CHEYENNE — Wyoming residents will no longer have to travel outside the state or get help from a military friend to satisfy their donut and coffee fix.
On Monday morning, the first Dunkin’ franchise to open to the public opened at the Horse Palace Swan Ranch in Cheyenne.
Until Monday, the only Dunkin’ located in Wyoming was at the F.E. Warren Air Force Base, which is not open to the general public.
The opening of the 350-square foot restaurant is inside the new 30,000-square-foot Horse Palace Swan Ranch, a new gaming amusement center that opened in Cheyenne earlier this summer.
“This was bringing something that’s nationally known into the area convenient for people to get to,” said Stephen Gibson, director of marketing for Wyoming Horse Racing LLC, which runs Horse Palace.
How Did It Happen?
Gibson said his organization reached out to Dunkin’ about bringing something different that customers couldn’t find nearby and also fills a sandwich shop/cafe niche.
“We tried to think of, ‘What does Cheyenne not have that we think would be super popular?’” he said. “We wanted to do something that we thought was no in Cheyenne and was unique like Dunkin’ and that of course would bring traffic to the Horse Palace.”
Wyoming Horse Racing has consistently said its target audience for the gaming establishment is Colorado residents.
Dunkin’ will add 10 jobs, and the franchise is owned and operated by Wyoming Horse Racing.
The Horse Palace, which people must be 21-years old to enter, also features gambling machines, off-track horse and greyhound betting, a steakhouse and live music.
Features
Dunkin’ will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Although most known for its donuts, Dunkin’ also serves hot and cold coffee, and other beverages like iced teas, cold-brew coffee and nitro-infused cold-brew coffee.
Dunkin’ also used green-friendly technology like LED lighting, high-efficiency mechanical equipment and low-flow faucets
People can also order their meals ahead of time with the Dunkin’ app.
Dunkin’ was founded in 1950 and is the largest coffee and donut brand in the United States, with more than 13,700 restaurants in nearly 40 global markets.
Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.
