Dunkin' returns to Canada after eight years; building permits reveal Toronto location

TORONTO — The American coffee chain Dunkin' is preparing to return to Toronto. Building permit applications submitted to the city have revealed the location of its first known restaurant in the city, as part of plans to return to the Canadian market after an absence of about eight years.

The project involves a commercial unit at 440 College Street, formerly occupied by a Starbucks café. No official opening date has been announced, although work to prepare the site and convert it into a Dunkin'-branded restaurant is moving forward.

Where will the Toronto Dunkin' open?

Building permit records submitted to the City of Toronto on October 28, 2026 show a proposal for interior alterations to the property at 440 College Street, described as a "new Dunkin' Donuts restaurant."

The applications covered work related to interior alterations, mechanical systems and plumbing. This is concrete evidence that the site has been chosen, rather than just rumours about the chain's expansion.

The address is on College Street in downtown Toronto, near a number of restaurants and cafés, including DaNico. The unit housed a Starbucks location before the new project appeared.

However, submitting permit applications does not necessarily mean the preparation work is finished or that all final approvals have been granted. For that reason, no confirmed opening date has been set for the restaurant.

A return after eight years away

Dunkin', formerly known as Dunkin' Donuts, operated in the Canadian market through franchised stores before its presence gradually shrank and its last remaining locations closed in 2018.

The current return comes as the chain expands globally and interest in its brand, which offers coffee, baked goods and snacks, is renewed.

The parent company, Inspire Brands, announced on May 12, 2026 an exclusive master franchise agreement with the Canadian group Foodtastic to relaunch Dunkin' and open hundreds of locations in different parts of the country.

Foodtastic will manage site development, recruit franchisees and operate the network, through both company-run restaurants and franchised ones.

The Canadian group has experience managing various restaurant and café brands, including Second Cup, Pita Pit and Freshii. This gives it an existing operating network it can draw on when selecting new sites and dealing with suppliers and investors. However, it has not announced a specific number of locations that will open in each province.

When will the restaurants open to customers?

The official announcement of the partnership said the first Canadian location was expected to open in late 2026, while later updates indicated that the first openings could stretch into early 2027.

Toronto and Montreal are among the target markets in the first phase. The company has not announced a final date for the College Street location, or a confirmed list of all the locations that will open later.

The site should therefore not be considered ready for visits at this point. It also cannot be said for certain that it will be the first restaurant to actually open in the country, even if it is the first address to appear in the known building applications in Toronto.

What will Dunkin' offer consumers?

According to the joint announcement by Inspire Brands and Foodtastic, the menu is expected to include hot and iced coffee, espresso drinks, tea, donuts, sandwiches and snacks.

Prices in Canada and the menu for the Toronto location have not yet been revealed, so details of the offerings available at opening depend on later announcements.

Dunkin's re-entry into the Canadian market will place the brand in competition with established chains, most notably Tim Hortons and Starbucks, as well as independent local cafés.

A greater variety of brands could give consumers more choice, but the effect of the newcomer on prices and market share cannot be determined until the restaurants are operating and the level of demand is known.

What does the move mean for Canada's coffee market?

The partnership aims for an expansion across hundreds of locations, not the opening of a single café in Toronto.

This reflects the two companies' confidence in the opportunities in the Canadian market, even though the earlier experience ended with the brand's withdrawal.

The 440 College Street location remains the latest concrete sign that the return plan is being carried out. The opening date, hours of operation and advance ordering remain undisclosed, and customers will need to wait for official confirmation before heading to the site.