Dunkin' Donuts Runs Flat

You’re probably familiar with the Dunkin' Donuts slogan “America Runs on Dunkin’.” I may be dating myself, but I grew up when Dunkin' Donuts had an advertising campaign with a portly baker who repeatedly and lethargically stated, “Time to make the donuts.” If you’ve seen many recent advertisements from February’s Super Bowl until now, the Dunkin' Bros are a hit with their subtle meta humor featuring Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Jennifer Lopez.  

I point to all of this because, for years, Dunkin' has been a hit with their advertising. However, recent reports suggest that their decision to not advertise on one social media platform could potentially halt Dunkin's run. According to USA Today, the CEO of Rumble tweeted on X that Dunkin' insisted that the streaming platform drop Steven Crowder and his show, claiming they don’t want to be associated with the conservative talk show host or right-wing culture. 

The CEO of Rumble responded by stating that they don’t discriminate and that all cultures are welcome on their streaming platform. In the current cultural climate where Christians and conservatives are being canceled (through demonetization and de-platforming) for having different opinions from mainstream media, finding a place that will stand by their convictions to not cave into for-profit and social credit compliance. 

If you’re unfamiliar with the term social credit, it originates from communist China and is being adopted by many governments, big tech, and big corporations as a means of control. Much like certain financial transactions can impact your personal credit score, certain actions or inactions can ruin your social credit score.  

Associating with the wrong people, and having the wrong political or religious affiliations or ideologies could affect your social credit. What you do, buy, read, or where you live can impact your social credit. Your attitudes about climate change can impact your social credit. Author and podcaster Glenn Beck did a whole breakdown four years ago and then another update about a year ago on the topic of social credit and the possible consequences it poses. 

In the hours since Dunkin’s decision was made public, people have called for a boycott of Dunkin Donuts. It became a trending hashtag on X. While this move by Dunkin doesn’t seem as major as when Bud Light was boycotted for their alliance with YouTuber Dylan Mulvaney or when Target proudly displayed trans-positive apparel for children; it highlights something that cannot be ignored. Where your dollars go matters, what you support matters, and what relationships you have matter. 

Various scriptures warn about associating with the wrong people. Many of them speak of evil men or immoral people. I’m not saying that Dunkin Donuts, Rumble, or any of the examples that I’ve presented fall into the category of evil or immoral, but I am pointing out that we as Christians or conservatives must realize that just as Dunkin Donuts and other companies have boldly declared where or with whom they won’t associate or commit their dollars, we too have a responsibility to be mindful of our associations and where we place our dollars. 

Australian evangelist, author, and motivational speaker Nick Vujicic was told five years ago that his bank would no longer do business with him. They froze his credit and debit cards and closed his accounts. The reason? Nick happens to be a pro-life supporter and 90% of all banks are financial contributors to some form of abortion initiative. His response? Started his own pro-life bank that donates 50% of its profits to Judeo-Christian-aligned non-profit organizations. 

Nick isn’t the only Christian or conservative to face this level of rejection or canceling. Repeatedly, over the last decade or so, Christians, conservatives, and religious and non-profit organizations have come under fire for what they believe. However, like Nick, they aren’t all lying down. They are doing something about it. They are redirecting where their money goes. Just like banks, many other financial institutions are majorly tied to industries that fund many things that are anti-Christian or anti-conservative. There are now companies you can safely invest through, be insured by, and support in various ways, that will associate only with companies and corporations that are value-based. 

It is said that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Something else that speaks is the dollars that are spent. We all struggle with tough choices. Most of the time, we’re trying to find the best or cheapest deal we can find, or maybe our focus is on the quality of the product we purchase. We ask ourselves, “What makes the most sense?” I think we are coming to a day and age when our thoughts need to turn to what we value. I don’t write this as someone unaware that I spend a lot in places that probably should not get my dollars, from a value perspective. However, as I become more aware of it, I want to make better choices.   

I don’t know whether the boycott of Dunkin Donuts will be as significant as other boycotts. Still, I can imagine that at the very least it will be another, in a long line of events, that prompts changes and people to rethink how they engage with their dollars. My admonishment is to choose your affiliations wisely. Align them with your values to the best of your abilities. Support those who value what you value.