still haven’t received your free drink reward, the best thing to do is contact Dunkin Brands corporate customer service. Glitches do happen with technology nowadays and from our experience Dunkin’ has always made things right.
You can try presenting a valid ID with your date of birth along with your DD perks account at a Dunkin restaurant but its really up to that location to honor it. From our experience you’ll be better off speaking with a Dunkin’ care representative who will resolve your problem quickly.
How to contact Dunkin Customer Service?
- Phone – You can contact Dunkin’ over the phone by calling 800-859-5339 and selecting option 2 for the Dunkin rewards program. The department is available Monday-Friday between 8:30am and 5pm EST. We recommend this option for fastest resolution!
- Email – Send an email to Dunkin’ at [email protected] and explain to them that your birthday reward did not arrive.
- Mail – Write a letter to Dunkin Brands: Dunkin’ Customer Care, 130 Royall Street, Canton, MA 02021
Do DD Perks points expire?
Yes.
- Inactive perks accounts with point balances below 200 points will have their points expire in one year without any further points activity during that time.
- Free Beverage Reward Coupons can be used for 30 days after issuance.
- Birthday free beverage rewards have an expiration of 7 days after issuance.
So what are you waiting for! If you haven’t signed up for DD perks you’re missing out on lots of free coffee!