Dunkin' Donuts

Founded in 1950 in Quincy, Mass., by Bill Rosenberg, Dunkin’ Donuts has grown to about 10,000 units worldwide — with nearly 7,000 locations in the United States. Dunkin’, which is owned by the publicly traded Dunkin’ Brands Inc. (Ticker: DNKN), has moved well beyond its early coffee-and-donuts roots. With outlets chiefly situated east of the Mississippi, Dunkin’ recently announced its long-awaited expansion into California. The beverage-snack chain generated U.S. systemwide sales of $5.93 billion for the year ended Dec. 2011.