Yesterday, I had intended to take a drive in my Z06 as the stucco repairs have made it impossible to do so. (The crew truck(s) blocks the garage.) The stucco crew was not supposed to work yesterday.
Part of my drive was supposed to include a quick stop at the Dunkin’ Donuts shop (yes, I know they are rebranding as Dunkin’) at which I have stopped so many times in the last 10 years. I was going to stop for a coffee and two donuts, one each for my wonderful wife and me, and not for a “full” breakfast like I usually do. I was also going to give a parting gift (a little money) to the woman who has served me 99% of the time I go there and to the man who almost always helps her. (I think they are part of the family that owns the franchise.)
As always, I was greeted warmly and before I ordered I said that this would probably be the last time I would be in the store and handed the woman her gift. She began to cry. I was surprised and touched.
She gave me six donuts instead of two as well as a number of egg and cheese wraps, which is what we almost always order for breakfast. Everything was on the house.
I don’t know the names of the people who have served me so many times and they don’t know my name. Frankly, sometimes I have a difficult time understanding them as English is not their first language. Still, it is a place in which I have felt welcome for a long time.
We will not be Dunkin’ regulars after we move due, in large part, to lack of proximity. The nearest Dunkin’ is almost 10 miles from our new house; the store we have frequented is just a mile and a half away.
I just wanted to share that story. I will miss the Dunkin’ Donuts store and the people who have so graciously served me for so long. From sandiegoville an appropriate picture:
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Technically, this is not a Frugal Friday post. Still, I thought I’d show an inexpensive car. From gtcarlot.com and Jim Trenary Chevrolet a picture of a car like one currently offered on AutoTrader, a red 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS:
The AutoTrader car has about 58,000 miles and is in Red over Ebony. We will not buy a car with a black interior, which would be way too hot too much of the time in the desert. Still, for an asking price of $9,990 that’s not a lot of money for a good-looking car with a 300+ HP/300+ LB-FT engine, even though it’s above the Kelley Blue Book® value range.
I am hesitant to write this, but I think that four-door cars are out of consideration as grocery car/taxi after we move. We simply will not need a car to function as a taxi more than a handful of times a year, but will need “grocery functionality” far more often. Why not shop for groceries in a good-looking car with some performance? A car like this or a Cadillac Eldorado also pays homage to a defunct model with a storied history.
#Bye-ByeDunkin’Donuts
#2006ChevroletMonteCarloSS
#somanycarsjustonelife
#disaffectedmusings
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Disaffected Musings 
Always sad to lose a good relationship with a great place to eat and friendly management. I’m hoping that the Subway we lunched at regularly is still in business in Goodyear when we get back to Buckeye in November. I know they were already struggling with COVID restrictions in April when we left.
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Yes, indeed. It is sad to lose a comfortable place to get food and/or dine.
When my wonderful wife and I lived in Carlsbad, California we regularly dined at a place not far from where we lived. When we informed them we were moving, they comped dessert and served us champagne, also on the house. No, they did not know our names.
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A good place to eat is a wonderful thing to find. The one thread I see in these comments is the relationship established with the people providing the service. It is important to have those relationships. Beverly and I shop at the same grocery store most of the time and over the years we have come to know the staff. I make it a point to call them by name and talk with them about other things than the groceries going by on the belt. Beverly has always carried on a conversation with the person bagging the groceries. When we lived in Mesa, she would ask the younger ones about their college plans and encourage them. These conversations may seem unimportant to some, however, they go a long way in making someone’s day seem a little better. Dunkin’ Donuts has wonderful products well loved by us and also my daughter’s children as Dad always goes out for Dunkin’ on Formula I race days.
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Thanks, Philip.
I also think those relationships with our “vendors” are important.
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Probably the biggest PITA of living out of town for 2-6 weeks at a time is finding decent places to eat. There are a lot of lousy meals consumed before you narrow down the good from the mediocre. For breakfast we try to find a local diner type of place as opposed to a chain. Usually a good selection including items you won’t find at the chain’s plus you usually deal with the same server each day. Same with an evening meal, local places for the win. We do try to mix it up, nobody wants meatloaf every night no matter how good it might be (looking at you Metro Diner). We do try to get what is available locally, not gonna look for good seafood in Iowa and probably not gonna find awesome corn fed beef in Florida. Forget BBQ in the Pacific Northwest for the most part also. Then about the time you figure out where all the good places are, it’s time to move on. 😦
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Thanks, DDM. Good advice about trying to dine on local cuisine.
What bothers me about dining in the US is that it seems as if virtually all restaurants are trying to outdo each other on how spicy they make their food. At least 25% of the US population does not like and/or cannot tolerate spicy food, but it’s everywhere. Unfortunately for me, it’s only going to get worse where we’re going.
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*makes note to buy shares of GlaxoSmithKline, makers of Tums 🙂
Surprisingly, when we were working out in Phoenix 3 years ago, one of the better places to eat we found was near our hotel in Tuscon. A little “sports bar” in a shopping plaza. Decent selection other than your usual “bar food”.
Sometimes it pays to try the least expected looking type place. Also helps to ask the locals we have found.
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Yes, when possible, ask the locals. That has worked for us many times.
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Beautiful story, sir. You have always been a kind and generous soul!
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Thanks, Eileen. I appreciate the compliment although I don’t know how true it is.
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Such a great little story. Thanks for sharing it.
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Thanks for reading and for commenting.
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